Hey guys! So I have to admit that I'm going to cheat here. Today's blog post is about one of my favorite trips I've ever taken which just so happened to take place last year (aka before I had this blog). But it was such an amazing experience that I still remember very vividly until today, so I want to share it with you guys. Here is the story of the trip I took with my family to the beautiful Smoky Mountains in Tennessee...
The journey to the Smoky Mountains was a long one. My family chose to get there by road-trip instead of plane at the last minute and with that came all the necessary evils of long car rides: minimal leg room, interrputed naps, and spotty cell-phone service. Still, it was so worth it. Road tripping is always a bonding experience, and it's also pretty cool to get to see all the in-between places between your vacation spot and your own home city. We got to see a little of Louisiana, Alabama, and of course Tennessee. It was very beautiful, as you can see.
After 20+hours (we make a lot of fast food stops, okay) we finally arrived to the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. One of the first things that surprised me was how touristy this place is! Pigeon Forge, the small city right next to the National Park, is loaded with every kind of tourist attraction you can think of. But our favorite thing at Pigeon Forge was a certain little donut shop we don't have back in Houston...
Ahh, I can almost smell the deliciousness...
Anyway, after a little typical tourist-exploring, we got down to the whole reason we had decided to come here: the beautiful mountains of Tennessee. We spent several days going through some of the most scenic routes, so I'll just share some of my favorite spots with you.
My absolute favorite was a trail named Cades Cove. Cades Cove is basically a loop around a giant meadow. It's unique for its beautiful views of the mountains and its horses, deer, and even the occassional bear (Cades Cove is actually where we saw our first bear! It was eating berries in a tree a few meters away). Here's some of us walking through the meadow:
It was absolutely breathtaking.
Another beautiful trail we drove through was the one that led us to Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the Smoky Mountains National Park. It's the spot that allowed us to get beautiful pictures like this one:
From the very top of Clingman's Dome, you can see everything from Pigeon Forge to the dividing line between Tennessee and North Carolina. The crisp mountain wind, pine trees, and views of this spot made it unforgettable.
To understand my last (and most) favorite thing of this trip, you must first know one thing: I was the ten year old girl that was so obsessed with horses that I memorized all the species and read only books about girls who owned horses. I'm pretty sure every girl has gone through some sort of horse phase but the traces of mine still liger. So when I found out I could ride through the Smoky Mountains on a horse for a whole hour, I couldn't bring myself to pass it up.
It was such a beautiful thing to do because it made me feel closer to nature than anything else in the trip had. I saw wild turkeys pass right by my horse, and even a bear only a few feet away. There is something so calming and majestic about the authentic silence of the forest. I loved hearing nothing but the wind, wild animals, and the crunching of leaves beneath my horse's feet. It's truly something that I'll never forget.
So there it is, our wonderful trip to the Smoky Mountains! I would absolutely recommend it as a vacation spot to anyone- or at least somewhere like it, rich in nature. Tourist attractions are nice and all, but there is nothing as awe-inducing and peaceful and beautiful as nature.
P.S. Some of these beautiful pictures were taken by my very talented sister! You can check her out on Instagram here.