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| Biltmore, the Cradle of Forestry |
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| Pond on the Biltmore Estate |
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| The Biltmore, Asheville, NC |
I shall get four new states on my log of visited states (TN, GA, NC, SC). At least they all have humidity unlike the southwestern states. I itch way too much when we go west.
Where to stay?
Pigeon Forge is so congested with cars and development-maybe no.
Gatlinburg has tons of people filling the sidewalks-maybe no.
Our best option is Townsend, TN, called the quiet side of the Smokies. Prices are a bit more reasonable, but for some cabins the cleaning fees, booking fees, administrative fees, and doggie fees can end up being about 200 dollars more. Where do we stay without breaking my piggy bank?
At Wild Mountain Rose Cabins I have found a quiet, lovely log cabin, and owned by one couple not a management group. They do not charge extra for my brother, Bud, and me or any hidden charges. They are super sweet people on the phone and cannot wait to meet them. They even have a bakery; maybe they will bake me some biscuits.
Around Townsend there is the following: a four mile trail to hike, streams which I would love to swim (they said no), bears and animals to chase (they said heck no), people and dogs to meet and play (they nodded ok-but no red wolves). Beware of ticks; I have been warned. I guess that I have to get a tick check done everyday. Not many ticks in east Texas (at least around my home)- too many fires ants.
NO DOGS ALLOWED. No Snoopy it is not the hospital. It is the trails in the Smoky Mountain National Park. I can hike all day in the adjacent Cherokee National Forest or Pisgah/Nantahala NF. The same type of animals are in all three places. But the nice Park Rangers will give my family a ticket if they see me on the trails. Me: pet therapy trainees, multiple state explorer, calendar girl, movie star, golden girl extraordinaire. Their trees are mostly dying anyway (I know sour grapes).
They have caverns in Townsend too. I probably won't be able to go unless I am super sweet. How could anyone say no to me?
I could go canoeing or tubing with my family. Sounds so fun. Maybe help do some fishing. Ok ok I shall sit on the riverbank and watch my family fish for trout. Temptation maybe too hard to fight.
Once we stop by the Smoky Mountain Doghouse in Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg for a snack at The Heidleburg (rumored to be dogfriendly). Sightsee from the car of the Smoky Mountain National Park to Cherokee, NC. I have not decided to go back to Sevierville and head to Asheville or go through Cherokee, NC and Dillard. Which way should I go?
We are off to the number 3 city for dog friendly resort areas, Asheville, NC. Hooray, my family loves Asheville. We shall be staying at the Crown Plaza Resort, and I get to go explore the Biltmore Estates. I get to feel like Cedric Vanderbilt and walk the Bass Pond Trail or all the gardens where he used to play. We get to go to the dog parks before we head to Clemson University where the matriarch of the family graduated a decade plus ago. Not very dog friendly but still a beautiful place before we head home.
