Great Smoky Mountains

Then began the mountain and in my opinion the best part of our trip. We were approaching the National Park Great Smoky Mountains located in the Appalachian mountain system on the territory of the State of North Carolina and Tennessee.

Photo 2. From left Atlanta around noon and in two hours seemed Mountain:

3. Photos and rural scenes in the American style:

Photo 4. And after two hours we vezzhat in Pigeon Forge, which is considered one of the most popular resorts in the south-eastern states of America. At first glance, it may seem ordinary, unprepossessing town, but it is not so. There is a huge amount of very interesting attractions.
It is in Pigeon Forge is unique in its kind museum ship "Titanic." It is an exact replica of the sunken ship. In the museum you can see some things that have been preserved and have been raised from the ocean floor after a shipwreck, as well as to touch the iceberg, because of which the ship sank.

Photo 5. The city is upside-down house, which is an interesting museum called "Journey into the unknown." According to legend, this building is located on one of the islands, located near the mysterious Bermuda Triangle, and it housed a research laboratory. Scientists working and conducts experiments in this building, was created a giant tornado vortex, which picked up the house, and he landed almost undamaged on its roof in the city of Orlando. As a result, the building was transformed into an unusual museum, which is visited annually by millions of visitors:

Photo 6. Local Flavor:

Photo 7. We had to pick up the keys from our house. The campaign office was empty, but in a special box we found an envelope with the driving directions and the code of the electronic lock and immediately went to look for our house:

Photo 8. The house is situated in a pleasant village on the hillside:

Photo 9. This is our accommodation for the next two days:

Photo 10.

Photo 11. We are delighted to $ 250 rented a house in a posh place, which can comfortably accommodate 6-8 people:

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Photo 14. With a fully equipped kitchen, dining room, living room, hot tub on the balcony, and even a large game room:

Picture 15. If little hot tub, in the village has an outdoor swimming pool with a great view:

Picture 16. If you look closely you can see a lot of houses on the adjacent slopes:

Photo 17. After finishing with a tour and releasing the trunk of the things that go to the local Walmart to get a little fill a huge fridge in our kitchen. The first trip to the American supermarket is a sense of confusion, and a huge assortment of unusual day our products. Especially I liked the fridge with huge portions of semi-finished products:

Photo 18. As a lover of iced tea, could not pass the correct amount:

Photo 19. shocked choice breadcrumbs :)

Photo 20. And very pleased with the choice of barbecue sauce:

Photo 21. Generally, Walmart took a lot of time and returned home by the end of the sunset:

Photo 22. Grilled prepared excellent steaks and ribs in barbecue sauce, dinner and I went to sleep, because the next morning I had planned to meet a dawn at an altitude of 2025 meters above sea level on the highest mountain of the National Park Clingmans Dome (Clingmans Dome):

Photo 23. Heavy morning Wake up and here I am in complete darkness rush by Ray Charles on the narrow and winding paths to the top. Enters the parking lot located just below the summit, park the car, grab the equipment and run to take:

Photo 24.

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Photo 25. As soon as the sun comes over the horizon the landscape opens in all its glory:






Photo 26.

27. Photo Clouds sleeping in the valleys are filled with warm light:

Photo 28. A forest floor is painted with all the colors of the rainbow:

Photo 29. Leaving the tripod in the car and go to the short walk to the top:

Photo 30. At the top of caring Americans built a viewing platform to make it easier to survey the 360 ​​degree panorama:

Photo 31. At the lookout, across the top of Clingmans Dome passes Appalachian Trail (Appalachian Trail) - the longest continuous hiking trail in the world of almost three and a half thousand kilometers. Extending along the mountain range from Maine to Georgia:

Picture 32. After breakfast, already in full force went to inspect the neighborhood. The first step for poroehali looped road route in Cades Cove (Cades Cove) - a closed valley, entirely located within the national park:

Photo 33. In the valley there is a house of the first white settlers, who were in the valley between the years 1818 and 1821, they were a veteran of the Anglo-American War of 1812, John Oliver (John Oliver) and his wife. John Oliver Cabin, built it around 1822 and preserved to this day is considered the oldest structure built by Europeans in the park:

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Photo 35. The old cemetery not far from the hut:

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Photo 37. The first meeting in one of the symbols of the park - a black bear. Unfortunately, he did not want to go down:

Photo 38. Also in the valley there is a watermill Mingus and Mining Museum Farm (Mountain Farm Museum), showing the life of the villagers of the XIX century:

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Photo 41. The average park road:

Photo 42. The huge camp for travelers who will not hurry:

Photo 43. The culprit late sunset. He has long been hiding in the foliage, but still I managed to make a decent shot:

44. Sunset Photo shoot I had planned, like the dawn, at the top of Clingmans Dome, but even at the entrance, it became clear that the bear too much delayed us. Having reached the top, and do duty frame already familiar road back to our lodge:

The next day we waited for the Blue Ridge Parkway - one of the most beautiful roads in the United States.