May 28-29, 2012 Cataloochee, Great Smokey mountains, North Carolina

We had no cell or internet service in the Smokey’s so the next bunch of posts are posted  after we got out to the park. We drove from Murphy to Waynesville, NC where we got groceries and propane.  The propane place wrote on the receipt that the propane was sold to a motor homo. . .  A big storm was rolling in.

Waynesville, NC. with the Great Smokey Mountains behind. The Great Smokey’s out the window driving.

The last part of the road said it was a narrow dirt road. Well it was barely wider than the bus, then we came to a sign that said narrow road and blind corners.  . . I was never so scared in my life peering over those sheer drop offs out the side window and wondering if we were even going to make it around the tight turns and I was not even driving. John did a great job and fortunately we did not meet any one. There was  not room to pull over or back up or turn around so we had to just keep going.

Here is  a portion of the relief map in the visitors center with the road on it. Between the arrows is the narrow, blind cornered dirt road.

Our campsite-the tightest  one in the campground.  We were both stressed to the max from getting in here. I went biking. John was just getting ready to sit in his lawn chair with a beer to relax and the host came by and wanted the reservation numbers for the site. They were on John’s computer and there was no cell or computer reception down here. She made him drive back out to where he got reception and get the numbers or move the bus back out.  He called her the nazi.  I found the town of Catalooche  out on my bike ride. It was a thriving town of 1,200 in 1930 when it was declared part of the park. It had been since the early 1800’s. All the people had to move out. Some of the historic  structures were saved and restored.

Mountain laurel tree, Caldwell house.

Caldwell barn outside and inside looking out.

One of the early homesteading families were the Palmers.  I don’t think I am related to them. They  built the chapel.

50 elk were reintroduced to the park in 2001 and 2002, there are now 140.

wild turkey

Cataloochee is a beautiful camp ground, very isolated, quiet and dark at night. Of course there were no other motor homes, no one else was crazy enough to bring theirs up that road. There were no hook ups, which is fine with us, we are self contained , the stove, water heater and refrigerator are propane and we have a generator. All there is to do is relax, hike , ride horses, sight see or fish. There are lots of fishermen and horses here.