Vacations Blog

As previously mentioned, the family spent a little time in Tennessee earlier this month. Admittedly, most of the time was spent taking full advantage of my in-laws lake front home. I couldn’t find much to complain about, what with the gourmet meals, nightly karaoke (Much to my surprise I discovered that I’m a mic hog) and instant access to all variety of lake activities. The boy learned how to bait a hook and spent many an hour paddling around trying to land a biggin, while the girl morphed into a mermaid, coming out only for meals and to text her friends back home.

But in an effort to get acquainted with our southern surroundings, we did venture out to explore one of the local sites. In the city of Crossville stands what some of the locals refer to as God’s tree house.

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Summer plans to visit my mother in-law allowed us our first ever visit to the lovely southern state of Tennessee.

Never having been to Tennessee I was sort of excited about the idea of visiting a new state. The boy did his 5^th grade state report on Tennessee so we got to read a lot about the Civil War, the Chickasaw, and Choctaw Indian tribes, the Predators, the Grizzlies and the Titans (the boy was sorely disappointed to learn that Tennessee does not have a pro baseball team), Elvis Presley, Davy Crockett and Billy Ray Cyrus. But nowhere in our research did we come across anything about …The Lost Sea.

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The Natchez Trace Parkway runs just over 400 miles between Nashville, TN and Natchez, MS.  It is a gentle, winding road chock full of beautiful scenery, rolling hills, trees, wildlife and more interesting and historic stopping points along the route than you can possibly imagine.

The parkway follows an ancient trail that connected the southern portions of the Mississippi River, through Alabama, to central Tennessee. There are numerous ways to experience this amazing road: driving, hiking, biking, horseback riding, and camping.

How did we experience The Natchez Trace?  We just drove.  And stopped often.

The Natchez Trace Parkway is operated by the National Park Service.  There are no fees or reservations required to enter Natchez Trace Parkway which can be accessed from any of the hundreds of small cities and towns that line the outskirts of the Parkway.

A good guidebook and a map are invaluable tools while traveling the Trace.  We used a rather dated copy (1995) of a book called Traveling the Trace by Cathy and Vernon Summerlin as well as consulting the National Park Services website for maps and other information.

A few other things you’ll definitely need to be mindful of:

• The speed limit on the Natchez Trace Parkway is 50 miles per hour.  Trust me, you don’t want to go any faster or you’ll miss something spectacular.
• There are no service stations, convenience stores or lodging directly on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Keep that in mind if the tank gets low or you run out of snacks.  Fear not though, for there are countless communities just on the other side of the tree line that have everything you’ll need.
• Cell phone reception is spotty. Oh, you can get service, but it is probably going to be at the exorbitant roaming rate.
• Be mindful of the wildlife and their propensity to wander into the roadway. There is a lot of wildlife and apparently they are blind–and deaf!!
• The Natchez Trace Parkway gets very dark at night. The roadway is not lighted so unless you appreciate driving in pitch blackness, it may be a good idea to find an exit when the sun goes down.

Next time you’re vacationing anywhere near Nashville or Natchez (or literally anywhere in between) make it a point to visit the Natchez Trace Parkway.  It’s the stuff vacation memories are made of.

Orogenisis. Mountain building. Plate tectonics and erosion. A geological blink, really, but an eternity to us.

Mountains have always had a calming effect on me. I run to them like a child running to his mother with a scraped knee or hurt feelings. Mountains always reciprocate my feelings. Pulling me gently into their arms and soothing me.

Yosemite, Yellowstone, Denali. These locations are all fine specimens, steeped in history and tradition. The afore mentioned mountains are of epic proportions. A fine place to visit. Explore. Escape. But, to truly see how mountains age, I would recommend a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Great Smoky Mountains Nation Park

While the winter months will keep even the most seasoned backpackers out of the high country, the views and majesty of these old, hard-luck mountains can be viewed through the now barren forest canopy.

