AA^2: Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Moutains

Stella and I are very excited to stay in the Great Smoky Mountains!  We will be staying in a KOA cabin one night in the Smokies.  We've decided to skip Nashville so we can have more time to explore the Smokies. 

Our Great Smokies Campground:

Townsend/Great Smokies KOA  

Townsend KOA Campground Map

 

We've reserved a 2 room cabin facing the river.  When I saw 2 room, I mean literally 2 rooms, not 2 bedrooms.  But still, it will be bigger than the other cabins we have stayed in. 














I'm hoping that we will still be able to make a Tie Dye T-shirt while we are there.  I know it's winter so I'm not sure what will be open.



This campground is dog friendly, although they may have restrictions on which dog breeds are allowed so call ahead of time.  I'm excited because they have a leash-free dog run area.  Kobi will love this!!

A little blurb about the town of Townsend from the KOA website.

This small town's history goes back hundreds of years. First called Tuckaleechee Cove by the Cherokee, white settlers began arriving in the late 1700s. Around 1900, there was a logging boom and the town was named after the Little River Lumber Company president, W.B. Townsend. Since the 1930s, when the national park was created, Townsend has been a major portal into the park. Enjoy the rich Appalachian culture, beautiful scenery and wonderful people of Tennessee.



Some information that could be helpful if you are planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open 365 days a year.

Pet rules at the national park: Pets

• Pets are allowed in campgrounds, picnic areas, and along roads, but must be kept on a leash at all times.
• The leash must not exceed 6 feet in length.
• Dogs are only allowed on two short walking paths—the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail. Pets are not allowed on any other park trails.
• Pet excrement must be immediately collected by the pet handler and disposed of in a trash receptacle.
• Pets should not be left unattended in vehicles or RVs.

These are rules for the safety of your pet and the animals in the wild.  Your dog could scare and carry diseases that aren't known the animals in the wild.  Your dog could also become prey for larger animals out there in the wild.  So I'm perfectly okay following the rules of the park.  I wanna make sure we all come home safe.

History and Culture

"Great Smoky Mountains National Park preserves a rich cultural tapestry of Southern Appalachian history. The mountains have had a long human history spanning thousands of years-from the prehistoric Paleo Indians to early European settlement in the 1800s to loggers and Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees in the 20th century.
The park strives to protect the historic structures, landscapes, and artifacts that tell the varied stories of people who once called these mountains home" NPS.gov

The mountains get there name from a natural haze. Hydrocarbons produced by the trees and vast vegetation combined with the high humidity and rainfall produce a bluish/smoky cast. Thus the Great "Smoky" Mountains.