After 34 Years Back to Cherokee, NC and Chimney Tops Overlook in Gatlinburg, TN

 Long before the Internet or GPS, on July 16 of 1988 we both went to Cherokee, North Carolina and Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Just to show my Pieter the breathtaking views I'd seen when taking Mom & Dad up there in 1987.

Campbell Soup forced us to move within a couple of months—so we took our CHANCE.

Picture taken from Pieter on July 16, 1988 near Gatlinburg, along highway 441...

BUT back then there was no location indicated on our photos or slides.

AND there were hardly any signs at the locations...

But, I did find this old postcard on the Internet with the mention of Chimney Tops Overlook near Gatlinburg, Tennessee!

Complete with the huge rocks we were standing on...

We at that time did NOT know about Chimney Tops and it was rather hazy when we visited as you see from our photos.

But now we knew where we were heading towards and on Sunday morning, October 30 around 9:15 AM we started our journey up north—hoping for nice autumn colors as well.

A Rest Stop at Sanders Knob, North Carolina.

It looked rather cloudy but in the end it would turn out to be a perfect day.

We even started out with drizzle rain in the morning...

Once we'd crossed the state line from Georgia, going into North Carolina it was so beautiful.

I'd passed this old Water Mill and I turend quickly to come back for making a photo.

This was in Cherokee, North Carolina alongside the Oconaluftee River.

We spotted a restaurant, across from this water mill, so we drove there and after parking the car we walked a bit.

Lots of gift shops but no other restaurants on that side.

Now we view from the other side across the Oconaluftee River.

We had a good lunch and not even salty—at El Cajelito Mexican Restaurant on 1681 Acquoni Rd, Cherokee, NC 28719.

A much needed break for me as well!

We continued and saw the sign Elk viewing...

WOW what a very special BONUS was that!

The elk is the largest mammal in the Great Smoky Mountains!

They had become nearly extinct and got reintroduced.

Male elk or 'bulls' weigh around 600–700 pounds and the female or 'cows' weigh average 500 pounds.

Those trees had shed already lots of leaves during a week of rain, before we went there.

Yes, not far from the Oconaluftee River on Highway 441.

Then all of a sudden I was driving IN THE CLOUDS...

Made me feel sad as for having come that far in vain—with no view.

BUT that was only at the highest points!

Towards Gatlinburg Tennessee on the Newfound Gap Rd, I told Pieter, wow, this road almost makes me dizzy. 

Pieter replied that we'd made a full circle!

You can see that here above!

Chimney Tops Trail starts to the left...

This is LOOP–OVER base of Chimney Tops as seen on this old postcard.

You see that there is a small tunnel going underneath the LOOP-OVER!

Image got taken from the jagged peaks of the Chimney Tops—giving you this bird's–eye view of the Loop–Over on the spectacular Tennessee side of the Newfound Gap Highway — which crosses the center of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Around 16:00 o'cock I'd parked the car and we arrived with the most glorious light at Chimney Tops Overlook!

Pieter standing here in front of a tree with glorious autumn leaves... 🍂🍁

Turning to the other side—Chimney Tops is visible to the left!

Now you can find this huge information board—none was there in 1988...

Chimney Tops

Can you imagine smoke wafting from the chimney–like formations on this ridge? Nearly vertical holes in the tops of these jutting rocks make them look like natural chimney flues, and mountain people named them so—Chimney Tops. The Cherokees called the mountain Duniskwalguni, meaning 'forked antlers.'

The half–billion–year–old Chimney Tops, made of slates, schists, and phyllites, sit atop even older rock (Anakeesta Formtion) is softer than the sandstone, allowing rain, hail, and ice—over hundreds of millions of years—to fashion its chimney–shaped likeness.

Giving you an oversight of this beautiful Overlook...It was rather crowded on Sunday—guess due to the weather.

But at a higher altitude the trees are already bare...!

Again an old picture postcard showing the rock formation on the other side of the road...

Those big rocks on the right were no longer there!

So I captured that side of the road as well.

SO happy for having reached our goal for the day and with perfect autumn leaves still visible and sunshine! 🌞

Pieter captured me standing behind the car.

Couldn't get enough of the light + autumn leaves...

We still had to drive a short distance to our Hyatt Place in Downtown Knoxville, TN

Enjoy short Relive Video below:

That was still a long drive of 493.8 km or 306.8 mi and a total of 6.5 hours solo behind the wheel...

But now I could REST for one day!

Related links:

SO Proud of my NONAGENARIAN | previous post by me when we climbed Clingmans Dome—the highest point on April 03, 2019

Great Smoky Mountains National Park | Informative video