JB's Tales from the Trail. : Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Smoky Mountains are one my favorite places in the world. Visiting in mid October, we were a bit early for fall colors. Saw lots of pretty spots but it was scattered. Got in some nice hiking, seeing some of the Old Settler's Trail and walking Cucumber Gap...always a favorite. There's nothinglike walking in the woods in the fall, the smell of fresh earth and on many trails I can detect a spicy aroma that is so awesome I just stand there and breath it in. Other time was spent walking Middle Prong or Little River taking pics along the water and driving thru Cades Cove. As always when the time to leave the mountains had come, I"ll take a long way out and wind through those mountains and along that river one last time. As I drive out in the sunshine and along the rushing water, I replay in my mind each day we had just spent in this wondrous place. I think about wonderful times present and past spent here and hope that I'm fortunate enough to return again soon.