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G Smokies Trip Advice

Started by NCsporksman, July 18, 2017, 23:27:31 PM

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Phil

Quote from: Grannyknot on July 20, 2017, 08:51:19 AM
cataloochee is a great campground for park history, but its a long drive from any of the activities mentioned in this thread.

X2 what Knot said.

The Dude

There aren't showers at Smokemont anymore?  When did that change?
Also, as far as beer/liquor goes, You can't buy it in Cherokee, just to keep in mind (not sure about in the casino, though, is think they serve it there. Also, there is gambling and often times decent music acts. Check their schedule and see if anyone good will be there at that time).


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I was born by the river in a little tent, And just like the river I've been running ever since, It's been a long, long time coming, But I know change is gonna come.

troutfanatic

#17
Quote from: The Dude on July 20, 2017, 09:50:36 AM
There aren't showers at Smokemont anymore?  When did that change?
Also, as far as beer/liquor goes, You can't buy it in Cherokee, just to keep in mind (not sure about in the casino, though, is think they serve it there. Also, there is gambling).


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If there was, we never found them. Four days in there with Tranny, his chick, Dylar, my family and a couple other people and we was funky AF. Bringing up Cherokee reminds me, don't get drunk and crazy on the rez. I know a guy who did. The cops don't fuck around. Stay out of Whittier too. That's not a nice place.

benben reincarnated

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/frontcountry-camping.htm

Each campground has restrooms with cold running water and flush toilets. Each individual campsite has a fire grate and picnic table. There are no showers or electrical or water hookups in the park. Shower facilities are available in the communities surrounding the national park. Please inquire about the nearest facilities when you check-in at the campground.

benben reincarnated

The no shower thing must be fairly recent.  I remember camping in Cades Cove about 15 years ago and am almost positive there were showers.

troutfanatic

Quote from: benben reincarnated on July 20, 2017, 10:00:32 AM
The no shower thing must be fairly recent.  I remember camping in Cades Cove about 15 years ago and am almost positive there were showers.

I agree. When we started doing annual trips to the park 8 years ago, there were showers at Deep Creek CG.

Grannyknot

Flea is not the best bassist of all time.

Phil

#22
I've camped at Smokemont and Elkmont for over 35 years and they've never had showers. I don't remember if Cades Cove or Deep Creek cg's ever had showers.

Not much at all in the way of kid's activities at Cataloochee. The drive in and out of there is a long one for a base camp that includes any activities other than fishing and elk watching.

NCsporksman

Quote from: benben reincarnated on July 20, 2017, 08:17:47 AM
There is not shit near Cataloochee as far as groceries or beer.  You have to drive to Maggie Valley and to go to a convenience store or have to drive to Waynesville to hit up a grocery store.  The road in and out of the valley is 1.5 lanes at best so it can be slow going at times.  Just figured it is worth mentioning.  Otherwise Cataloochee is great if you just want to stay in the campground in the valley and never need to leave. 

You can see regularly see elk at Oconaluftee and along the parkway at Soco Gap.

good to know mane

NCsporksman

Quote from: troutfanatic on July 20, 2017, 08:55:07 AM
I never camped at Cataloochee. I have been there though. One good aspect is fishing access for the kid, but then again, the 'Luftee runs near Smokemont, plus you have Bradley Fork and Chasteen Creek right there. All I would say about Smokemont is that it is peak season and it will be crowded. Despite the park rules, Bradley will get hammered with worms, spinners and powah bait. There are no showers at Smokemont. I hate to stink. I can't remember if they have them at Deep Creek.

I asked the kids what they liked from the trips we took. This is what I got

The older one said she liked hiking the AT. She was 9 at the time, I took her for about 6 miles up near Clingman's Dome. She also said she liked the rafting trip we did. Yes, It is expensive.

The younger one said she liked riding the train and going into Gatlinburg with her mother. I have never been to Gatlinburg... not my thing.

That said, the train ride ain't a bad deal for kids. It's based out of Bryson City. There are different trips daily and different prices. We took the train up to Nantahala Outdoor Center and did a rafting trip out of there. It included lunch and I was able to have a few overpriced beers.

