Cades Cove

Last Friday the girls and I wore sunscreen....and shorts....today, not so much. We ventured into the national park and the higher in elevation we got, the more snow we saw. By the time we reached Cades Cove, everything was dusted with it.

The scenery was breathtaking and the company even better.

According to my back-seat co-pilots we saw no less than 54 deer, including three bucks. Many of them were quite close to the car which tickled my explorers!

We explored many of the cabins and historic buildings along the way, despite the chilly day.

Some were more interesting than others....

Our picnic lunch was eaten in the car in the effort of staying warm.

The last half of the cove provided spectacular views.

And plenty of spots to jump out and stretch our legs.

It was the PERFECT day. The girls were all well-behaved and very interested in our surroundings. We talked about wildlife and the people who once called the cove home. They can't wait for our next trip. I swear I won't wait several years before bringing them back. I'm always loathe to fight the tourist crowds, but I need to remember not every day is slam-packed with cars. Today, for example, was a ghost town. We could've counted the number of cars we saw on our fingers and toes which is highly unusual for Cades Cove. We enjoyed every minute!