Great Smoky Mountains in Winter

A few months ago, we packed up the kids and headed up the mountain for a weekend ski trip with our great friends. The main purpose of that trip was to go skiing in Gatlinburg. However, we got a taste of what the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has to offer.

We left from our house a bit later than we expected so we ended up driving up the mountains during night time. It was one of the scariest drive in my whole life and I wasn't even a driver. If anyone has an experience of driving on the scenic route in the Smoky Mountains, they will know what I'm talking about. The road is curvy up the moutain with sharp turn and sometimes even 180 degree turn. Add that to the darkness and the leftover ice not yet fully melt in the end of winter.. I was so tense that once we got down the moutain I felt like I had been in a marathon race.

On the way back most of our friends opted to take different route to avoid the major mountain road. But for us, it was a perfect chance to really enjoy this beautiful drive that we can fully appreciate it in daylight. The drive didn't disappoint us. The kids were amazed by the ice patch on the cliff along the side of the road.

We stopped at a couple overlook to enjoy the view. I just used my imagination to see how beautiful it will be even more so during Fall season with all different color of the leaves blaster the mountain top. Then we stopped at Newfound Gap where we enjoyed the views of both the Tennessee and North Carolina sides of the high ridge. This stop is very well maintained. It also a site for the Rockefeller Memorial. The kids got to get out and stretch and even tried a bit of rock climbing. :) Unfortunately, the road to Clingmans Dome which is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was closed during winter.

It was a great trip home and one that we will plan to visit later in Fall.

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