Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-22
Seeing tall
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BY BOB HANSON
Star Staff Writer

BY BOB HANSON
Star Staff Writer
GATLINBURG, Tenn. - Like
the oldtimer said, eff you want
to see everything around here
you'll have to stay at least a
week"
He wasn't referring so much
to the town itself as the the
surrounding area, specifically
the Great Smoky Mountains Ma
tional Park.
In about a month, the park,
which covers 511,7l4 acres al
most evenly divided between
North Carolina and Tennessee,
will be at its autumn peak.
About mid October, the Nat
uralist Service conducts a Sc
ries Of guided motorcades to
points Of especially vivid leaf
coloring.
Camera a ''Must"
A camera is a must" with
color film preferable at this
time Of year.
Some $4,000 people were
attracted to the Smokes last
year, more than visited any
other park In the national park
system, and the great percent
age was the summer tourist.
But fall lends itself as an
ideal time to take this wonder.
full trip with traffic jams in the
park considerably leSsened.
For those who want scenic
beauty at the outset of their
trip, the Blue Ridge parkway
route, a 47O-mile stretch from
Shenandoah National Park ia
the Smokes, Is recommended.
A link in the parkway just
opened this summer starts at
Wagon Road Gap, south Of Ashe-
vile, and skirts refreshing
Pisgah National Forest, joining
the Smokes a few miles beyond
Cherokee. Only a small stretch
of the parkway just north Of
Asheville to Wagon Road Gap
remains unfinished.
Some Highlights
Some of the highlights offered
along the parkway are Blowing
Rock and Boone, N. c.; Grand
father Mountain with its mile
high swinging bridge; Mount
Mitchell, the, highest peak (6,684
feet east Of the Mississippi:
Asheyille, with its Biltmore
House and gardens and the
Biltmore Industries, and Pisgah
National Forest and its out
standing recreational facilities.
The Smokes are 54 miles in
length and from 9 to 10 miles
In width. With the exception of
Mount Mitchell, the highest
peaks in Eastern North Amer
lea are included in the park
area.
Sixteen Of these SUBMITS are
over 5000 feet in elevation with
Clingmans Dome (6,643 feet) the
highest. A haf-mile foot trail
from the parking overlook at
Clingmans Dome leads to a new
observation tower, giving a fine
panorama from the 45-fOot deck.
Indian Village
Within the park is 0conaluftee
Indian Village at Cherokee, in
which Indians in authentic tribal
dress practice the crafts Of their
ancestors; Fontana Village, an
all-year resort; Cades Cove, a
level valley Of outstanding pas
toral charm perpetuating the
historic pioneer, and Gatlin-
burg, the hub from which the
visitor circulates.
Gatlinburg, stretching for 2
miles along the banks of the
Little Pigeon River at the foot
OF Mount lie Conte, has such at
fractions as the Christus Bibli-
cal Gardens, depicting in life
size wax figures, scenes from
the life Of Christ; the step-by-
step process Of shaping and
glazing pottery at nearby
Pigeon Forge, and the al-year-
round ski resort with a breath
taking view Of the Smokes from
the double chair lifts.
But it Is from the park itself
that the visitor will get perhaps
the greatest enjoyment. The
black bear is considered by
many the No. l attraction.