Great Smoky Mountains Weekend Trip

[J.W.]

My wife and I took a long weekend to visit the Great Smoky Mountains and it turned out to be a nice little adventure. On the way down I75, we opted for a detour to WindRock Park which I had seen on the Jeep “Badge of Honor” app. We arrived fairly late in the day so we didn’t have time to explore too much but will definitely be going back. Looks like they have about 300 miles of trails with something for every type of rig. On the way out, we cut through Oak Ridge, TN so we could see some of the Manhattan Project locations. A lot of the old buildings have been demolished but there is a good amount of history throughout the area. Well worth the time to check out.

We took back roads the rest of the way which offered some nice scenery and ended up helping us avoid a good deal of traffic since, apparently, there was a rolling stop on the interstate. Some severe weather coming through convinced us to grab a hotel for the night so we decided to do the touristy thing and stay in Gatlinburg. Good music, good drinks, and great food. The local Muscadine wine is too sweet for me but the moonshine was fun (kitschy, but fun). And as a side note the food is excellent at The Peddler. Both the trout and the steak are worth trying if you happen to be in town.

We were expecting some storms all weekend but ended up waking up to perfect weather, low humidity and temps in the mid 70s. All the rain moved through overnight! We took time to stop for some of the best waffles and pancakes of our lives and then we headed up into the mountains. None of the vehicle trails we took that day really needed 4 wheel drive but there are some great hiking trails all over the place. We’ve been to the area several times but had forgotten how many trails there are. Cades Cove has some really neat settlement cabins and churches (most are maintained by students and local historical organizations), and the views from the Roaring Fork Trail were beautiful. Even better if you leave the truck and hike for a bit. The Greenbrier Trail is basically just a gravel road but the scenery is worth the drive.

By the time we were done hiking it was well after dinner and we were beat. Seriously, my calves are still burning as I’m writing this! There were plenty of maintained campgrounds around but it was getting dark and the boss wanted Taquitos and cocktails. Who am I to argue? So we opted for indoor plumbing again and took in the sights and sounds of the evening. Some strong storms rolled through about 1am so that was probably a good call. We headed in to Sevierville to visit The Old Mill the next morning, had another great breakfast, and did some shopping. We stopped at Smoky Mountain Knife Works and played with all the sharp things. Saw Rick Hinderer while we were there and I picked up a Hinderer pen to go with my XM18 3” knife.

Overall we had a great time. We definitely were not roughing it but we were able to get out and explore, see some nature, and we had a lot of fun.

Now for the pics:

The General store at WindRock Park. Staff were very friendly and said to bring a group down anytime.






Obligatory pic with the Park Sign



Blueberry waffles anyone?



Not a bad way to spend the afternoon




Roaring Fork Trail



Perfect weather and views

 

[J.W.]

Also, if anyone wants to get together and plan another trip to WindRock, let me know. I’m about 4 hours away (SW Ohio) and am just looking for an excuse to go back.

 

[DanW]

Nice write up! Love the Cherokee Trailhawk, too! I've been really impressed with the off-road capability on those machines! We did Roaring Fork at the peak of the fall leaf colors two years ago and it was one of the most beautiful drives I've ever made.

Another suggestion would be Hurricane Creek Road. That's a fun one, too!

 

[J.W.]

Thanks man! I’ve been impressed with the Cherokee so far. The Trailhawk is surprisingly capable right out of the box.

I’ll definitely check out Hurricane Creek next time I’m down that way. Fall is a great time to roam around with the fall colors.

 

[JoelIII]

Nice write up! Love the Cherokee Trailhawk, too! I've been really impressed with the off-road capability on those machines! We did Roaring Fork at the peak of the fall leaf colors two years ago and it was one of the most beautiful drives I've ever made.

Another suggestion would be Hurricane Creek Road. That's a fun one, too!

For Hurricane Creek Road, is that area passible with a 2wd by any chance? I've watched a few short videos on youtube, doesn't look to bad from what I've seen but in youtube comments I've heard that it can get pretty bad in some spots and 4x4 is a must have.

 

[JoelIII]

J.W. thanks for sharing this post. I'm at the opposite end of NC so that area would be a good drive for my family and I to get out there but I'm definitely gonna try later on, hopefully this year!

 

[DanW]

For Hurricane Creek Road, is that area passible with a 2wd by any chance? I've watched a few short videos on youtube, doesn't look to bad from what I've seen but in youtube comments I've heard that it can get pretty bad in some spots and 4x4 is a must have.

