June 30th - Pigeon Forge, TN

​We were able to sleep in because there were no dogs to wake us at 6 am. What a luxury! We did a steep, one-mile round-trip  hike up a paved trail to the top of Clingman's Dome, the third highest peak east of the Mississippi at 6,643 feet. The view was great, but apparently it was much better 40 years ago before smog filled the valley.

Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are very congested tourists areas. There are a ton of family-friendly activities. We experienced some nasty traffic and parking challenges.

After Clingman's Dome, we did a 3.6-mile forest hike to Andrew's Bald, without having to move our car. Angie had found this hike while reading reviews of the park. At this elevation, there were a lot of Fraser Firs, just like in Washington State. We felt right at home. We also enjoyed the thornless blackberry and Flame Azaleas blooming along the trail.