TBT: Deep Creek - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Deep Creek area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located near Bryson City, North Carolina. To reach the trailhead from US 19, head north on Everett Street crossing the Tuckasegee River into downtown Bryson City. After 0.2 miles on Everett Street, cross the railroad tracks and turn right on Depot Street. After two blocks, turn left onto Ramseur Street and then make an almost immediate right turn onto Deep Creek Road. Drive 2.3 miles north on Deep Creek Road to the picnic area and another ½ mile to the trailhead at the end of the road.

Three waterfalls are in the area. The first, Tom Branch Falls, is located directly across Deep Creek from the Deep Creek Trail about ¼ mile from the trailhead. Deep Creek Trail is a wide, gently inclined gravel lane that follows an old logging road. This is one of the few trails in the park that allows bicyclists. To reach Indian Creek Falls, continue up Deep Creek Trail another ½ mile to the Indian Creek Trail. Turn right onto the Indian Creek Trail and walk about 300 feet to a side trail on the left that descends to the base of the falls.

To reach the third waterfall, you can retrace your steps to the trailhead and then follow the signed trail to Juney Wank Falls. The trail from the parking area to the waterfall is about ¼ mile and fairly steep. Most of the trail is shared with equestrians. The other option is to continue on the Deep Creek Trail a short distance upstream before branching to the left on the Deep Creek Horse Trail. Hike west and then south along this trail for 1.2 miles to Juney Wank Falls. This route climbs about 300 feet to cross the ridge between the Deep Creek and Juney Wank Branch watersheds. We chose to take this second option to avoid the crowds along the Deep Creek Trail.

We visited the Deep Creek area in late October 2011.

Pileated woodpecker

Deep Creek in the picnic area

Deep Creek from the road bridge

Tom Branch Falls

Autumn colors still hanging on

Deep creek from the trail bridge

 Small cascade on Deep Creek

Indian Creek Falls

Another view of Indian Creek Falls

Confluence of Indian Creek (right) and Deep Creek (left)

Indian Creek

Juney Wank Falls

Juney Wank Branch below the falls

Side view of Juney Wank Falls

Entry to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free.

The park website is https://www.nps.gov/grsm.

TBT: Mount Roosevelt Scenic Overlook

Mount Roosevelt is a peak on Walden Ridge west of Rockwood, Tennessee. Part of the Cumberland Escarpment, the mountain reaches a height of 2036 feet, more than 1100 feet above the town. On a clear day, the Smoky Mountains can be seen over 70 miles to the east.

To reach the scenic viewpoint on the mountain from Interstate 40, take exit 338 and head south on Westel Road marked as TN 299 for 2.8 miles. Turn left onto US 70 and head east for 1.2 miles. Veer left onto Fire Tower Road and drive 1.5 miles to the overlook. Parking is available for about half a dozen vehicles. Picnic tables are available for use during daylight hours. There are no restroom facilities on site. The former fire tower is closed to public use and was missing several stair treads when we visited in November 2011.

Looking northeast toward Harriman

Rockwood

Cirrus clouds over Watts Bar Lake

Looking east toward the Great Smoky Mountains

A closer view of Watts Bar Lake

Twin stacks of TVA's Kingston fossil plant

Quickly fading fall foilage

Access to the scenic overlook is free.

There is no website for this location.

TBT: Elijah Oliver Place in Cades Cove - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Elijah Oliver was born in Cades Cove in 1829. His parents, John and Lurena "Luraney" Oliver, were the first European settlers in the cove. Some accounts state that Elijah lived his whole life in the cove, while others claim he moved away before the Civil War and returned after it.

Elijah married Mary "Polly" Lawson (b 1830) and they had five children that lived to adulthood born between 1853 and 1863. Elijah bought land and built his cabin at the western end of the cove. Although the date is unknown, it was after the Civil War according to the guide available for purchase at the park visitor centers. An unusual feature of the cabin is the enclosed room on the porch. This addition was constructed to provide lodging for travelers who needed a place to stay for the night and is called a Stranger's Room. Polly died in 1898 and Elijah in 1905.

To reach the cabin, drive 4½ miles along the one-way Cades Cove Loop Road from the entrance gate. Paved parking for about two dozen vehicles is on the left. There is no RV or trailer parking at this location. The trail starts across the road from the parking area and is an easy ½ mile walk (one mile round-trip) to the cabin and outbuildings. Along the way, visitors pass a sawn lumber barn that was built just a few years before the land was sold to create the park.

We visited the Elijah Oliver Place in February 2012.

West Prong Falls on Laurel Creek Road

Cades Cove and Thunderhead Mountain

Deer in the field

Elijah Oliver cabin

Kitchen at the rear

Rear of the cabin

Side view

Corn crib

Springhouse

Late afternoon sun on Thunderhead Mountain

Entry to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free.

The park website is https://www.nps.gov/grsm.

TBT: Nevada Northern Railway Museum

On our spring 2012 trip to Great Basin National Park, we stayed in Ely Nevada. While in town, we found the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. Although we didn't have time to take a train ride or take a guided tour, we did make time for a self-guided tour of the yard and engine house. We'll have to go back someday to learn more about the Nevada Northern and the former Kennecott copper mining operations in the area.

The museum notes that "the only thing that makes Ely and the Nevada Northern Railway unique is that it was passed over and saved from the scrapping torch as...it was so remote. At first it was preserved by neglect. Now this treasure is preserved by conscious effort."

Ely is indeed a very remote location. By road, it is 245 miles north of Las Vegas, 320 miles east of Reno, and 240 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah. The nearest commercial airport is 180 miles north in Elko.

The UPS of the 1920s

Museum docent with SD-9E locomotive 204

Kennecott caboose

View of the yard from locomotive 204

Built in 1956 by EMD for Southern Pacific

Jordan Spreader 360

Wood-sided steel-framed boxcar NN 1023 at the freight depot platform

Industrial Brownhoist self-propelled diesel crane and tool car

Ballast car

1928 Illinois Central commuter coach

View inside one of the commuter coaches

Repair In Place (RIP) facility

Former SSW (Cotton Belt) boxcar

Looking back at the yard and mountains

Shop side of the engine house

Wide-vision caboose built by International Car in 1972

Another view of the shop

Engine 93 is a 2-8-0 Consolidation built by Alco in 1909

Engineer's side of locomotive 93

Engine 93 builder plate

Steam Locomotive 40 is a 4-6-0 Ten-wheeler built by Baldwin in 1910

Firebox, cab, and tender

Fireman's side of Engine 40

Engineer's side with main and side rods in place

Locomotive 105 is an RS-2 Alco diesel-electric built in 1945

Locomotive 109 is an RS-3 Alco built in 1950

Locomotive 802 is an S-12 built in 1952 by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton

Locomotive 801 is a Baldwin VO-1000 built in 1942

Locomotive 801 builder plate

Locomotive 81 is a GE 85-ton electric

Coal tower

Water tower

Museum admission for a self-guided walking tour of the yard and enginehouse is $6 for an adult and $3 for children ages 4 through 12. A train ride and guided rour of the yard and enginehouse is $31 for an adult and $15 for a child.

The museum website is http://nnry.com/.