Chimney Rock and the Great Smoky Mountains

Day 3: July 2, 2012

Spartanburg, South Carolina to Gatlinburg, Tennessee

8:30 a.m. to 2:40-Hiking Chimney Rock

2:40 to 5:50 to Gatlinburg

175 miles

We passed through two states today.

4. North Carolina

5. Tennessee

 It is so beautiful and green!

 Brent did this hike before when he came to interview at a school in North Carolina.  So he wanted to take the family to do it.  It is called Chimney Rock.  It was a lot of fun for the kids.

 Brent and Wes took the stairs (491 of them!) and the rest of us took the elevator!

Erin, Ashleigh and Janiel waiting for the elevator to arrive.

 The view was amazing!  It was really windy on the rock, but this was a good thing.  It was extremely hot otherwise.

 This elevation doesn't seem like too high compared to Utah, but it was sure high compared to sea level in Florida!

 Kara kept saying, "Take a picture of me! Now take a picture of me."  She must think she looks pretty cute. I think she does too.

 Janiel on the rock.

 Erin also liked to have her picture taken.

 We took a hike to Exclamation Point, where the view was breath-taking...so were the stairs.

 Then we took a hike to a waterfall. It was beautiful as well.

 Wes was a good brother to help his little sisters across the water.

 Janiel had to find her own way across.

 The girls did great.  Just a little complaining.  It was very, very hot. Like 103 degrees hot!  They only had flip-flops but they managed to hike just fine!

 Kara found this funny looking beetle on the trail.  I guess you see those things when you aren't that far from the ground.

 After Chimney Rock, we headed to the Great Smoky Mountains!  What a green, gorgeous drive.

 

 We stopped at the top for some pictures and a break.

 That turned out to be the state line for Tennessee.

 We drove through a few tunnels.

 We arrived in Gatlinburg, Tennessee a little resort town.

We stayed in a fun hotel with fancy rooms and a lazy river and pool.

 And rocking chairs!

 They even had some fires to warm yourselves after a evening dip in the pool.