Ep. 383: Smoky Mountains | Tennessee North Carolina RV travel camping hiking Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge

[@geraldsouthard7092]

Another great video Marc. We are still on the road, so catching the video premier isn’t always easy for us. But, we greatfully watched it the next day. Cudo’s to the campground owners who quickly addressed the issue to restore their beautiful park. Thanks…and safe travels.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Gerald! We're always happy to have you here, no matter when.

[@dianabalto]

God willing next year we will follow your footsteps to that awesome campground Roamstead & the towns. Thanks for the video.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Diana! You'll have a great time, promise.

[@e-square9976]

❤Outstanding. You’re nothing but class Mr GA. So much to comment on with this week’s episode. 1) the campground….amazing place as serenity calls for us. We will visit this one in our travels. 2) E-trailer! Fantastic company with great customer service. Glad you plugged them as I need to buy some spare pins for flat towing. 3) Gatlin-Forging craziness…”run (to the) Forest…run”! 4) 2 scoops of ice cream and wonderful flavored waterfalls….great play on words sir! 5) the snake…absolutely frightening yet they are big part of this area. Just prior to that section of video when you were scrambling down to the waterfall I was thinking that looks like rattlesnake territory. Sure enough. 6) the area and scenery are splendidly captured in this entire episode. Stunning. You are a master craftsman. Thank you so much for…well …YOU! Amazing. ❤

[@GrandAdventure]

Hey bud, let's not forget that my head still needs to fit through the camper door. Thank you so very much as always!

[@georgecarpenter4126]

Really enjoyed this edition. We have vacationed there a number of times and, despite the popularity (crowds), it is possible to get away and enjoy some solitude. As a wildlife photographer, I always enjoy seeing critters like that rattlesnake on our hikes...from a safe distance of course ! Stay safe, my friend.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@georgecarpenter4126 You do the same. Some other national parks are the same way. Canyonlands comes to mind in particular, as well as Death Valley. It doesn't take much effort to get away from the crowds and find peace and solitude with just a little creativity.

[@ervinslens]

Your channel keeps getting better and better man! Absolutely brilliant content and such a diverse content every time! 🏔️

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you so very much as always, Ervin!

[@mitchsmolow6268]

For advanced whitewater kayakers, that area of Tennessee and North Carolina is a mecca. When the spring rains come there are a myriad of beautiful class 4 and 5 runs. For 25 years, before the crowds of today, my friends and I would spend 10 days in late March or early April camping and boating throughout the Smokies. Sadly, many of those creeks and rivers are now un-runnable due to the hurricane. I don't think I fully appreciated the beauty of the area until I watched your drone footage. Thanks for another great video!

[@GrandAdventure]

@@mitchsmolow6268 someday before I grow too old I'll have to learn whitewater paddling. It looks like so much fun.

[@SevenBears1]

16 miles out is a good place to stay. Nice to visit the "big" town then get back to camp easily. Thanks GA

[@GrandAdventure]

Precisely, J.

[@gorrdd]

Beautiful views, Marc. The over and under growth around the Smokey Mountains is certainly the prevailing theme of the area. It's hard to beat lush woodsy vistas like these. And you caught it before the autumn transformation took place. Of course, seeing the color would have been awesome as well. I thought the views of Gatlinburg were very tasteful and rewarding to see. The trail you hiked was scenic, but maybe not as grand as what you had intended. But the more peaceful and secluded atmosphere, as you indicated, seemed very laid back... except for the serpent! 😳😲 Remarkable that they put together the RV Park in record time. I'm not a big fan of Lippert products because they just don't seem to have the longevity for full timers. Did you figure out what failed in the control panel or was it just the basic CPU itself that went bad. I suspect that moisture with salt in the air from when you were up in Canada and along the St. Lawrence and Atlantic coast line, played a big role in the unit's failure. Gord

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks as always, Gord. I was actually hoping for a bit more color, but misjudged the timing by a few weeks. Autumn was at full peak by the time we got to the Ozarks, but with their hot, dry summer this year the colors there were rather muted. Those folks busted their butts to put that campground back together in only two days, like nothing ever happened. Our OneControl touch panel had been losing its touch sensitivity for some time, over at least the past 6 months. From what I've read online, it's not an uncommon occurrence, either. By the time we got to the Smokies some portions of the screen had suddenly lost touch control altogether, while other areas on the screen had become completely undependable. Sure, I have my phone paired, too, but there have been times that I lost the pairing and struggled for hours to re-pair it. So I couldn't count on that. It was time for a replacement, post haste.