If you go to Bryson City, there's a sandwich shop there called The Filling Station- good shit! Try the Cuban Sandwich. Two doors down is an ice cream shop called soda pops. Take the kid for some ice cream.

i like all of these things, fuckin park is too damn big

NCsporksman

Quote from: The Dude on July 20, 2017, 09:50:36 AM
There aren't showers at Smokemont anymore?  When did that change?
Also, as far as beer/liquor goes, You can't buy it in Cherokee, just to keep in mind (not sure about in the casino, though, is think they serve it there. Also, there is gambling and often times decent music acts. Check their schedule and see if anyone good will be there at that time).


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Does the rez offer daycare or can i just baby bjorne that shit while I fuck up the slots?

Dee-Vo

Quote from: NCsporksman on July 20, 2017, 20:37:18 PM
Quote from: The Dude on July 20, 2017, 09:50:36 AM
There aren't showers at Smokemont anymore?  When did that change?
Also, as far as beer/liquor goes, You can't buy it in Cherokee, just to keep in mind (not sure about in the casino, though, is think they serve it there. Also, there is gambling and often times decent music acts. Check their schedule and see if anyone good will be there at that time).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Does the rez offer daycare or can i just baby bjorne that shit while I fuck up the slots?

Alcohol is served in the casino. Slots fucked me up last time I was by there.

troutfanatic

Quote from: NCsporksman on July 20, 2017, 20:37:18 PM
Quote from: The Dude on July 20, 2017, 09:50:36 AM
There aren't showers at Smokemont anymore?  When did that change?
Also, as far as beer/liquor goes, You can't buy it in Cherokee, just to keep in mind (not sure about in the casino, though, is think they serve it there. Also, there is gambling and often times decent music acts. Check their schedule and see if anyone good will be there at that time).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Does the rez offer daycare or can i just baby bjorne that shit while I fuck up the slots?

There's a drop off day care a block away (convenient?)
I'd be scared to go in that place tho

hcrum87hc

Quote from: benben reincarnated on July 20, 2017, 10:00:32 AM
The no shower thing must be fairly recent.  I remember camping in Cades Cove about 15 years ago and am almost positive there were showers.

We've camped at Cades Cove every year since I was in elementary school, which has been over 20 years.  They did not have showers at any point that we've been going.
Jeremiah 17:7

Yallerhammer

#29
Quote from: Phil on July 20, 2017, 16:11:39 PM
I've camped at Smokemont and Elkmont for over 35 years and they've never had showers. I don't remember if Cades Cove or Deep Creek cg's ever had showers.

Not much at all in the way of kid's activities at Cataloochee. The drive in and out of there is a long one for a base camp that includes any activities other than fishing and elk watching.

I will disagree. I took my son camping at Cataloochee the first time when he was less than a month old. Took him camping there frequently the whole time he was growing up and it was one of his favorite places on earth.

"Kid's Activities." You mean like an amusement park, electronic crap, etc.? I think most of today's kids would benefit greatly from getting away from that kind of stuff and being shown the real world. Take them hiking. Take them fishing. Let them wade in the creek. Show them how to find salamanders and crawfish and stonefly larvae under rocks. Show them how to build a campfire and watch it instead of a tv. Cook stuff on sticks over it. Go look at old structures and teach them a bit of western NC history. Let them learn to ID trees and wildflowers, appreciate wildlife, and live for a few days without being plugged into a damn phone.

Spork, I'm biased, but Cataloochee is one of my favorite places on earth. I live right across the ridge from it, and had ancestors who lived in there. Basically grew up over there, learned to fly fish and tie flies over there, became a lot of who I am because of so much time spent in there. It was a lot better before all the damn elk-watching tourists descended in hordes, but it's still quite a special place. I still spend a lot of time in there.

As for beer, Haywood County has had county-wide sales since November. You don't have to go into town to buy the devil's Co-cola now.  0:0
Women want me, doughbellies fear me. - Little Debbie Prostaff