Anakeesta.....

Anakeesta...They advertise it as a theme park, but it's really not.



It's situated at the top of a mountain overlooking the ski town of Gatlinburg, Tn. It's beautifully landscaped and has some incredible views.








They also have a single rider rollar coaster called the Rail Runner. It's the first of it's kind in the United States because it rides on a single rail. My daughter and her friend rode it, but I passed. She enjoyed it, but said they could've cleaned up all the construction stuff they left lying around, which was in full view as they rode down the mountain.






They also have a really cool swinging bridge trail that takes you through the tree tops.



On our way down we got a really nice view of Gatlinburg. All in all, it was a nice trip and the food at the top is very good, but be prepared to wait in line. There's just not enough restaurants for the amount of people that are up there. Other than that, I would definitely recomment it, even if you just go for the scenery..:)

{{hugs}}

Trista

Fun in the Smokies

If you've ever been to Tn, you've probably been to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, which just so happens to be right in my back yard.

There's lots of stuff to do from hiking trails, to skiing, to the fabulous mountain town of Gatlinburg and of course, who can forget Dollywood...:)

Monday, my son and I decided to do a winter hike. We'd been cooped up in the house and wanted to get out for a bit. It was a gorgeous day with a stunning blue sky.





The trail was fairly easy...okay, I lied. It was hard..lol. 2,7 miles and every bit of it uphill!!! Ugh!! But that's okay. We needed to exercise...:) Although I could've done without the mud.



And the fallen trees we had to climb over.



But other than that, we had a really good time. Check out the beautiful falls we saw along the way.






Yep, that's ice on that last one. It was cool at the bottom, but it was downright cold at the top..lol

If you're ever in my neck of the woods, check out the Smokey Mountains and the Rainbow Falls hike. You'll be glad you did..:)

Unless of course all the mud sucks you under...lol

{{hugs}}
Trista

My life through the lens...

Finally got out of the house last weekend and did a little hiking. It wore me out, but it felt good to be out after that horrible week of recovery.

We hiked to Laurel Falls, a small waterfall outside of Gatlinburg, Tn.

The hike is fairly easy and the trail is concrete, or at least the parts that haven't washed away.

The weather was hot, but the trail is pretty much shaded the entire way. And when you get to your destination, the cool airflow off the falls feels incredible...:)

It's a hike I could do over and over again. And probably will once the weather cools off. Fall in the Smokies is absolutely gorgeous..:)

Since I did so well, I'm now challenging you to get out and get some fresh air. Enjoy the summer!

{hugs}

Trista

Summer camping...

We went camping this past weekend, our first with our grandson, Mason. We went to Pine Mountain RV park in Pigeon Forge, Tn. 

Pine Mountain is probably one of the better parks we've been too recently. Each spot had it's own tree and I really like how the lots had pine trees between them for an added bit of privacy.

The bathhouse was spacious and clean. Thank god for that. Some places it seems don't even bother to clean their bathrooms, but this one did.

The pool was nice too and you could also use the pool at the hotel across the street since they were both owned by the same people.

The only thing I didn't like about our spot was the fire pit and picnic table were too close to the road, but that was my own fault for waiting too late to make reservations and I got the last spot available. Next time, I want to try for one of the spots along the river..:)

Other than that, we had a fabulous time. We spent all day Saturday at Dollywood and roasted marshmallows that night by the fire. Our grandson had a blast and we promised to take him on another camping trip soon.

So far, I've really enjoyed the new camper we bought and can't wait for our next adventure..:)

<<hugs>>

Trista

Townsend KOA

 We decided to take our camper out last weekend to enjoy the last of the nice weather we might have before it just became too cold to camp.

So we loaded everything up and headed to Townsend and the KOA there just outside the smoky mountains national park.

It's a small camp ground, but it has a variety of sights from full hook-ups with sewer, to tent sights. I think my favorite was this one with the patio. It wasn't on the river, but it was close enough that we could hear it.

Everyone there was very friendly and nice. The bath houses were clean. They had a store and a cute little fenced in dog run for all the furry critters that accompanied their families.

My dog Nay-Nay had a blast. Check out that happy face..lol

For those that don't have campers and don't like to tent camp, they even have little cabins along the river.

The colors this weekend were amazing. I love fall. It's my favorite time of year. It's a shame the colors don't last longer.

We also took some time to check out the Apple Barn. I got some fudge and some fabulous Chocolate Mint coffee. Nothing like caffeine and warm peppermint patties..lol

All in all it was a great time and I even got some writing done. Now if I could just get this story finished...:/

Happy Fall everyone..:)

Elkmonte...Great Smoky Mountains...

It's time for another episode of my life through the lens..:)

Occasionally, my hubby and dd like to go tent camping. I'm not a tent camper, but I did go up to spend the afternoon with them.

Here's their site.

 Elkmonte has a fabulous camp ground with sites for campers as well as tents, although truthfully, I think I saw more tents there than campers. It was a beautiful day and the fall colors were just beginning to come out.

We were also close to a river and waterfall.

 As well as the lost town of Elkmonte...<snicker> Okay, it's not really lost. It's actually been there for years, but it's still fun to walk through and explore all the cabins. 

Then it's time for a little break at the community center of Elkmonte, which is in the 'lost' town..:)

It was a great day for me, although I missed the firepit and marshmallows. Maybe next time..:)