[@gorrdd]

@GrandAdventure Indeed, Marc. When you mentioned that you had a hard time pairing, that seems to be a digital processing issue, separate from the touch panel itself. Does your new panel pair easily? If the new panel does pair easily, then it looks like the controller for not only the touch screen but the pairing functionality of the panel was failing. That makes me think that there was atmospheric corrosion involved with a premature failure. Nevertheless, you have had your new rig for at least three years now and cell phones don't tend to last much longer than that anymore. So it may just be the expected longevity under normal circumstances. What are your thoughts? When I buy a new motorhome, I want to get a feel for what I can expect on the consumer electronics side. When it's mil spec, you get much better longevity. Sorry you missed the color. And, yes, the Ozarks had it hot and dry this past summer. But not as bad as the two prior years. Gord

[@GrandAdventure]

@@gorrdd these Lippert touch panels are actually repurposed 5" Android tablets. And yes, this week actually marks the 4th anniversary of when we took delivery on this fifth wheel. It's super dry in the Ozarks right now. My plan for visiting had been to kayak through a portion of the Buffalo National River, but after spending all week surveying conditions I wasn't convinced that there was enough water in the river to make it navigable.

[@gorrdd]

@@GrandAdventure Yeah... that's dry alright. Sorry you couldn't do the kayak on the Buffalo. Buffaloes didn't much care for that!:) Maybe check out one of the local reservoirs or lakes in the vicinity for content. I can see that now that it's November, your on your way back to the Wasatch mountains in Utah. Gord

[@GrandAdventure]

@@gorrdd we are indeed, Gord. Our ETA is Dec. 1.

[@cristianramos5546]

Another great video Marc. Thanks for sharing this beautiful scenery.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Cristian, and thanks for coming along!

[@sgtwrench69]

They made Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg into Las Vegas

[@GrandAdventure]

Yes, that's a good analogy, albeit with a hillbilly flair.

[@toddcaldwell5614]

That's the reason we stay outside of those areas and just go into the park to enjoy the scenery and trails . I remember the days it wasn't that way .

[@GrandAdventure]

@@toddcaldwell5614 as you know, it's all too easy to simply avoid both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge altogether and enjoy the mountain environment without the throngs of people.

[@stephenmarechek2753]

Marc, can you please share what hiking shoes you use? Thanks!!

[@GrandAdventure]

@stephenmarechek2753 of course, those are Tecnica Plasmas. I ski in Tecnica alpine touring boots, and their 99mm last fits my foot exceedingly well. So when it was time to replace my hikers I stuck with Tecnica and love them. They're Gore-Tex for waterproof breathability. Very lightweight (~450g), they're perfect for agile, fast hikes. I wouldn't use them with anything heavier than a light day pack, though, for they aren't built for the support demanded by a heavier load.

[@joyces3550]

Interesting video Marc, thanks so much for sharing. Stay safe out there!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Joyce, same to you and thanks so much for watching!

[@laughingram7287]

Pigeon Forge looks like a Branson twin. It seems like the case everywhere one goes: the trailhead parking lots are full to the brim! When we went to Glacier Park, even though we got in before the gate officially opened, by the time we got to the top the parking lot was not only full, but the people on the trail seemed to be all at an arm’s length apart. No thanks! One needs to go off-season for some space. Ram 👍🏼👍🏾

[@GrandAdventure]

Indeed, but we found at GSMNP it's quite easy to escape the masses. Just pick a place off most people's radar. The wonderment is no less. And yes, Branson and Pigeon Forge share many similarities.

[@Volunteersunrise]

As always. Great job Mark.always enjoy your grand adventures ,even more so in my East Tenn. Hills. Enjoy Rocky top. I hope to see you in Quartzite.

[@GrandAdventure]

We had a great time in your backyard, thank you. And we hope to see you in the Q!

[@lessworkmorecamping7912]

Another great video Mark, nicely done. Stay safe and happy travels my friend!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you very, very much as always.

[@ShawnPatterson402]

Mosquitos are big in my part of the world, but we don't have rattlesnakes. :) looks like things worked out very well for missing the worst of the storm damage for sure. Things looked to be in pretty full swing in that area. We definitely plan to get into that area soon. Quite possibly this coming spring.. Continued safe travels...

