0 0
Read Time:2 Minute, 2 Second

We finally got back on the road for Tuesday Trekkin’. My Tuesdays have turned into take the cat to the vet day. We have 6 cats and 4 of them are seniors, so vet visits are a way of life. Anyway, back to the real reason we’re here.

Plans? What plans?

We had been planning to go to Jonesborough, the first town in Tennessee. However, plans are more like suggestions for us, so that didn’t happen. It was cold and I didn’t fancy walking around outside in the cold. We decided a car ride might be a better option. We could see things and still enjoy the heated seats. There was also the lure of possible snow in the mountains. Snow can make pretty pictures.

Lunch

We planned to eat at a bbq place in Townsend, but we got there and it was closed for the season. We found a great little Italian place, Brianna’s Italian Restaurant and Cuisine,  just down the road instead. It proved to be a happy accident. Walt had the stromboli and I had the eggplant parmesan. Both were excellent! We will definitely be going back.

Cades Cove

Cades Cove was a bit of a disappointment as there was only a bit of snow here and there. Winter in the mountains is brown. Cades Cove is a valley in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The road is an 11 mile loop where you can see tons of wildlife, some old historic cabins, and a few old churches. We took the shortcut though and saw none of that. Onward we went.

They just blew a whole in the mountain and made a tunnel.
The trees are bare and there is a dusting of snow. You know that water is cold!
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is full of trails and paths
Winter in the Cove is quiet.

Elkmont

Walt decided we might try Elkmont, but the sun was setting fast. We weren’t sure we’d make it in time. They close a lot of the roads after dark due to possible hazardous conditions in the winter. But we made it! I had not been there before and found it pretty cool. It’s a small resort community in the mountains where people could stay in the summer. Most of the leases were up in 2001. After that, it became a ghost town. The Wonderland Hotel was once in this area, but in 2005 it collapsed. Most of the historical items were removed and a small annex was left. The annex burned down in 2016.

Several houses in the Elkmont Community are still standing and in decent shape.
A log cabin in the Elkmont Community
A summer cabin in the Elkmont resort community
The steps to the Wonderland Hotel
Sitting on the steps that go up to the ruins of the Wonderland Hotel
The chimney of the Wonderland Hotel stands alone at sunset in Elkmont.
An old sink from the ruins of the Wonderland Hotel.

About Post Author

Sharon

slpopek@bellsouth.net