Seeing the Bear Made My Smoky Mountains Trip Complete π»β€οΈ
Took a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in early November to catch the peak fall colors! π Day 1: Drove from ATL all the way to Clingmans Dome. Everyone ignored the βtrail closedβ sign π and hiked up the side path to the summit for sunset. The trees were completely frosted β it felt like we stepped from autumn straight into winter! βοΈ Day 2: We enjoyed a cozy coconut chicken hot pot in our Gatlinburg cabin π² and didnβt head out until past 2 PM. Drove slowly with stops toward Cades Cove. Even by dusk, no black bears in sight β though we did spot a totally black wild pigβ¦ and got our hopes up for a sec π·π But later that night, right before bed, I stepped outside and β THERE IT WAS! A black bear π»π« walking out from one house and climbing the stairs of another. Thatβs when I knew: the noises we heard the night before were definitely a bear climbing near OUR cabin. My trip was officially made. π₯Ή Day 3: Spent the day exploring Gatlinburg. The best spot? Ole Smoky Moonshine π₯! For just $5, we did a tasting early in the day β started the morning tipsy! π΅βπ« We tried about 7-8 drinks: fruit shine, cream liqueur, butter whiskyβ¦ and one that tasted like baijiu and was 73% ABV?! π± Almost everything was super sweet β even the straight whisky. Loved the fruit shines with real fruit inside β like drinking jam from a jar! The staff said, βWe wonβt let you walk out of Gatlinburg sober!β π₯΄ My friends already bought peach, pineapple, and whisky the night before, so I went with Sour Apple Moonshine β tangy and less sweet β plus a cute shot glass as a souvenir. The $5 tasting fee was waived with purchase! π Tip: Staying in Gatlinburg is super convenient β close to groceries, restaurants, and attractions. We visited during Halloween, so the town was lively and decorated ππ». We even hit a haunted house on night two! #SmokyMountains #FallFoliage #Gatlinburg #MoonshineTasting #BlackBearSighting #CabinLife #TravelDiaries #PeakAutumn
