We arrived to a chilly, damp park early in May 2008. Our first campsite was Elkmont which is near park headquarters. We stayed here for several nights, during which we explored the park. We hit the visitor center and Charles Bunion, which was nerve-racking for Erin because of the narrow trails along the cliffs. On our way to the second campsite, we stopped by Clingmans Dome which was well worth the short walk uphill to the lookout tower atop the tallest peak in the park. Our second campsite, Smokemont, was in North Carolina and short distance from a Cherokee Indian Reservation. We made our way into a small town on the Indian Reservation which was built for tourists but had some cool activities. We got our fishing permit and made an attempt to fish which ended a couple hours later without a single bite. We did a few other short hikes the next couple days and avoided some rain at night, but before we knew it, it was time to pack up and head home. On the way out, we were surprised by a flock of wild turkeys crossing the road. We were only able to see a portion of the park so we would love to go back and explore more along the Appalachian Trail!
Great Smoky Mountain National Park 2008
For our 2008 trip, we looked into something a little farther away. Africa landed in our sights and we whittled our top picks down to Egypt or Kenya. Egypt brings the Nile, the Pyramids, and tons of other timeless classics. In Kenya, we planned to volunteer in Nairobi at an orphanage. At the beginning of the year, with political unrest occurring in Nairobi, the volunteer organization cancelled all programs, with good reason, that would put their volunteers in harms way. After this news, we new we didn't have time to plan a big trip with finals coming up quick at Purdue, so we decided to head to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina. This would also help to save a little money for next year's trip.
We arrived to a chilly, damp park early in May 2008. Our first campsite was Elkmont which is near park headquarters. We stayed here for several nights, during which we explored the park. We hit the visitor center and Charles Bunion, which was nerve-racking for Erin because of the narrow trails along the cliffs. On our way to the second campsite, we stopped by Clingmans Dome which was well worth the short walk uphill to the lookout tower atop the tallest peak in the park. Our second campsite, Smokemont, was in North Carolina and short distance from a Cherokee Indian Reservation. We made our way into a small town on the Indian Reservation which was built for tourists but had some cool activities. We got our fishing permit and made an attempt to fish which ended a couple hours later without a single bite. We did a few other short hikes the next couple days and avoided some rain at night, but before we knew it, it was time to pack up and head home. On the way out, we were surprised by a flock of wild turkeys crossing the road. We were only able to see a portion of the park so we would love to go back and explore more along the Appalachian Trail!
We arrived to a chilly, damp park early in May 2008. Our first campsite was Elkmont which is near park headquarters. We stayed here for several nights, during which we explored the park. We hit the visitor center and Charles Bunion, which was nerve-racking for Erin because of the narrow trails along the cliffs. On our way to the second campsite, we stopped by Clingmans Dome which was well worth the short walk uphill to the lookout tower atop the tallest peak in the park. Our second campsite, Smokemont, was in North Carolina and short distance from a Cherokee Indian Reservation. We made our way into a small town on the Indian Reservation which was built for tourists but had some cool activities. We got our fishing permit and made an attempt to fish which ended a couple hours later without a single bite. We did a few other short hikes the next couple days and avoided some rain at night, but before we knew it, it was time to pack up and head home. On the way out, we were surprised by a flock of wild turkeys crossing the road. We were only able to see a portion of the park so we would love to go back and explore more along the Appalachian Trail!
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