Days 4 & 5 - Smokemont Campground - Great Smoky Mountain National Park, NC/TN

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Friday took us to our first national park stop, where we rolled into the Smokies via the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. Elk were casually strolling across the river as we entered the park, providing us with some excellent photo ops before we settled into our campground. Our site, inside the park, was lacking cell service, wifi and hookups (no, electricity or water) – gasp! These two days of roughing it were our preparation course for boondocking in the Western parks. Alas, our water pump decided to call it quits, leaving us high and dry. Who needs modern amenities, anyway? We embraced the true camping experience by whipping up a pasta dinner on our RV stove (first use) and engaging in a few "losing to Steve games" of Yahtzee at the picnic table. Who knew roughing it could be so fun?"

After making it through the night, we embarked on our inaugural hike that morning. Our destination was a charming waterfall along Chasteen Creek Trail, where we enjoyed a snack before tackling the Smokemont Loop Trail. Little did we know that this supposedly "moderately difficult" 6.5-mile loop would turn into an uphill battle, literally. The trail seemed to only go in one direction: up, up, and up... with no reprieve in sight.

Just when we thought things couldn't get any more exciting, we encountered what we thought was a bear halfway through our hike. Steve quickly reached for the bear spray while I fumbled for my camera, only to realize that our furry friend was actually a wild hog 🐗 on the move. Talk about an unexpected twist! It turns out these hogs are nocturnal and a rare sight, originally brought to the area in 1921. Apparently, they wreak havoc on the land and streams.

Feeling adventurous, we decided to scope out the nearby town of Cherokee despite our post-hike splendor (grossness) for some tasty grub and top off our gas tank. Lo and behold, we stumbled upon Native-Brews Tap and Grill, a charming spot with indoor and outdoor seating. Steve got his wing fix (iykyk) and we enjoyed a delicious meal. Satisfied, we returned to our campsite for the night. We read a little about the history of the Cherokee Nation learning their presence dates back to 8,000 B.C. This left us in awe!

Tomorrow, we're off to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg for a campsite with all the amenities. 💕.

Elk grazing, JLE cat crossing the stream, waterfall, WV White butterfly, US, Dining Spot