Smokemont Camping Trip

Last week we camped at Smokemont in the Great SmokyMountains National Park. We had a lovely time and you can see the pictures I took here. Here is a detailed description about our trip.

5/20/15:

We left home around 7:30 and stopped for breakfast at the Landmark Diner. We arrived in Cherokee around 11:00 and had lunch at McDonalds before heading to Smokemont Campground. Our campsite was D38 and we really liked this site ($10/night with senior pass). It was a drive-thru site between 2 bathrooms. After setting up camp, we walked around the campground and then hiked up the Bradley Fork Trail until dinner. For dinner we had hamburger steaks and cantaloupe. After dinner we walked around the campground again. We went to bed around 10pm.

5/21/15

It rained all night and I had to close the windows when the rain came in the camper. I got up around 5:30am and plugged my iPad and phone in the bathroom outlets. I tried to sit outside but it kept raining on me so I ended up staying in the car and reading and knitting. Every hour I checked the status of my electronics and finally unplugged them around 7:30. It was too wet to cook breakfast so we went to McDonalds in Cherokee. Then we drove to newfound Gap and Clingman’s Dome so I could take photos. We got back to the campground to cook lunch (red hot sausages and cantaloupe). Then we hiked about 3 miles on the Bradley Fork Trail. Before dinner we relaxed at the campsite and for dinner we had more red hot sausages and macaroni and cheese. A couple stopped by to look at our Casita. Before bedtime we watched a DVD on my laptop.

5/22/15:

I got up around 5am and it was 50F in the camper. I was able to sit outside but I got cold. I did some reading and knitting in between checking on my stuff recharging in the bathroom again.  I had fun watching other campers break camp and leave. One camper hit 3 trees as he tried to leave and finally got on the road. We ended up at McDonalds again for breakfast and I checked my voicemail messages and email. After breakfast we hiked about 4 miles along the Oconoluftee River. For lunch Don cooked bacon and eggs. After lunch we hiked on the nature trail and the Smokemont Loop Trail.

5/23/15:

We got up around 6:15am and left by 7am. We stopped at McDonalds for breakfast and was home by 10:30am.

Things I Learned:

• Smokemont has a dump station and water supply so we don’t need to bring water from home.
• We need to bring about 1 gallon of good water to cook with per day.
• I need to bring a collapsible clothes dryer that can be moved where the sun is instead of stationary clothesline.
• It is fun watching people take equipment out of boxes and use them for the first time. But you should really try your equipment at home before going camping.
• Cantaloupe should be eaten the first day because it smells up the place it is stored.
• I need two saucepans and not just one.