The last time I visited the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, my husband and I observed some curious human behavior. We were traveling the loop in Cades Cove when we saw a crowd of people getting out of their cars. Some among them were closely approaching a black bear to take photographs. Alan looked at me uncomfortably and asked, “Does this remind you of anything?” I laughed and stuck my head out the sunroof and said to whomever would listen. “My husband followed a bear to take it’s picture and almost got mauled!” When the pronouncement received only minor attention, we drove on.
I’ve often wondered what possesses otherwise cautious city dwellers to stalk claw footed, spiked tooth, bears for nothing more than a 4×5 photo. My curiosity began the first time I ever came came to the Smoky Mountains National Park twenty years ago.
Alan and I were newlyweds, and he had come home early from work with the idea: It’s a beautiful day, lets go to the Smokies! It was our first time. By evening, we were glowing from the long wonderful drive up Hwy. 19, and we sat by a stream eating fried chicken, honey, and biscuits We were deep in that “OOH, look at this”, and “AHH look at that” phase of our love affair with the Great Smokies.
All at once I remembered seeing something on TV about the dangers of feeding bears in national parks. Being a real scaredy-cat by nature, I asked Alan about it. “Oh, you’ll be lucky if you ever see a bear.” he said confidently. “They’re afraid of people.” Great! I thought. Aren’t animals more dangerous when they’re afraid?
A couple of minutes went by when I noticed a very black stump about 20 feet back in the forest and across the creek. As I looked closer, little eyes, and then a nose began to appear. My eyes widened. I took one look at Alan, and said sternly, “There’s a bear!” To his bewilderment, I got up and quickly walked some distance to the car.
Oh, no! The doors were locked! I turned around. Alan stood up for the first time, and looked at me in utter amazement. “What’s the matter?” he called.
“There’s a bear right accross the stream!” I yelled back. Alan stared at me for a moment, and then broke out laughing.
What kind of reaction is that? I wondered? Who was this nut I married, and was laughing himself silly? Hadn’t I warned him with all solemnity that danger lurked close by?
At last, Alan turned around and saw I was right. There was a bear. Rather than panic, as I had done, he simply picked up our food, walked back to the car and unlocked it. Thank goodness for that! We both got in. Safe at last!
While I was telling him how frightened I was, he was assuring me I was overreacting. He began fumbling for his camera and film. “What are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m going to get some pictures of the bear and her cub.” Alan said blithely.
“You’re what?” I looked across the stream to see the bear was indeed a mother with her cub. They were sniffing their way through the picnic area especially around the trash cans. “Are you nuts?” I asked Alan as he reached for the door handle. “You’re not leaving me out here!”
Alan got out of the car and began striding down the road toward the bears. Instantly, I envisioned myself as a young widow and quickly leaped from the car to protect my new husband. Exactly how I was going to do that was unclear. As we walked toward the roaming bears, I alternated between acting brave and warning of impending doom.
Meanwhile, Mama bear and her cub had attracted the attention of an older couple who were driving into the area. They stopped their car just as the bear began walking in our general direction. Impulsively, I climbed on top of the couple’s car, saying, “I hope you don’t mind!”
“No, not at all.” the old man said. Incredibly, he was somewhat amused. He turned his attention back to the bear, and my husband’s boudacious charge. The mother bear and cub disappeared into the edge of the forest. Alan held his forefinger in the air and said excitedly, “I’ll be just be a minute!” Then he too disappeared.
Very quickly, Alan saw his chance for the perfect picture! Excitedly, he framed the “perfect” scene: the cub with it’s paws on the side of a tree and looking right into the camera! Experiencing a bit of tourist nervana, Alan thought, How cooperative! In an instant his delusion of cooperation was shattered by a heart-stopping roar, and the sight of mama bear headed right for him! Alan froze, and mama bear stopped only a few feet from his stunned stare. Luckily, she was only bluffing in an effort to scare off the intruder. Mission accomplished! In shock, Alan retreated a safe distance.
