Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Our longest adventure to date (four weeks away from the house) was to the east coast and back.  The new camper was not quite ready, so we embarked on this 4000+ mile trip with our 1983  Vanagon.

The only firm date we had to meet was to be at Overland Expo East in Asheville, North Carolina starting 29 September.  We had several neat touristy stops in mind on our way east, but we were running late and had to boogie across the country.  (We do intend to go back a little slower and hit those spots we whizzed through someday…). Our first relaxing stop was at the Tennessee/North Carolina border: Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  We camped along side the Little River at a beautiful, relaxing site at Elkmont campgrounds.

We also had a chance to hike the Laurel Falls Trail.  I’d rate it as realistically easy, although a bit rocky.  The falls were nice, but not spectacular.