Great Smokey Mountain Railroad

Posted on June 6, 2014June 6, 2014 by Dusty Roads

All Aboard the Nantahala Gorge Excursion train.

The description sounded wonderful. :

Take a ride along side the beautiful Nantahala River on our Nantahala Gorge Excursion! Departing from Bryson City, this four-and-a-half hour excursion carries you 44 miles to the Nantahala Gorge and back again arrving at our Bryson City depot.

The pictures even more attractive.

My trip was longer than 4 1/2 hours. I think it was 6 or 7 hours. I knew it wouldn’t be colorful like this because it was the wrong time of year but I imagined I’d get to see the train either approach the bridge or cross it or even see the bridge after we pulled away. Nope.

Most of the trip was spent watching the grass and tress and bushes pass by. Most of the view of the lake and river was obscured. The opposite side of the train from the river had high banks and shrubs for scenery. Not much to see there either.

I was taking the trip alone so in the infinite wisdom of the ticket gods I was placed in an aisle seat with a family of 7. 2 grandparents, 2 parents and 3 children…all bored. Even the father said it was the most boring scenic train ride he’d ever been on.

I suppose my seat was ok as long as you don’t mind being climbed over by the oldest girl who couldn’t stay in her seat to save her life. Plus being blocked from the window I didn’t have much chance for pictures.

They had a mountain man story teller who was pretty good but he was only in our car for a little while and I found out that as of Memorial Day he would not be on the train anymore because he has his own shop in Byson City.

We also had a singer except every time he started to sing they made a train announcement. I think he actually finished 1 song. They had another girl who came through making balloon animals for the kids. The 3 I was seated with managed to pop or untwist theirs almost before she was out of the car.

Finally we turned around and stopped for lunch. I had purchased one of the boxed lunches so picked it up and made for the picnic tables.

It had been raining all day but there were a few kayakers honing their skills in the rapids…until I pulled out my camera. Then they quit. Things just don’t seem to be going right for me today.

I moved to the open air car hoping to get better views but there really wasn’t much to see. I was glad it was a rainy day. I would have hated to spend the day on this train ride if it had been nice out.

I’m not trying to be a complainer. I love taking the scenic train rides. I think that’s why i was so disappointed. I’ve taken enough of them to know a good ride from a poor one and this was one of the poorest I’ve been on. To be in such a beautiful area and have such lack luster views, well it was quite the let down. No matter how I try to spin it I just can’t recommend it. It really needs some work to make it interesting.

Roaring Fork

Posted on June 5, 2014June 5, 2014 by Dusty Roads

The drive back from the Cataloochee was a challenge. At least I didn’t meet any cars as I wound my way back out the 11 + miles of twisty dirt roads. The GPS gets really mixed up in the mountains. At one point I was on a narrow paved road where the curves turned back on themselves so tightly that the GPS thought I’d stopped moving! But eventually I came out just above Gatlinburg. One minute I had no idea where I was and the next I was looking a the BBQ restaurant where I’d had dinner the night before! What a full day of adventure!

The next morning wasn’t quite as promising. Dark rain clouds were threatening and the weather report placed the possibility of rain at 60%. I decided to take advantage of the diffused lighting to look for some of the waterfalls in the area. Just outside of Gatlinburg center is the Roaring Fork area.

Take a left at the light near the Space Needle then a couple of blocks down you’ll find the sign for Roaring Fork on the right. Brace yourself. It’s another narrow, one lane road. Roaring Fork is known for gushing mountain streams, historic buildings and waterfalls. This is where you find the trailhead for the Trillium Gap Trail and Grotto Falls. The trail passes behind the falls and is said to be a fairly easy hike.

I drove the one-way Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail twice trying to find a place to park to get to the Trillium Gap trail but it was packed. The only parking was over 1/2 mile down a hill from the trailhead. Then you had a 1.5 mile hike to get to the falls. I was disappointed. I really wanted to visit Grotto Falls. Everyone talks about it which is probably why there were so many people there even with rain threatening. I just didn’t feel my back would hold up to the hike especially when you added on the extra distance just to get to the trail head from the parking spot. I had hoped visiting before the main tourist season and a rainy day would mean fewer people but apparently not.

That disappointment aside this is a great little road. The stream than follows the road or vice versa is lively and gives many opportunities for photos. It crisscrosses back and forth from left to right and back with little one lane bridges providing passage for the cars.

Near the end of the drive is a waterfall called Place of a Thousand Drips. This is known as a “wet weather” waterfall. During stormy weather this waterfall is said to be dramatic. Since it was only threatening to rain it had only moderate flow when I was there. Another visitor said the area had experienced a very dry spring as well. Even so, the Place of A Thousand Drips is a really nice waterfall.

Photo of the Week ~ 22

Posted on June 4, 2014June 4, 2014 by Dusty Roads

This week was very close. I have to admit I was torn too. The winner is Majestic Elk with 31 points but Thumbelina was right behind with 26 points. I’m glad it wasn’t a tie. The Elk photo represents a lot of work searching 3 states for the elusive animals but how many times do you see a 6 inch 4 lb goat. A miniature bundle of cuteness.

Cataloochee

Posted on June 3, 2014June 3, 2014 by Dusty Roads

Well here I am. Sitting in the car waiting for sunset and ELK. I’ve finally reached the Cataloochee. As sunset approached I decided to drive back through the valley. Near the little bridge the park service had erected rest rooms. I decided it might be wise to take advantage of them. When I returned to my car I spotted one of the rangers. At first he wagged a finger at me and said “Still too early” but then he must have felt bad for me because he had a change of heart.

He told me there were 2 elk out by the “Old Palmer Place”. He sent me back out through the gates where I found another dirt road to my left. About a mile down the road there was a farm house and right there I saw my first Elk in the wild.

The Catloochee delivered as promised!

Meanwhile back at the trail head, the herd arrived.

The Most Twisted Dirt Road in the World

Posted on June 2, 2014June 2, 2014 by Dusty Roads

“They” all said it was quite the drive. “They” all said it would take a long time. Most encouraged me to skip this stop but it’s in the auto touring pamphlet…and “they” promised me ELK!

Do any of my readers remember my trip to South Dakota when my sister and I got lost on the Pine Ridge Reservation and drove the ” longest dirt road in the world”? Well that one was straight. I found it’s twisted cousin here in the Cataloochee. Actually a good portion of it was on the way into the valley.

The brochure describes the Cataloochee as a an “idyllic mountain valley “, off -the- beaten- path”, and lovely destination. I’ll add fun if you are adventurous.

The 11 mile dirt road is basically a one lane road that spends much of it’s 11 miles twisting back on itself. There are sharp corners with blind turns and pray you don’t meet a vehicle coming in the other direction. There’s no shoulder to speak of and very little room to pull over. I did meet a few cars and we mostly hugged the sides of the roads til we could squeak by. It was the longest 11 miles I’ve ever driven. More than once I wondered if I’d gone the wrong way but there really wasn’t any place to make a wrong turn.

Finally I found a gate and a small sign “Cataloochee”. But beyond the gate was , you guessed it. More dirt road. I’d come this far I. I wasn’t going to stop now so Onward!

Finally as I rounded a turn and slid (literally) down the dirt and gravel hill, the road dumped me out of the trees and into a big valley. Several historic buildings were bordering the road. I came to a one lane bridge with not 1 ranger but 3 all parked right at the bridge. I stopped and asked if I’d found the Cataloochee and where were the Elk?

I was assured that I was in the right place but that it was too early. I could cross the bridge and follow the road to the end where there was a trail head and a place to turn around. They said the elk would be around eventually as it got closer to sunset.