The Smoky Mountains stole my heart. I admit to being one of those people who shrugged off the idea of visiting Tennessee and finding anything beautiful in the landscape – probably in the way a lot of people think about Texas. My ignorance was quickly challenged after my first glimpse at the Smoky Mountains around three years ago. I was fortunate to participate in a workshop / training at the Highlander Center in 2013 and later participated in a year-long fellowship that brought me back to the center multiple times throughout the course of that year. Being on that land was truly transformative and magical for me. It was that visit to Highlander in 2013 that made me realize how disconnected I was from the land and ignited my desire to reconnect to the land as a matter of survival and as a matter of self-discovery.
The Greensboro Justice Fund Fellowship through Highlander also connected me to beautiful, amazing souls whom I deeply respect. At the conclusion of our fellowship, and with my very strong and persistent encouragement, we decided to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We only had the afternoon for the trip and were therefore unable to cover much ground, but it was beautiful and worth every moment. We selected the Big Creek / Mouse Falls trail because it was only a little over 4 miles round trip and the trail level of difficulty was “moderate,” which helped make it more accessible to the people in the group. Although it was a fairly cold day in February when we hiked, moving and laughing and exploring did the trick and kept us relatively warm.
As I visit an increasing number of parks, my appreciation for the Civilian Conservation Corps grows exponentially. Their labor created the infrastructure for many parks around the country as well as many monuments to architectural beauty that stand the test of time. What became known as the Big Creek Trail was originally built and used by a lumber company to haul lumber out of the mountains during the early 1900’s. In the 1930’s, the CCC improved that railroad grade so that it could be used as a hiking trail. A 2-mile hike on the trail takes you to Mouse Creek Falls, a 45-foot waterfall that descends into Big Creek.
*cutting rocks for use in bridges and guard rails along the park; courtesy of NPS website
One of the things I really loved about the trail is that it runs alongside Big Creek and the sound of rushing water accompanies you as you move along the trail. Because we visited during winter (back in February), there were also areas of the park that still had ice and icicles. When we reached the falls we stopped to rest, take in the view, and eat some snacks before making our way back to the trailhead.
Clearly the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is humongous and you could return year after year and still not see everything. According to the National Park Service website, it’s over 500,000 acres, which is almost evenly divided between Tennessee and North Carolina. As fate would have it, my sister and her family want to visit the Smokies next year, so it looks I will be returning to this majestic beauty of a park during the summer of 2017. My partner and I camped with my sister, brother-in-law, and niece and nephew at Palo Duro Canyon State Park during Spring Break of this year (post is forthcoming!) when the weather conditions were a little rough. I’m excited to camp with them again, especially with the babies, when the weather should be cooperating a little more. Although it’s a year away, I’m already looking forward to seeing and learning more of what the Smokies have to offer!
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Sugarlands Visitor Center
1420 Little River Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Entrance Fee: NONE!
