As we wrapped up the Bourbon Tour our group headed south to Gatlinburg, TN. We have been there before, but the amazing beauty of the area never disappoints. We dropped the trailer at the very accommodating Gatlinburg airport only a short distance from the RV Park. Flying the area is a real treat with the lakes and mountains providing a great view of the Smoky Mountains.
While flying over Douglas Lake the Anchor Down RV park and some interesting crop art were visible. I learned that the low lake levels are common in the fall as water is released expecting the winter rains and snow.
We took a side trip to Clingmans Dome, one of the highest spots in the Smokies. We took off early expecting crowds and were very glad we did. Our trip up was easy, but we found Clingmans Dome was completely socked in. We took a car nap and waited it out to find the skies clear revealing some 50 mile views. The trip down confirmed our suspicions about the traffic. It was lined up almost to Gatlinburg. Most of those on the roads had no chance of actually seeing Clingmans Dome that day. The moral of the story, get up early or forget seeing anything in the Smokies during the fall.