[@GrandAdventure]

Out West where we call home, you can typically avoid rattlesnakes by avoiding their habitat - usually areas with lots of loose rock. Timber rattlesnakes, however, can be found nearly anywhere in eastern forests. And I think he was just as unhappy to meet me as I was to meet him. Most of the damage was on the NC side because that was the upslope side of the mountains for Helene's moisture streaming in from the south. The Tennessee side wasn't unscathed, but there's no comparison between the two in terms of severity.

[@dianestevenson2630]

Thanks for the great video. Another great place to see.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you as always Diane!

[@gypsymountaineers3215]

Very very nice! We are packing for Hawaii. Nov 4-17. Last weekend camping in Parsons WV was great.

[@GrandAdventure]

Have a terrific trip, you two!

[@grillinandchillinwithdeb]

Very much enjoyed ❤, hopefully your not in the path of the storms. Be safe my friends

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Deb, happy to hear it. Last night was interesting, to say the least. My weather radio alert was firing non-stop. We had one confirmed tornado pass just to our north, and the tornado sirens were blaring. I didn't get to bed until well after midnight. But we fared just fine. Still, it's not an experience I'm anxious to repeat.

[@grillinandchillinwithdeb]

@GrandAdventure happy you safe

[@scenicdriveways6708]

Great video Marc. Very well done. The Smokey Mountains is on our bucket list. But I don't know, after seeing all that traffic and people....? Safe travels my friend. JT

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you JT! You're so close to there, too.

[@scenicdriveways6708]

@@GrandAdventure I know, but I don't like big crowds. 😕

[@GrandAdventure]

@@scenicdriveways6708 it's easy to avoid them. Ridiculously easy.

[@scenicdriveways6708]

@@GrandAdventure You can say that again. I've been looking out my living room window all morning and haven't seen any crowds. 😂😂🤣

[@toddcaldwell5614]

Living close to GSMNP I have been there many times . Hiked many miles there back in the day . Thanks for another great video . Just a note that around Christmas the lights of Gatlinburg are amazing . You should try it sometime . Safe travels

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks Todd! We always love local feedback. Unfortunately for the Gatlinburg Christmas lights, we're always back in Utah skiing by the time the holiday season arrives.

[@timothyjohnson8036]

Nice video marc.. Glad you didn't snake bite.. I also hate snakes..

[@GrandAdventure]

@@timothyjohnson8036 I'm definitely not a fan of anything that can kill me. 😄

[@normgibson6565]

Great video. I was in the smokies in May stayed in Pidgeon Forge. Will be in the Q Friday.

[@GrandAdventure]

Safe travels, my friend, and see you there soon enough.

[@daviscrt]

Awesome. I just returned from Franklin Tenn. I'm with you, driving to Nashville in all that traffic is crazy. Ok to visit, not to Live. Don

[@GrandAdventure]

@@daviscrt that was one part of driving to Roamstead that was terrific, eastbound on I-40 right up to where it was closed for Helene damage. *No one* was on that road!

[@campfirerob1089]

thanks for sharing, always great info.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you as always, Rob!

[@raymondemigii4086]

Great video Marc ,been to that area of the Smokies many times

[@GrandAdventure]

@@raymondemigii4086 Thank you! This was a new area for us. Last time we were there, we stayed down in Wears Valley. I'll add, that was a great area too. Just like Cosby, it was just far enough from the scene in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge.

[@Thesaltymedic36]

Haven’t been to Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg. Watching this I don’t know if I want to 😂 An angry nope rope or danger noodle is a BACK AWAY and go home for me. Especially a Timber rattler.

[@GrandAdventure]

Yeah, TSM -- not exactly what I wanted to see beside the trail, either. The nice thing about both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge is that you can pass through if you want to, or completely avoid it if you prefer. Roamstead was only 16 miles away, but felt like another world. Although the towns and the National Park itself are all very popular, as we showed here it's super easy to get away from the masses if you want to, and the terrain is breathtakingly beautiful.

[@horizon42q]

You just missed us, we were there Oct 20th -25th.

[@GrandAdventure]

Now, that's a pity! Hope you had a good time.

[@WILDEBILL308]

That looks like a nice campground, We stayed at The Ridge Outdoor Resort this spring. Did you see any Goats on the roof in Gatlinburg? That is some great drone footage.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you! No goats this visit, though.

[@WILDEBILL308]

@@GrandAdventure Start with Goats on the Roof of the Smoky Mountains Amusement center, Goats On The Roof gift shop, Local Goat New American Restaurant. They have a thing about goats on the roof. 😁😁