Shenandoah NP & Great Smoky Mountain NP & In Between

[longhorn1]

We spent 10 days in Shenandoah National Park and Great Smoky Mountain National Park. I'm happy to report that the devastation at GSMNP from last falls fire didn't seem to be as bad as I thought it might be. We took the bypass into the park and didn't go into Gatlinburg. It appears that parts of the fire jumped from ridge to ridge. We did see burned areas, but not the area where homes and businesses were destroyed. Don't get me wrong, the fire was devastating. Lives were lost and homes and businesses destroyed. We just weren't in that area.

Part 1 is ready for viewing. Click on the link below. I will try and have more up during the next 2-3 days.

Part 1

 

[Foy]

Looking good there, JD! That is of course very familiar territory for us: Wife graduated from Albemarle HS in Charlottesville, college in Buena Vista, we married in Cismont, lived outside of Crozet for a while, bought our first house in the shadow of SNP at Wolftown, VA, and her folks lived astride the Blue Ridge at Jarman Gap for about 10 years, their property bordering SNP and the AT.

Y'all had a great weather window to begin with. Looking forward to the rest of the story. Hope you hung around Boone/Blowing Rock/Moses Cone Park/Price Park/Grandfather Mountain for a while. We were there last weekend.

Foy

 

[mitch h]

Great local road trip. Nice pics, thanks. Mitch

 

[RONR]

Thanks for a nice tour of a place I've never been. Looking forward to part 2.

Ron

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

John, nice report! Looks like a great trip!

 

[longhorn1]

Part II is ready for viewing. Remember to click on the picture to enlarge the photo. Click on the link below.

PART II

I hope to have Part III ready later today. Enjoy. jd

 

[Smokecreek1]

As RONR said, "nice to see a place I've never been" Thanks for the trip!

Smoke

 

[Tuff Guy 62]

Great report JD. Love the history of the area. Looking forward to you next installment.

 

[longhorn1]

Here is the final Blog Post - Part III.

Click on the link.

Part III

 

[ski3pin]

What a nice trip for the two (3) of you! Wonderful to see you getting time on the water with your fly rod. Happy anniversary!

 

[longhorn1]

Thanks guys. We were very lucky with the weather, one day of rain in Shenandoah. Evening temps in Shenandoah ranged from the high 40's to mid 50's at night, low 60's in the Smoky's, day time high 70's to mid 80's. Now the heat wave hit.

 

[Squatch]

Great stuff. I wish I could have made the time to visit with you folks.