Sunday May 7th, 2017
Cherokee North Carolina is Milepost 469 for the Blue Ridge
Parkway, it is the start or end depending on which direction of travel you are
taking.
We departed the Cherokee / Smoky Mountains KOA intent on that mile post
as our destination.
On our way out of the KOA, we saw a portion of the neighboring
elk herd. We were so impressed to see a cow elk on the passenger’s side …
we
almost missed the rest of the herd on the driver’s side!
We learned the Parkway closed due to Eisner rock slide and
trees down in two separate areas. We will have to travel on Route 19 and other
routes for a while.
Route 19 took us through Cherokee and we got to see more “Cherokee
Bears on parade.” The Bears Project started in 2005 with the intention of
showcasing the variety of talented artists within the area.
A committee
researched several concepts prior to selecting a bear theme, as they intended
to produce something that would be culturally significant.
Bears are a large
part of the Cherokee culture and appear in many of the stories and legends that
the Cherokee people hold sacred.
Soco Falls is a beautiful, double waterfall on the edge of
Cherokee Indian Reservation, located between the towns of Maggie Valley and
Cherokee.
Maggie Valley is a great little valley town with ample choices of restaurants!
We wanted to get to where we could get on the parkway
quickly, so we abandoned route 19 in Canton and grabbed I-40 E to Ashville. We
headed north on 226 / 221 in Marion, North Carolina. We attended a Good Sam
Rally in Marion NC at Tom Johnson RV.
Passing by Nebo NC, we saw some awesome houses on the side
of a hill. Nebo reminds us of great friends, camping on their hill and enjoying
the campfires! Cliff and Dee are awesome friends and camping hosts!
Linville Falls, North Carolina is where we were able to
enter the Parkway. Linville Falls is a beautiful series of dramatic falls that
drop to a deep gorge. They are only accessible by a trail.
Lost Cove Cliffs offer an excellent view that includes
the Catawba Valley. The overlook is a good location to view the mysterious
Brown Mountain Lights. On many evenings, out in the dark distance, pale orange
lights seem to appear, move around and then fade. This phenomenon can continue
through the night. The strange lights appear throughout the valley but they
were first associated with Brown Mountain.
Grandfather Mountain Overlook offers spectacular views
from the highest peak of the Blue Ridge. Grandfather Mountain rises 5,946 feet
above sea level and is made of quartzite, which is known as one of the most
durable rocks. The original Cherokee name for the mountain was “Tanawha,”
meaning “a fabulous hawk or eagle.” It was named “Grandfather” by pioneers who
recognized the face of an old man in one of the cliffs.
Price Lake is a part of the Julian Price Memorial
Park, comprising 4,200 acres. It is named in honor of its former owner, the
late Julian Price. He was the president of the Jefferson Standard Life
Insurance Company of Greensboro, NC. The company and Mr. Price’s son and
daughter, cooperated in the acquisition and dedication of this property as a
public recreation area for all to enjoy.
Thunder Hill Overlook affords one of the best
long-range views of the Piedmont of North Carolina. From this point, it has
been said that you can catch the best sunrise available along the Parkway. It
is also further away from many light sources and makes an outstanding stop for
amateur astronomers. Other than astronomy, this is a very popular spot to watch
fireworks. From here you can see many displays, including both of the one’s at
Tweetsie Railroad and in Boone. You can also look over the Piedmont and see
fireworks in Lenoir & Hickory.
The Yadkin Valley overlook provides an astounding panoramic
look into the Yadkin Valley. The word Yadkin is taken from the name of an
Indian village that was near the river.
Raven Rocks is a popular overlooks along the Blue
Ridge Parkway. Just as Thunder Hill Overlook provides one of the best sunrises,
it is said that Raven Rock provides one of the best sunsets. This is a perfect
stop for the romantic in all of us to gaze at the inspiring spectrum of color
as the sun sets behind Tweetsie Railroad. I would love to see it, but would not
want to drive on the parkway at dusk or after dark!
Elk Mountain Overlook, like the Yadkin Valley
Overlook, provides you a glimpse at the vast Yadkin Valley. We have traveled
the Yadkin Valley on other Two Lane Adventures. This provides a different view
of the area.
Cool Spring Baptist Church is really nothing more than
a traditional cabin. In the “days of old,” small communities often did not have
a preacher of their own, having too few people to support a church. Thus,
traveling preachers, called “circuit-riding” preachers, would come through town
and preach for the day. The field where the church cabin now stands is
supposedly where the circuit preachers Bill Church and Willie Lee frequented.
The Church family lived nearby. The church served as a shelter from bad
weather—the preaching was usually done outside.
Mt. Jefferson was designated in honor of one of the
country’s founding fathers in 1952. The mountain rises above the town of
Jefferson and provides excellent views of the surrounding area. Mt Jefferson
looms high over the town of Jefferson, for which it was named. It used to be
called Negro Mountain because during the Civil War many slaves who had escaped
hid on the mountain as they were traveling north. People opposed to slavery
helped the runaways with food and direction. The summit and slopes of the
mountain now make up Mount Jefferson State Park, covering almost 500 acres.
There are hundreds of miles of old fences along the
parkway. It is amazing that the craftsmanship has lasted this long!
From the overlook you can see the elongated outcrop of rocks that has
the resemblance of an alligator. Ahhhhh, a little bit of Florida on the Blue Ridge
Parkway!
You know how much I love waterfalls. We captures a
natural spring cascading down the rock face. Awesome, just awesome!
The beautiful vista of Air Bellows Gap is designated
as the Crest of the
Blue Ridge. In the gap, you can see a view of a valley full
of evergreen Christmas trees. Air Bellows gets its name from the strong winds
that travel through the area, especially during winter.
The Blue Ridge Parkway was the first National Parkway.
Construction began near this sign on September 11, 1935. Who knew how
monumental this date would become in the history of our country.
We traversed over 100 miles on the parkway today and
just crossed into Virginia. I did not get a picture of it, but there is a white
line on the road.
I love the bridges that are on the parkway, there is
something magical about them. I love the stone work, especially!
Blue Ridge Music Center is an outdoor stage and
amphitheater features regularly scheduled seasonal performances in the summer
and early fall of old-time and bluegrass music. Plans for the Blue Ridge Music
Center began almost twenty years ago when the city of Galax, Virginia gave 1,000
acres of land to the Blue Ridge Parkway for the purpose of building a music
center devoted to the preservation and interpretation of regional music. Music
seems to be a natural part of these mountains, and nowhere is that heritage
felt more strongly than at the Blue Ridge Music Center. People here have
created and kept alive some of the richest traditions of folk music and dance
in our nation. This music, produced by the sounds of banjo, fiddle and guitar
are found all over this region.
We exited the Blue Ridge Parkway at Fancy Gap. We will
overnight at the KOA is Fancy Gap and continue our journey in the morning.
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