Summer vacation with the kids finally came...

Rented a cabin outside Gatlinburg which was fairly inexpensive IMHO for a 2 bed and 2 bath with a full kitchen.



Walked up to Clingmans dome. Get a mountain top view from the center of the park. This is from the walk up.



From the tower. Perspective is scewed, but the left side of the picture is actually the state line between TN on the left and NC on the right.



And a short hike from the Cosby campgrounds to Hen Wallow Falls. One of the foot bridges on the way.



and the falls



Not sure about this, about 6" tall, was thinking False Morels when I saw it...



Son got some wildlife pics..like opossum sleeping next to the front porch steps...



A friendly opossum that was poking around the porch too



The rare 500 leg opossum



The even rarer amphibious opossum.



Now I like to do things with my pup, including trips. Logistics are hard with a 120 lbs and 3 kids so sometimes he can't go. This was one of those trips but the K9 gods were watching this whole situation and decided to initiate Operation Bella.

This is Bella, so named by my kids. Something howled during the night and got into our garbage. First thought was yotes but was talking to my BIL next day and I was saying that it didn't much sound like a yote, more k9 like. Sure enough later that day, this gal heard us throwing a hatchet at a tree down the driveway and came looking for us. My daughter retrieved a burger from the fridge, I threw it to her but she was too skittish to get close to us. She followed us close to the cabin but ran off when I walked towards her so I gave up. That night, my son heard her outside howling, he looked out and saw her curled up on the welcome mat. Long story short, she never left the porch after that. She would sleep and wait there for us to come outside or return to the cabin after our daily activities. Poor girl was loaded with the ticks and was all skin and bones. Owner of the cabin said people dump dogs all the time, she had saved 8 so far. So a 10 mile drive to wallyworld for flea/tick shampoo, collar, leash, flea medicine and de-wormer...a plan was in the works for Bella to get a free ride to Florida for a new home which turned our 7 hour drive into a 14 hour drive after having to divert to Orlando to meet with the kids' mom. She currently has her and is scheduling a vet visit for tests and getting fixed. Don't think she is going anywhere after that. Kids probably got a new dog when the get home.

Smokey mt knife works, Buds guns shop is in Seville

You have to go to Cades cove and see the old buildings. The whole town is open to explore.  All the building, even the dangerous ones.  

Pay the 1$ and get the map to all the unmarked cabins in cades cove.  The whole town is free

Damn, that would have been awesome. Someone mentioned cades cove but never mentioned what it was so I didn't honk to look it up.

Pic 5 is Bear Corn or Squaw Root.
Pic 6 looks like a Copperhead...

Yes on 6, here he is as I pushed over the driveway with a broom.

It was very awesome.    Its not like other museums where everything is roped off.   The whole town is open to explore.  The last cabin permit expired a fews years back when the last hold out died.  The old churchs and grave yards are amazing to walk through also.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cades_Cove