It depends on water. I'd say if you know what you are doing and the water crossings aren't deep, you could possibly manage with 2wd. If you have a buddy with Awd or 4wd, that would give you some insurance if you get stuck somewhere. 90% of it is just a dirt road, really. It is that 10% that could bite you, if conditions are right.

 

[J.W.]

It depends on water. I'd say if you know what you are doing and the water crossings aren't deep, you could possibly manage with 2wd.

Well that explains the “Hurricane Creek” thing at least.

I have a healthy fear of hydro locking my daily driver but I would probably give it a shot if hadn’t rained for a bit and is shallow.

 

[DanW]

Well that explains the “Hurricane Creek” thing at least.

I have a healthy fear of hydro locking my daily driver but I would probably give it a shot if hadn’t rained for a bit and is shallow.

Yep, to be honest, though, even with a lifted Jeep, I tend to avoid water crossings that get more than 24" deep. I had an old 93 Jeep and I did a deep water crossing at Spring Creek in Houston. I was pushing a bow wave high enough that my headlights were shining through the water and water was coming into the Jeep through the drain holes. The little Jeep soldiered right through it, though and up the bank on the other side. Unfortunately, it took on a couple teaspoons of water through the axle seals or possibly the vent tubes. I didn't realize it and about 1,000 miles later, felt a vibration that turned out to be chewed up rings and pinions. I was a young guy without much money, so the sting of that repair is a lesson still on my mind a quarter of a century later!

 

[J.W.]

I know exactly what you mean. I had a similar experience with the rear differential on an 87 S10 Blazer. A hot diff getting submerged in a cold stream is an expensive way to learn about fluid dynamics haha.

Side note: Have you ever been over to Haspin Acres in IN? Not to threadjack my own thread but I’ve wanted to check it out but have heard people say it’s pricey for what it is. Any thoughts?

 

[DanW]

I know exactly what you mean. I had a similar experience with the rear differential on an 87 S10 Blazer. A hot diff getting submerged in a cold stream is an expensive way to learn about fluid dynamics haha.

Side note: Have you ever been over to Haspin Acres in IN? Not to threadjack my own thread but I’ve wanted to check it out but have heard people say it’s pricey for what it is. Any thoughts?

Yep, it is fun. I'm not sure how much they charge nowadays, but you can have a really fun day there. I used to run that little 4 banger YJ there all the time. Somewhere, there's a tree with a healed gash that once had some YJ blue paint on it, too, from me sliding down a muddy hill!

If you want to make a bit of a longer drive, check out The Badlands in Attica. It has more variety, including sand dunes and rocks. If I remember well, Haspin is more for the mud loving crowd. Still, it is fun.

 

[J.W.]

Yep, it is fun. I'm not sure how much they charge nowadays, but you can have a really fun day there. I used to run that little 4 banger YJ there all the time. Somewhere, there's a tree with a healed gash that once had some YJ blue paint on it, too, from me sliding down a muddy hill!

If you want to make a bit of a longer drive, check out The Badlands in Attica. It has more variety, including sand dunes and rocks. If I remember well, Haspin is more for the mud loving crowd. Still, it is fun.

I’ll check it out. Hope to do a trip out that way before summer is over. Thanks man!

 

[Rd62]

How was roaring fork trail? Heading to the park in a couple weeks for vacation with the family. We'll be in her Expedition EL 2wd though. The pics look like it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[J.W.]

How was roaring fork trail? Heading to the park in a couple weeks for vacation with the family. We'll be in her Expedition EL 2wd though. The pics look like it shouldn't be a problem.

No worries at all. It’s a bit narrow in places but it’s paved the entire way. You won’t have any trouble with Roaring Fork. Make sure to take some of the hikes along the way. Great views!

 

[Qmed Joe]

Thanks for posting! I love GSMNP! Its my favorite place in the spring through fall months.

 

[Rd62]

J.W., we rode the Roaring Fork trail today and really enjoyed it. I wanted to thank you for mentioning it in your post. I'd have never known about if you had not.

 

[J.W.]

J.W., we rode the Roaring Fork trail today and really enjoyed it. I wanted to thank you for mentioning it in your post. I'd have never known about if you had not.

Glad you enjoyed it! It’s not an overly long route but the scenery is fantastic. Hope you all had a wonderful trip!

 

[Thatsilver100]

Thank you for writing this post! My wife and I are looking forward to checking this out