Great Smoky Mountain National Park, magnificance…

The United States has so many incredible treasures and the National Parks are no exception. Traveling in from the Blue Ridge Parkway we were immediately struck by the beauty of this area. It is such a large park and there is so much to see and take in. Entering at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center which provides a great history of the area and park. We then traveled on the Newfound Gap Road, a bit scary, a lot of big curves but incredible views on top and within the forests and streams. It was fun to stand on the Tennessee/North Carolina state line and intersection with the Appalachian Trail. We stayed 2 days in Cades Cove, a perfect area to take a step back in time. We learned some history of the early settlers and the life they led here. The 11-mile loop road was an incredible drive.