(Day 19: Monday, June 14th): Using Pigeon Forge as our base, today we explore an area where three states (Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia) meet - a day in which we experience rain on and off, it only becoming dry in the evening. Eighty-six miles of scenic driving gets us to our first objective: Cumberland Gap. This pass through the Appalachian Mountains that was a major factor in the westward expansion of the country is now bypassed by a tunnel built in 1966.

 

A visitor centre at the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (in Kentucky) tells the story of the pass's  history and geography. From the visitor centre we drive to Pinnacle Overlook (2,440-feet) and, despite the rain, take a short walk to Powell Overlook and Fort Lyon. On the trail we cross the border between Kentucky and Virginia (below).

After a visit to the site of Fort McCook (below), we drive about 75-miles to the small town of Greeneville. This small town in Tennessee owes its place in history to the fact that Andrew Johnson (later 17th President of the United States) settled here in 1826.

Andrew Johnson became the 17th President of the United States on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865. His presidency covered the difficult period after the Civil War and included an attempt to impeach him (which failed by one vote) in 1868. His most far-reaching achievement was the purchase of Alaska from Russia.

 

Our visit to Greeneville includes the Andrew Johnson Homestead and the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery.

The statue of Andrew Johnson is part of the National Historic Site which also includes his residence (above), his tailor shop, and the National Cemetery with its eagle-topped marble memorial to the president. Our route back to Pigeon Forge takes us through Newport and Crosby, and bypasses Gatlinburg. At Pigeon Forge, we eat at the Cracker Barrel.

(Day 20: Tuesday, June 15th): Today we drive 282-miles (the longest drive of the trip) as we begin our exploration of  the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The weather is the poorest we have experienced so far with a lot of rain, some of which is extremely heavy making for difficult driving.

Encompassing nearly equal portions of Tennessee and North Carolina, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park sprawls across more than half-a-million acres of wilderness. Here, the southern Appalachians reach their ultimate grandeur with sixteen peaks over 6,000-feet. After visiting the park's Sugarlands visitor centre near Gatlinburg, we drive along picturesque Little River Road to Cades Cove (below) with stops at a typical mid-1850s cabin (the John Oliver Place - above), the Missionary Baptist Church (right), and the Elijah Oliver Place.

The loop road we have been following takes us back to the Sugarlands visitor centre from where we access the valley of the Little Pigeon River as it climbs to the Newfound Gap and the state border between Tennessee and North Carolina.

The Newfound Gap Road takes us down to the Oconaluftee visitor centre. This is the starting point for the Blue Ridge Parkway which extends for 469-miles to link the Great Smoky Mountains with Shenandoah National Park.

The start to our drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway is not auspicious as the rain becomes heavy. The cloud is low, often across the road, and visibility is poor.

There is very little other traffic, but the road's winding nature, the poor visibility, and a rock fall, cause us to bypass the parkway in some sections so as to make some progress towards Boone, tonight's destination.

The Blue Ridge's main attraction is the elevated views of the wooded mountains and valleys that typify the Southern Highlands. Enveloping this expanse is the bluish haze that gives the Blue Ridge its name; a product of the moisture given off by the forest.

We get a few distant views, but due to the low cloud and the rain, stop at only four overlooks.

With about 55-miles still to drive to Boone we again leave the parkway and then follow quiet country roads. Fortunately, the weather now improves and we reach the Hampton Inn at 8:30pm, having stopped to purchase beef sandwiches, salad, cherries, and rice pudding on the way.

Elijah Oliver Place.

Little River Road.

(Day 21: Wednesday, June 16th): Yesterday was a disappointing day as we were unable to see all the objectives we had scheduled. This was partly due to the weather being so poor, but was also due to the heavy volumes of traffic in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The adverse weather was responsible for us making two diversions from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and this morning we learn that a 50-foot high, 30-foot wide rock slide had occurred at 10:30am; the largest rock was the size of a house. Of the Parkway's total length of 469-miles, we should have covered 177-miles yesterday; we achieved only 66-miles.

 

But at least yesterday, it only rained for part of the day. Today, it rains all day, albeit not so heavy as yesterday. We set off at 9am and rejoin the Blue Ridge Parkway within six miles at Rockfish Gap.

In just a few miles we reach an overlook (elevation: 3,262-feet) where Boone's Trace crosses the road. A sign refers to a local tradition regarding Daniel Boone, but doesn't note that the town we stayed in last night was named after him.

The next overlook that we stop at, twenty miles further on, is named The Lump. Despite the rain, there are sweeping views of the forested foothills. There is also a board recording the fate of a Thomas C Dula - made famous by the song Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley.