In October 2022, I had some time to visit the U.S. again and take two somewhat longer excursion trips. The first trip took me quite early in the morning from Atlanta / Georgia north towards Tennessee and the Smokey Mountains.
There are road trips, and then there are drives that feel like journeys into another world. My drive through the Great Smoky Mountains was one of those unforgettable experiences — a winding adventure through misty ridges, dense forests, and valleys where time seems to move a little slower. The Smokies are one of America’s most beloved national parks, straddling the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, and it’s easy to see why: every bend in the road opens up a new view, a new story, a new connection with nature.
I started the journey near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, one of the gateways to the park. The town is lively, but within minutes of leaving, the road narrowed, the trees closed in, and the sounds of the forest replaced the hum of the crowd. I entered the Newfound Gap Road (US 441), one of the most famous scenic drives in the park. Climbing higher and higher, the road revealed panoramic views of blue-tinted ridges stretching endlessly into the horizon. The Smokies earn their name from this mist — a soft, smoky haze that rises from the forests and cloaks the mountains in mystery.
Along the way, I stopped at Clingmans Dome Road, a spur that leads to the highest peak in the park. Driving up felt like ascending into the sky itself, with spruce and fir replacing the deciduous forest below. The short walk to the observation tower was steep, but standing at the summit, I was surrounded by views that seemed to go on forever. It felt like standing on the roof of the Appalachian Mountains.
Back on the main road, I pulled over at lookouts like Newfound Gap and Morton Overlook, each one offering its own perspective on the valleys below. The colours shifted with the light — deep greens, soft blues, and in autumn, fiery reds and golds. Every stop felt like opening a window into another painting.
Driving deeper into the Smokies, I explored Cades Cove, a valley encircled by mountains that’s accessible via an 11-mile loop road. It’s one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever driven. Deer grazed in open fields, wild turkeys strutted across the road, and at one point, I even spotted a black bear in the distance. The historic cabins and churches scattered through the cove told stories of the families who once lived here, surviving in harmony with the land.
The beauty of a Smoky Mountains road trip is in its variety. One moment you’re on a high ridge, looking across a sea of mountains, and the next you’re deep in a shaded hollow, with streams rushing over mossy rocks. Waterfalls tumble down hidden cliffs, and wildflowers bloom in the meadows. In spring, dogwoods and rhododendrons paint the forest with colour; in summer, the greenery feels endless; in autumn, the mountains ignite in fiery hues; and in winter, a quiet frost settles over the