Smoky Mountains Sightseeing

Blue Ridge Two-Lined Salamander

(only found in the Appalachians)

Grotto Falls

After I picked up the three backpackers, we went for some lunch, then a stomach-churning drive back to the north side of the park and our cabin. We had Thanksgiving dinner with some success. The next day we set off for the park intending to show Grant and Ava the best parts. But it takes a long time to drive to all the parts of the park, so we ended up being a bit rushed. We had beautiful weather, though - 70 degrees in the lower elevations.

The next day was Thanksgiving and Ava and Grant headed out to visit family in St. Louis. Isaac, Sam, and I went for a hike in the rain. At least, it started out as a fine mist, but by the time we were headed back it had turned into a full-blown rain in 39 degree temperatures (ideal conditions for hypothermia). So we sprinted back from the falls in about 1/3 the time it took to get up. Our advice for hiking with 2 year olds: Know Your Kid. Some days, Sam takes off faster than we can keep up. When he's not in the mood, it's more painful than a root canal and much more embarassing, as all of your fellow hikers watch you and make notes on how NOT to parent (didn't we all think it was the parents' fault before we had 2 year olds?)