RACHEL SHENK: Springtime in the Smokies | News
3 min read
In my dream, we are driving up a mountain with steep fall-offs and never-ending curves and, even though a road atlas lays on my lap, I can’t quite tell if we will ever reach our destination.
As I wake up, I’m already trying to analyze the meaning of the dream but immediately know why I dreamt it. Just last week, we stayed in the Smoky Mountains and drove up the roads of my dreams. Apparently my brain, so accustomed to the flatlands of northern Indiana, is reliving the back and forth and ups and downs of those rolling mountains.
Our trip this time takes us to the southern edge of Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We make our home away from home in a cabin perched on the side of the mountain at the end of a steep and bumpy gravel road. Surrounded by small trees, mountain laurel and wildflowers, the quiet is only broken by a wild turkey gobble or the persistent pecking of a woodpecker.
The burble of a small creek flowing at the bottom of the hill also reaches up to us as we sit on the long porch. Since we are the highest house on the side of the mountain, we also have an unobstructed view of two of the endless ridges of the Smokies. When we arrive, they are bathed in sunlight that shows off their myriad versions of spring green against the bright blue background sky. The air here smells different: fresh, full of the forest scents of moss and leaves and new plant life pushing out.
Since our pup Sadie comes along on this trip, we don’t have much on the agenda other than a few walks with her every day and maybe some waterfall sightings. But to go anywhere here means up and around and down and around. Our first day takes us to the southern side of the Park where dogs are allowed along the Oconaluftee River Trail.
Here, the wild turkeys walk through the meadow on our right, the river runs to our left and mountaintops stand before us. Before we return to our car, Sadie takes a dip in the river to cool off.
We then decide to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway with its multiple scenic pull-overs and tunnels. At this time of year, we see only a few cars along this beautiful curving road that just reopened for the season. The BRP treats us to breathtaking views, colorful flora and sunny weather. We soak it all in.
Later, back in the valley, we walk around Lake Junaluska and stop for a drink at Frog Level Brewing where dogs are allowed. Their back patio where we sit skirts the Richland Creek. It’s been a good day.
As vacations go, the days run into each other. We have a few sunny days and then, one morning we wake up to fog and drizzle on the mountain. The cabin is wrapped in clouds that hover then lift then surround us again. Despite the weather, we take another drive on the BRP to Waterrock Knob.
In the fog and the rain, the mountains truly show their “smoky” side as wisps of clouds slither through the trees and young green spring growth shines through the gray mist. We hike the trail to Waterrock Knob, ignoring the steady drizzle as we take in the natural beauty around us.
After one more day cocooned in the clouds in our cabin, it’s time to come back down. The journey home brings us over the Cumberland Gap and back to the flatlands of Indiana. We feel rested and privileged to have seen the Smokies in both sun and rain. As in most of our travels, we’ve learned some new history and geography, experienced a different culture and landscape and come away with a new understanding of life on this earth.
We’ll see where the journey takes us next.
La Bonne Vie’s Rachel Shenk has been an artisan baker for 30 years. Born and raised in Belgium, she has lived in Goshen since 1973. She has been writing about food, traveling and the good life for about 10 years. You can connect with her on her Facebook page, La Bonne Vie, or at her cheese shop in Goshen, The Wedge.
