Off to the Smokies …

This year, the Phaeton is going to take us to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) for our spring motorhome vacation.

The only other time we were in the Smokies was in 1994.  It was a very fast 5-day trip that took us from Virginia to Tennessee and North Carolina.  From Gatlinburg to Asheville, we covered a lot during that trip — a day-drive through the Smokies; a tour of the Biltmore Estate; a hike to the top of Chimney Rock where scenes for The Last of the Mohicans (the Daniel Day-Lewis movie) were filmed; and a no-stops-along-the-way drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway on the way back home.

Clockwise from Top Left: Cable Mill in Cades Cove; Biltmore Estate, Asheville;
Chimney Rock Skyline Trail (can you find me in the Opera Box?); scenic overlook, GSMNP;
Chimney Rock (see if you can find Mui).

Our April trip to the Smokies will not be a whirlwind of activities.  Sure, we’ll go out and explore quite a bit, but we’ll do so in-depth and cover fewer places — the way we really like to do things.

We’re booked into the Tremont Outdoor Resort for the duration of our vacation; that’s in Townsend, TN — billed as the gateway to the ‘quiet side’ of the GSMNP.  Though we might consider a day-trip or two to Gatlinburg and other towns, our intent is to spend most of our time in the park itself.  Nope, not going to Dollywood!

So, why this post?  Well, we’re looking for ideas from all you RVers out there who’ve been to the Smokies.  What are your favorite hikes — especially those with entertainment (scenery) along the way or a reward (scenery) at the end?  What are the secret, not-to-be-missed spots in and outside the park?

Get those ideas rolling as we roll down I-81 tomorrow!