Preserving Traditional Ways

Cades Cove is the most heavily visited destination within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and we did experience the traffic this morning.  It’s a beautiful part of the park and well worth seeing, however.  The area is known for its collection of historic pioneer churches and cabins, as well as its wildlife.  We didn’t see a bear, but there were wild turkeys and deer, whose presence caused major traffic jams.



Cades Cove



Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church

We stopped at one of the churches and walked through the historic cemetery.  My favorite stop, however, was the visitor center where a sorghum molasses making demonstration was taking place.  Talk about bringing back fond memories of food!  I love sorghum molasses, especially with butter on hot biscuits.  That’s what my grandmother used to serve for breakfast when we visited them in North Carolina.


The demonstration here showed the traditional way of making sorghum molasses.  The sorghum stalks were being crushed in a mill that was being turned by a mule walking around in a circle.  The juice was then extracted and then boiled and evaporated into syrup.  Of course, I had to buy a pint.  I just hope the glass jar never breaks in the RV.  I can’t imagine the mess that would make.



The Mule Powers the Mill



Boiling the Syrup

Touring the Cable Mill historic area around the visitor center provided insight into the way the early settlers of the area lived.  Those who lived in Cades Cove were largely self-sufficient.  It must have been a difficult existence.

Cable Mill, a water-powered grist mill that still grinds corn into cornmeal, is the only building on its original site.  Interesting farm structures represent a typical mountain community and have either been relocated here or reconstructed.  All structures are log, with the exception of the frame house.



Cable Mill



Smokehouse and Gregg-Cable House



Cantilever Barn



Corn Crib and Gear Shed



Two-Pen Barn

The National Park Service is developing a long-range management plan for Cades Cove, and I can’t quite imagine the challenge that this area poses.  Preservation of historic structures which are being defacing with graffiti, traffic control and the reintroduction of native plants are just a few of the issues that must be addressed.



Graffiti Is a Constant Threat



Education Is One Way to Combat Graffiti



Native Plant Demonstration Plot

Our drive back through the park over Newfound Gap Road was almost as pretty as yesterday’s drive.  It was a bit more hazy, but there was less traffic, and the drive was more relaxing.  Tim and I both agreed that the visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park was definitely worth it

View from Newfound Gap

Land of Blue Smoke

We said good-bye to Chris, Skip and Skip’s mother Betty and set our sights on Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  It was a beautiful day for a drive.  What I hadn’t counted on was how crowded the park would be.  Yes, I know, it’s Thanksgiving weekend, and Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited of all the national parks.  But, the leaves had already fallen, so I thought it might have quieted down.  Not the case.

Betty, Tim, Chris and Skip

Even though the park had way too much traffic for our taste, it was still beautiful.  Bright blue, clear skies enabled us to see for miles.  The Cherokee, who were the original inhabitants of this area, described the surrounding mountains as shaconage, meaning “blue, like smoke.”  The mountains do appear to be blue, and the views of distant mountain ranges were just beautiful.  Even the streams and waterfalls were still flowing freely.



Mountain View



This Photo Has Not Been Photoshopped,
The Mountains Really Do Appear to be Blue



Waterfall Beside the Road



Babbling Brook

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known for its diverse collection of plants and animals.  There are more tree species here, in fact, than in northern Europe.  The park has been designated as an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site.

The cultural heritage of the park is a major draw for many visitors.  Because the park was created from mostly private lands, numerous homesteads remain.  It is mostly the log buildings that have been preserved, and the park contains one of the nation’s largest collections of log structures.  I can especially relate to these log buildings because my grandfather preserved the one-room log cabin from his family homestead not far from here in Boone, North Carolina.

Yesterday we drove as far as Cades Cove and camped there last night.  Our plan was to beat the crowds on the Cades Cove loop, which can sometimes take four hours to complete.  Keep in mind that the loop is only eleven miles, and you’ll understand why we wanted to get an early start in the morning so we wouldn’t be caught in “rush hour” traffic.

I Wonder What's Over the Side of this Mountain?

View From Clingmans Dome, the Highest Point in the Park