Newfound Gap Great Smoky Mountains National Park

A few years ago, Anita and I spent a few days in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We spent a day driving around Cades Cove, and really, really enjoyed it. We so recommend it (specially on days when the park isn't busy). We went the week before Labor Day, and the park was quite pleasantly empty.

This year, we decided to stop in Gatlinburg on the way to my parent's home in Georgia. Instead of going back to the interstate to finish our trip, we decided to drive through the park and up to Newfound Gap. It was the Monday of the week of Thanksgiving. I counted only 10 or so cars on the road, making this another great trip. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is so worth visiting.

The trip up to Newfound Gap from Gatlinburg is not as steep as the trip down the other side into North Carolina. Both sides are equally fantastic, with lots of places (mostly on the Tennessee side) to pull off and enjoy the view. The Newfound Gap is really worth the stop. There was a fog bank down in the valley below us that made for some great photos. Next time, we'll pack a lunch and enjoy an afternoon at the peak.