A Long Story Short
My husband and I became the proud owners of what we consider the perfect Maggie Valley cabin in 2005. I would like to be able to say that Mystic Mountain Cabin was the fulfillment of a lifetime dream. But, in our lives nothing really has ever happened in such a normal progression. Hindsight always seems to be 20/20 for us.

Historical Perspectives
Back around 1956, my recently widowed aunt and my widowed grandmother loaded my two sisters and myself in the circa 1950s sky blue Studebaker for a vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. With the unexpected failure of the transmission, the ride on the two lane mountainous roads proved to be fairly unnerving and memorable. We arrived safely in Cherokee where a wonderful native American innkeeper and his wife put us comfortably to rest in their motor lodge. They then sent the Studebaker to the repair shop and within 24 hours we were on the road again. Now, I look back on my first visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as a prelude to our becoming part time residents of Haywood County.

1980s GSMNP Visit
I returned to the park some 30 years later with two children of my own. It was during the Boy Scout/Girl Scout period of our lives. Naturally, we camped in the park. As novice campers, we set up our tent and leaving the flaps open set off for some dinner. A very strong evening storm came along and left everything in the tent soaked. After dinner, we spent the rest of the evening drying out the sleeping bags at the laundromat. Even the very leaky tent and rough night’s sleep couldn’t derail this adventurous return visit to the Smokies.

Why Smoky Mountain High Blog
Smoky Mountain High is an opportunity for explorers who have traveled to Maggie Valley and the surrounding area to share their experiences with other vacationers. For those of us who love the Great Smokies and the adjoining parks, communicating our adventures is a close second to enjoying the people, places, and natural beauty of this dynamic area.

We return visitors know that it would take several lifetimes to get to all the waterfalls, scenic vistas, and hiking trails of Western North Carolina. This blog is just one additional resource to help us decide which activity to add to our limited vacation schedules.

Where to get a good meal? The question that each of us faces when on vacation. Mark and I have some favorite local lunch spots that have original menus with meals from scratch.

Whitman’s on Main in Waynesville
Whitman’s on Main, a quaint bakery and deli in an historic building, is always busy at lunch. The eatery is comfortably appointed with tin tile ceilings and brick interior walls. While waiting to place your menu at the counter, you watch the cooks at work in the meticulously clean kitchen. The servers always greet you with a smile with ready answers to any questions you may have. The menu is filled with comfort foods with an original twist. You can always find a tasty special. Fresh salads and sandwiches and delicious soups dominate the menu. We always like to grab a chicken potpie on the way out the door for an easy and delicious dinner. Get reviews .

The Patio Bistro, Waynesville
The Patio Bistro in downtown Waynesville, another favorite, is best enjoyed during the warmer months. The charming European style patio accented with distinctive clay and iron sun images provide a perfect place to enjoy a healthy wrap sandwich. Another restaurant where the original menu provides a variety of soups, salads, wraps and even a quiche of the day – all from scratch. Ordering at the counter, you can choose to accompany your sandwich with one of many fresh salads on display in the deli case. You can find Patio Bistro, opened seven days a week, at 26 Church Street.

Country Vittles in Maggie Valley
The unassuming strip restaurant at 3589 Socco Road is a favorite with the locals. Hailing from Durham, NC with an aunt and grandmother who prided themselves on their fresh biscuits and fresh vegetables made with country meat, I feel particularly qualified to comment on the vegetable plate served here. It is excellent. Mark always orders the chef’s salad loaded up with everything that makes a chef’s salad special. Since we always go for those two menu items, I leave it to you to explore these items or many of the other fresh luncheon items on the menu. Country Vittles has seasonal hours and is only open for breakfast and lunch so check before going.

The Pisgah Inn on the Blue Ridge Parkway
If you are looking for a memorable lunch spot, the Pisgah Inn should definitely be on the list. This elegant 1950s restaurant is situated on the highest overlook of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We have never ordered an item on the menu that didn’t meet with our approval. From fresh trout to delicious salads, foods are served by a well trained staff in a unique environment. The Pisgah Inn opens in late March and closes at the end of leaf season. It is sure to please everyone in your group.

Another hike from Kevin Adams North Carolina’s Best Wildflower Hikes (Westcliffe Publishers) worth taking in April leads to a pleasant waterfall at Moore Cove . The trail head begins at a stately bridge built by the WPA, definitely worth a few clicks of the camera. The narrow trail meanders but is basically an easy walk with flowers strewn along the path all the way to the waterfall.

Spring rains bring variety
Thanks to a very moist environment there were some remarkable little jewels. I enjoyed photographing romantic groupings of purple violets nested in the shade of decaying tree trunks or resting below outcroppings of large boulders.
Close to the falls we found massings of trilliums and other colorful exotics .

Pisgah Inn satisfies the hungry hiker
If you plan this hike in the morning, you can have a pleasant lunch at the Pisgah Inn with spectacular views from the peak of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The meals are sure to please at a remarkably reasonable price. Whenever you plan your hike to Moore Cove Falls include a stop at the Pisgah Inn for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

What’s your favorite meal at the Pisgah?

Kevin Adams through his book North Carolina’s Best Wildflower Hikes (Westcliffe Publishers) guided us to the Oconaluftee wildflower hike in April of 2008. Running along the Oconluftee River, the easy hike provided the relaxing sounds of the river along with the beauty of the mountainous landscape in the distance. The markers along the trail supplied interesting Cherokee folklore with mystic illustrations.

Wildflowers can be elusive
For us, the wildflower hike proved a little like a scavenger hunt because many of these little gems are found low to the ground. Once your eyes become accustomed to searching along the trails and in among the rocks, tree trunks and decaying debris, the walk takes on a contemplative pace.

Photograph first; identify later
We found that it was best to photograph the wildflowers with your digital camera and to work on identification after returning to the cabin. Traveling with a laptop made this project doable and allowed us to relive the pleasures of the hike. A few of the flowers we photographed and identified were white trilliums, blue phlox, yellow violets, and squawroot.

Where to look
Numerous websites provide photos to help you with your identification.

Check out Smokies Guide for an alphabetical listing and accompanying photos for more commonly found flowers.
Go to Wikipedia for an overview of the Smokies and additional photos.