epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Well, I don't know about better, just photos taken during different seasons. Still, taken from the same spot and I think that is a cool coincidence.
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Destination Photos.
- Thread starter 21stamps
- Start date
A lot of photos incoming, can’t choose my faves. I’ll put them in thumbnail.
Quick backstory of this post.. I had planned a cruise for my 40th birthday. Changed my mind and decided to go with our new “Wilderness side”. I’ve been seeing friend’s photos on FB of a place called Hocking Hills. Looked beautiful, decided it would be perfect to ring in a milestone birthday.
Stayed in a cabin instead of camping.. everything was gorgeous!!
We spent 7 hours hiking on my actual birthday, that was a first for us, one of the best days of my life.
Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio
Quick backstory of this post.. I had planned a cruise for my 40th birthday. Changed my mind and decided to go with our new “Wilderness side”. I’ve been seeing friend’s photos on FB of a place called Hocking Hills. Looked beautiful, decided it would be perfect to ring in a milestone birthday.
Stayed in a cabin instead of camping.. everything was gorgeous!!
We spent 7 hours hiking on my actual birthday, that was a first for us, one of the best days of my life.
Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio
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Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
You and the kiddo absolutely need to do Dollywood/Gatlinburg. You are so close, and it's a hoot!Took me a minute, all the way to the left! Gorgeous spot!!
I think I’m the only resident in my current city who has not taken a Tennessee weekend or vacay.. someday. The photos always look so beautiful.
I did stay in Jellico, TN one night years ago. Got scared driving thru mountains so pulled off an exit to a hotel.. only stayed about 5 hours though. Don’t think that counts.
I know, I know. I have 2 hesitations..
1. The cabins I want don’t mesh with what I want to pay. (I want the cabins with a game room..which tend to be the large ones)
2. I’m more interested in the mountain trails than I am the Gatlinburg shopping and entertainment that I always see photos of.
Preferably we’d stay in Pigeon Forge but spend a day in Gatlinburg. I feel like we need 5 days to do what I’d want for us.. and I don’t have 5 days in my schedule. My other state park/cave trips/camping trips are 2-4 nights.
We will get there eventually.
Tick Tock
Well-Known Member
Sorry to tell you this, but that entire area is no more.
However, there are plenty of other beautiful places to visit, such as: Charlotte, Atlanta, Daytona Beach, the Rocky Mtns, Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, Syria, England...the list goes on.
Sorry to tell you this, but that entire area is no more.
However, there are plenty of other beautiful places to visit, such as: Charlotte, Atlanta, Daytona Beach, the Rocky Mtns, Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, Syria, England...the list goes on.
I’m confused, what is “no more”?
Tick Tock
Well-Known Member
All of it. Just all of it.
But check these neat ideas out:
http://www.travelchannel.com/interests/national-parks/photos/top-10-wonders-of-the-west
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Sorry to tell you this, but that entire area is no more.
Umm...no.
Thank you. Lol. My brother was literally just there with his family between day after Christmas and yesterday. They stayed in a cabin in Gatlinburg and went downtown most days. I think the photos were real
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Yes, there was a wildfire that damaged a lot of the Gatlinburg area, but to say it is gone?
We were just up there to see the Christmas lights not long ago. And no damage to Dollywood.
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epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
A lot of the damage was up in the mountains but there was some in the downtown area. The strong winds blew the flames across several mountaintops. It was a big fire and many people lost their homes, but most of the commercial district survived and is thriving. We rode around and saw some of the fire damaged areas. It was awful, but will recover. Not sure why anyone would think it was gone.Thank you. Lol. My brother was literally just there with his family between day after Christmas and yesterday. They stayed in a cabin in Gatlinburg and went downtown most days. I think the photos were real
I remember the fires. It was very sad. I’ve known several people who have still continue to travel there since then.. as far as I know there is still plenty to see, do, and places to stay.
Imo it’s similar to a hurricane, flood, etc.. a few things will be out of commission for tourists, but for the most part tourism is the first to come back.. they need it. Money speeds recovery.
There’s parts of the Florida Keys that to this day are still completely closed off and struggling, I would never tell someone that “The Keys are gone” or not to travel to them.
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Here is a photo that shows some of the areas where the wildfire hit. You can see the burned sections on some of the hills. Yes, it was a bad fire with a lot of loss, but claiming it is gone? I don't get that.
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Was that entire area (in the first pic) cleared by the fire? Sad sight.
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Here is another angle of part of the Gatlinburg tourist area. You can see more damage in the darkened spots in the photo. In the upper left you can see a mountainside mansion that was destroyed, but again, the main tourist area survived and is thriving. A couple of resort areas were wiped out, including Westgate, but they are well on the way to rebuilding. There was heavy damage around the Treetops Resort area as well, but it did not shut down and that area is rebuilding as well.
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Yes, there are many areas like that which sustained major damage. The entire Chimney Tops area was shut down, so no hiking to the top. Don't know if that area is opened back up or not. There were some neighborhoods heavily damaged and several deaths related to the fires. It was a big fire with many homes and businesses and lives lost, but again, it is not gone. The area will come out bigger and better. Mountain people are resiliant.
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
So @21stamps back on topic, here is the tent I am going to buy next. I gave away our REI tent to a nephew and since I can't decide on a camper, we are going to need another tent. I have done research and this is the one for us. Scroll down the page and check out the video of how easy this thing is to set up and take down. It will be just right for us, though a little big and bulky, but that is OK, as it is not made for hiking and camping, but more car camping. Our car has a back seat that folds down, so even though it is long, we should be able to put it in the trunk and stick it through to the back seat. This might work for you if you have room to transport it to the campsite in your car.
http://www.gazelletents.com/gazelle-camping-hub-tent
http://www.gazelletents.com/gazelle-camping-hub-tent