Townsend, Tennessee, dubbed “The Peaceful Side of the Smokies” is an excellent place to get away from the hustle and bustle of more popular areas in the Great Smoky Mountains. It is my home away from home. You can warm your cold and weary bones after a long hike at Doc’s Motel. Ask for Sharron. Tell her Charles Downs, the Younger, sent you.

My stomach tells me things after a long hike. Things like, “if you don’t feed me I’m gong to make things rough on you.”  Fuel is needed after, as well as before, a good hike. While Townsend offers a myriad of dinning options; Smokin’ Joe’s Barbecue in particular is very good.  May I suggest a short 30 minute drive to Maryville, Tn. Say hello to my friend and, on occasion, Flyfishing partner, Tommy Vaughn, at Foothills Milling Company. The fare is gourmet, the atmosphere is casual, and you won’t leave hungry.

Now go. Lace up those boots. Grab a warm jacket and load the camera with film. The ghosts of spring are calling you. If you listen close, you can hear them.

Photos courtesy of nps. gov

Cascade Waterfall - Giles County, Virginia

I don’t know if it’s those old black and white images or maybe it’s that dueling banjo song in Deliverance. Either way you rarely hear anyone say, “Hey, let’s go vacation in the Heart of Appalachia!” I think that’s a shame because the area is full of history, tradition, music and art. The winding back roads and mountain views are breathtaking. It’s probably one of the most beautiful areas in Virginia. I haven’t told my husband yet, but we are going for a visit during spring break.

Here are a few places I’ve added to our must see list. I plan to round it out with enough arts and craft type stops to keep me happy but not enough to end up divorced. If you’ve been to any of these or have other suggestions let me know.

Pocahontas Coal Mine – Tazewell, Virginia

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a real piece of coal much less a full-blown coal mine. The guide at the Pocahontas coal mine will give a tour of a former working coal mine and explain the history and significance of coal in the development of our country. That’s good stuff to know. And yes, I’m planning to tell the kids the mine isn’t open in the winter so Santa can get coal for stocking.

Tours of Mine and Educational Room
$7.00-Adults
$4.50-Children 6-12
Museum Free
Open April – September

Crab Orchard Museum & Pioneer Park – Tazewell, Virginia

The Crab Orchard Museum and Pioneer Park is a little piece of carefully preserved history starting with a 570 million year old snail fossil, moving on to a cabin built in 1802, throwing in some historical farm buildings, and finishing up with a 1917 Model T Ford and an old-time gas pump. This is one stop history shopping. They also maintain a working farm with heirloom and back bred seeds of the same variety that was cultivated 150 or more years ago. It sounds like a fun way to spend the day. The Fiddlers Convention in July might be worth a trip.  But then again, there’s that fear of divorce thing.

Adult (full tour): $4
Adult-Senior/AAA/Time Traveler: $3
Adult (Gallery OR Park Only): $2
Children 7-12 (full tour): $2
Children 7-12 (Gallery OR Park Only): $1
Children under 6 – FREE

Open Memorial Day – Labor Day

White Rocks in Cumberland Gap National Park

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

The Cumberland Gap National Historic Park is located in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. I think this would be an excellent park to add to your list of National parks.  It has seventy miles of hiking trails, waterfalls, and fascinating limestone caves and structures. We’ll probably check out Gap Cave and maybe Hensley’s Settlement. Or we might just spend the day hiking and taking photographs.

No entrance fee for park

Gap Cave Tour
Adult $8
Children 5-12 $4
Hensley’s Settlement
Adults- $10
Children under the age of 12 – $5

I haven’t decided if we’ll continue on to Tennessee or Kentucky. Maybe turn back towards North Carolina. If we had a little longer I’d head to Memphis. Then again, Memphis would be more fun in May – without the kids.

Photo Credits : White Rocks from the National Park Service.  A cascade of thanks to Daniel Farrell for the gorgeous waterfall picture.