Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay kind. Stay rad. Wear a mask where it’s appropriate/required/requested. Get your vaccine; it’s awesome. We’re going to get through this.
The town is surrounded on all sides by mountains. The Great Smoky Mountains rise to the north, the Cowee Mountains rise to the south, and the Plott Balsams rise to the east
rafting and kayaking on the Nantahala River, boating and fishing on Fontana Lake, scenic railroad excursions, world class trout streams and mountain biking on the famous Tsali trails
We started our journey yesterday and already it has kicked ass. We stayed at Cosby Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Very quiet, shady and beautiful campground. Our campsite was next to a creek, which made a great backdrop. We stopped at a veggie stand on the way in to buy some local produce. We broke out the cast iron skillet and made some badass veggie tacos. On the way out of the campground we stopped at Ozone Falls. Great photo op and swim spot. The falls drop 110’ into a cool little swimming hole. Summertime vibes.
The town is surrounded on all sides by mountains. The Great Smoky Mountains rise to the north, the Cowee Mountains rise to the south, and the Plott Balsams rise to the east
rafting and kayaking on the Nantahala River, boating and fishing on Fontana Lake, scenic railroad excursions, world class trout streams and mountain biking on the famous Tsali trails
Watercolor painting of The Swaglocated in the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina, painted in November 2018.
Long story short, a very kind work friend of my husband’s gave us a gift card for a dinner the resort’s restaurant as a wedding present. We came early and explored the beautiful grounds including breathtaking views of the Great Smoky Mountains before enjoying an amazing supper. Everyone was so hospitable from the moment we walked in, the food was superb, and overall it was an experience I’ll never forget. This painting was our way of showing our gratitude.
I used several photos for reference, including my own, one from their website–it’s on their banner currently but I can’t really link to that–and one from a visitor’s post on their Facebook page which I can no longer find or I would link to it (NOTE: if this were for commercial use I would never use other people’s photos as reference without consent, but this was a gift).
Many of our favorite nature escapes, like Great Smoky Mountains National Park seen here, are moving into winter operations. While most public lands spots will remain open, certain areas within may close for the season. Don’t get left out in the cold and “know before you go.” Check park or agency websites prior to your arrival and know what is and isn’t open for the season.
Photo by Kaili Schroeder, NPS. Photo description: A hiker sets out on a trail with sunset mountains outlined in the distance.
“About a mile up an unnamed gravel road inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the back way into an abandoned neighborhood and hotel, some of which was originally constructed more than 100 years ago.”
In a film titled Tennessee Wonderland (click here for link), Liles explores the town and houses of this long forgotten but newly discovered ghost town.
