With history, waterfalls, and a giant lake, visiting the southern side of the Smokies is a treat!
What’s so special about the southern side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Well, everything!
The most famous Smoky Mountains attractions are either on the north side, such as Cades Cove and Laurel Falls, or in the exact middle, such as Clingmans Dome and Newfound Gap. However, there is much more to see in this park. In my previous three posts, I have explored fantastic places and trail that are sometimes considered more off the beaten path. I may have done that to avoid crowds mostly, but it works. Most of the trails and waterfalls in the park are simply amazing. I will admit that some trails are better than others, they are still better than many of the trails I have been on in other places. So now let’s explore the southern side of the Smokies.
I have already touched on a place on the southern side of the park, that amazing Cataloochee Valley, but now I’m going to explore even further with this post.
Let’s start at the Mountain Farm Museum, next to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center on US 441. The Mountain Farm Museum is an outdoor museum featuring historic farm buildings relocated here from across the park. The late-19th century buildings have been arranged to recreate a typical farm of the area.
The Davis House is a prime example of a late-19th century log house. It was built of chestnut wood before a blight wiped the trees out in this area. It’s a bit rainy as you can see.
A peek into the kitchen/dining room. Those are herbs drying over the table.
Apple growing was big in this region. It was easy to preserve apples by turning them into cider and vinegar or by putting them in this cool apple house.
A giant A-framed barn. The eaves created easy storage with easy access for farm equipment.
Animal pens on the bottom floor, with a hay loft on top. You can really tell it was raining at this moment.
A little pig pen with a little pig.
Just up the road from the Mountain Farm Museum is the historic Mingus Mill. Built in 1886, this mill processed corn and wheat for the community for fifty years.
The historic Mingus Mill and its awesome flume.
The flume is super long. I tried to find the water source, but then I gave up when I saw how long it is.
Heading up US 441 towards the Smokemont Campground, I found one of the reintroduced elk grazing in the field.
Handsome fella.
She took forever to cooperate for this photo.
I was basically stuck in an elk jam at this point. I just took my own photos from my car as I waited. This gentleman was bugling a bit.
My final destination of the day was a trail that leaves from the Smokemont Campground (I started the day at the Walker Sisters’ Place). I was looking for an easy trail to hike in the rain. I chose to hike the Bradley Fork Trail to the Chasteen Creek Trail, which leads to the Chasteen Creek Cascades. It was a good choice.
The Bradley Fork Trail is a fantastically wide old forest road.
The trail follows the lovely Bradley Fork.
Along the trail, you pass by some little waterfalls. The recent rains are making them really stand out.
Apparently, some people go tubing down this river. It seems a bit bumpy for that.
Some historic trash. Once trash is in a place long enough in a national park, it becomes protected.
A cool water collecting fungus. I can’t figure out what kind of fungus this is.
The river is super pretty.
A little bit on the narrower and less scenic Chasteen Creek Trail brings you to the lovely Chasteen Creek Cascades.
Moving on, the most popular falls on the southern side of the park are located in the Deep Creek area. Three waterfalls are super easy to reach from the parking area. You can even make a loop of it.
The easiest waterfall to reach is the Tom Branch Falls on the Deep Creek Trail.
A very pretty area for sure.
Fall is on its way.
A short detour on the Indian Creek Trail to the Indian Creek Falls.
I took the Deep Creek Horse Trail to Juney Whank Falls.
From Deep Creek, I headed west. I eventually made it to Fontana Lake, a reservoir on the Little Tennessee River. Fontana Lake makes part of the southern border of the national park. I wasn’t going to go that far west but one thing made me. A free shower at the Fontana Dam Shelter, provided by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which runs the dam on the lake. It was the best shower of my life.
Super pretty lake.
No regrets about the extra drive.
A fantastic view of the lake.
Fontana Lake is held back by the Fontana Dam, which also generates hydroelectric power.
Impressive dam. I’ve only seen large ones like this one out west.
Looking downriver from the dam. The dam helps control some of the water from extreme rain events and generates power for the local residents.
I did one trail near the lake, the Lakeshore Trail. It follows the lakeshore, but it doesn’t offer views. It starts on an old road.
There was a lot of cool looking fungi on this trail. Orange chanterelle mushrooms really stand out along the trail.
I chose this trail only because there at old, abandoned automobiles on the trail. There used to be a road along this section of trail that headed to where the lake now is. It took me much longer to get to this point than I thought it would, so I didn’t go find more. I almost turned around before I even got to this point.
There is more historic trash along the trail as well.
The trails around Fontana Lake are harder to reach. You either have to hike from the Lakeshore Trail to another trail, or take a boat across the lake, which is sometimes offered in the summer months.
The southern side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is often overlooked, especially once you get away from US 441, the only road that crosses the entire park. Just like anywhere else in the national park, here you can find history, waterfalls, and fantastic trails, but it is only on the south side where you find a lake. There is also a tunnel to nowhere that I didn’t have time for. I guess that’s for next time.
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Start at the beginning of my adventure through the Appalachian Mountains!
