I started my second day in the park with a horseback ride through the mountains. I got to Sugarlands Riding Stables around 9:30 and by 10:15 was on horseback with a group of 7 for the start of an hour and a half trail ride. The ride on Daisy Mae was great, as we sent through the backcountry, so I really got to see the landscape up close. We didn’t see any bears, but our guide says he usually sees them daily. I purchased photos that we taken at the beginning and the end of the ride, and they were airdropped right to my phone for $20.
After the ride, I headed out to do the scenic loop at Cades Cove. The loop is an 11 mile trip through the scenic valley where settlers lived prior to the land being named part of the National Park. There are still homes and churches that you can visit, along with an old cemetery you can explore. You may see some wildlife on the loop, as there are some open areas, which is where I saw a bear running across the field. Be prepared that the loop, even though it is only 11 miles long, takes forever as traffic is very, very slow. So if you are on a time schedule, I would wait to do this drive when you have an open schedule.
The one thing that I wish I had some time to do was visit the small town of Gatlinburg at the entrance of the park. The town has shops and restaurants, as well as Ripley’s Believe it or Not attraction and a Ripley’s Aquarium.
The Smoky Mountains have been so fun to visit. Again with these gigantic National Parks, there is a lot of driving and a lot of traffic, so bring your patience, but the views are incredible, and the sights are just extraordinary.