Many naturalists claim the black bear is the strongest animal for its size in North America. Knowing this, and being, no doubt, discerning, you won’t repeat Alan’s mistake by chasing one down for a photo op. Hopefully you will be lucky enough and cautious enough to enjoy the park bears from a reasonable distance. Should one get too close, however, it is helful to know that bears have very poor eyesight and loud noises often scare them away. Also, it is helpful to know a campground bear is more likely to be dangerous because they can be enboldened by the desire for food and a history of having been fed by unsuspecting tourists.
Finally, if you are very unlucky indeed, and do run across the rare bear that shows a persistent interest in you, long-time hiking enthusiast, Charles Blair, suggests throwing rocks and, if all else fails, abandoning your food and climbing a tree.
Keep these things in mind and both you and the bears will survive your trip to the Great Smokies National Park!
Kermit Hunter was born in West Virginia. After a time in the US Army in World War II, he went on to manage the North Carolina Symphony. Over time, working with various theatrical companies, Hunter went on to his graduate studies program in Dramatic Arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While he was there several of his plays would be produced by the Carolina Playmaker’s. At this same time, the city of Cherokee started to look for someone to write a dramatic interpretation of the Cherokee people to be performed at an outdoor site in Cherokee.
In fact, just visiting the restaurant is a step through time. It is housed in an old farmhouse, hence the name. When you walk to your table you trod decades old boaords in the floor that have seen thousands of feet throughout the year. This used to a be a farmhouse that was a stop on the way to 
Along with their shooters, they have tons of chocolate creations. From truffles ti brio to bark to fudge, their are more varieties of chocolate in this shop then you will find in more stores twice its size. You can find those items from the past that were favorites of yours as a child to new creations that are fresh from their research and development department. For instance, they have an Aztec “Spicy” Turtle. This creation is just the right blend of pecans, caramel and dark chocolate with just a bit of spice to make it interesting. Or maybe you are in the mood for something a little strange, like – Dark Peanut Butter Ritz Crackers. These are honest to goodness Ritz crackers that have had a layer of peanut butter spread on them and then dipped in wonderful dark chocolate. The slight bitter of the dark chocolate with the sweet of the peanut butter and the savory cracker is a treat that you will not believe.
In modern times, you can visit a Fort Loudon that has been rebuilt to what it might have been like in its heyday. You get to experience the time period and through living history you get to talk to the people that worked the fort. The reenactors and volunteers make this an amazing visit for people of all ages. They not only appear in the clothes that the people of the 18th century would have worn but they are conversant on the topic so f the day, showing crafts and skills that the people of the garrison and the communities around the fort would have possessed. If you are really interested in that time period then you might want to plan your visit to the historic site for one of the Garrison Weekends that they have throughout the year. On those weekends, they have crafters and vendors come in with 18th century materials and they also have a mock battle between the British from the fort and the French and Indians that would raid the fort sometimes on a daily basis.
Of course, this is also a 
Recently, on an anniversary date with my wife, we decided to try something new: the restaurant at the Lodge at Buckberry Creek. This establishment had been recommended to us by friends and they told us that it was the best dining experience in the Smokies. I have lived here since 1996 and I thought I had heard about all of the supposed ‘best dining’ experiences an I had not heard of this one before. Little did I know that we were in for the best meal we had ever had as a couple.
The deck off the back of the restaurant looks out over the park to Gatlinburg. You can just barely see Gatlinburg from the deck and there are none of the garish lights or noise drifting in from town. This was in October so it was a bit chilly and the fall colors were perfect. The waitress, a very professional and courteous young lady got a fire going in the outside fireplace and in moments we were toasty warm. The staff at the restaurant is amazing. Every single person that we dealt with was wonder, well-informed with the menu and ready to help in any way that they can. She gave us menus, explained the specials and took our orders. Throughout the meal she was the perfect waitress: always there when we needed her but unobtrusive. Back to the menu and the food
Once on the trail trail, you’ll notice various red maples, oaks, Eastern hemlocks. In winter, you can catch glimpses of Mount LeConte along the trail. You’ll cross Falls Branch at exactly 1 mile into the hike by stepping stones before descending a short ways.
