Chattanooga, TN to Cherokee, NC
We started out the day crossing back over into Georgia to visit Chickamauga National Military Park. Our 4th Great Grandpas, BHC & JWS, were at the battles around the area.
We explored the exhibits at the Visitor Center and watched the 26 minute video which was very informative even if a tad more graphic in a few scenes than I would have preferred for our 7 year olds, they were not bothered by it though (and there was a warning heading in, so I knew we were taking a chance). My girls also couldn't resist the gift shop (being only the second one we have been in) and each had to make a purchase.
Then we drove through the park to locate a few markers relating to what BHC & JWS did during their service here.
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| Marker for Palmer's Division at Chickamauga |
Next stop was Lee & Gordon's Mills where our 4th Great Grandpas would have been nearly 154 years ago.
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| Lee & Gordon's Mills in Chickamagua |
It was lunchtime and there were only a few options right near there. We decided on Sonic (eating at the picnic tables, not in the car because that seemed like a messy idea). We actually have a Sonic less than 20 minutes from our house but have never been there! The food was fast and good, we liked the slushies, but the downside was that there were no bathrooms -- which was a must before we got back on the road, so we ended up running in somewhere else for the facilities.
We started the gorgeously picturesque drive through the mountains towards Cherokee, North Carolina, (state #10 of the trip).
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| Scenic Overlook on US-74 |
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| Driving on US-74 from Chickamauga, GA to Cherokee, NC |
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| Driving on US-74 from Chickamauga, GA to Cherokee, NC |
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| Driving on US-74 from Chickamauga, GA to Cherokee, NC |
We stopped at the Ocoee Whitewater Center in the southern part of Cherokee National Forest to have our snack. It was an alteration to the plan (which was to stop in one of the few towns along the way), but this was the perfect place for our break. They had picnic tables with a beautiful view, bathrooms, an information desk, and a gift shop -- where all three kids felt the need to unload a little more of their money (the girls' funds are starting to run low now). I even found a little something for myself -- a new purse that is the size and style I have been trying to find for over a year! I am pretty excited about this find. I am no longer the type of person who needs to buy souvenirs when we travel (I used to be), now I just want pictures and memories, but this is something I have been searching for, so to find it on vacation makes it pretty cool.
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| Ocoee Whitewater Center in Cherokee National Forest |
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| Ocoee Whitewater Center in Cherokee National Forest |
We spent a little longer at this break than we typically would have but we had enough cushion built into the schedule that it didn't throw us off too much. Plus, it was a nice breather for my husband who was fighting off a migraine. It seems to be an unfortunate travel tradition for us so he was prepared and managed to recover.
We made one more quick stop at Patton's Run Scenic Overlook in Nantahala National Forest to enjoy the view.
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| Patton's Run Scenic Overlook in Nantahala National Forest |
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| Patton's Run Scenic Overlook in Nantahala National Forest |
We continued on our way until we were finally just outside of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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| Driving to Cherokee, NC |
We had dinner at Wize Guys Grille in Cherokee. The Bacon Cheddar Loaded Fries were so good we had to order seconds!
We are at our hotel in Cherokee for the night. It was the perfect night for us to arrive at the first hotel of the trip with a hot tub for my husband to relax his muscles. We are resting up and looking forward to a full day of natural beauty tomorrow.