Elkmont, Great Smoky Mountains

Elkmont is located in the Great Smoky Mountains, in Tennessee. A logging town and resort community in the past, the grounds are now property of the Smokies, with a campground now on the former location of the town of Elkmont. 

The Little River Lumber Company established the town in 1908, and the Wonderland Park Annex, pictured below, was constructed in 1912. The annex is scheduled for demolition, but 18 cottages and outbuildings will be restored.

All images below were taken in 2014. I did not enter any structures, but I did include several photos  taken through open doors or windows. All buildings are closed to the public.

This is a nice place for a writer or artist of any medium to draw inspiration from. You'll fill in all the blanks with your own creative ideas, reliving what happened back nearly a hundred years ago when this area was enjoying its heyday. My mind starts daydreaming when I see an old forlorn place like this. The stories are surely more rich that anything we can imagine.

You'll find some nice hiking trails in the area, including the Little River Trail, which isn't too tough by Smokies standards. The elevation stays flat. I will save that for another blog entry.

 

Steps going up to the Wonderland complex

Add caption

Troll Bridge

Steps going up to the former site of the Wonderland Hotel, which collapsed in 2005

The Wonderland Annex

The door has shifted to a rather odd angle

I love the rock steps. Hopefully they will survive the demo of cottages

Overgrown cottage is barely visible on the left as you walk back toward the entrance of the annex

Looking at the Wonderland Annex, from the site of the main hotel, which collapsed in 2005. A pile of bricks from the hotel is seen on the far left

Inside the Wonderland Annex, taken through a window. Looks like someone outside the window at the far wall, in long pajamas and house shoes,hanging. This place would make a nice setting for a haunted house

Pathway from the Wonderland Annex to the remaining steps of the main hotel

Sign installed by the park at the Wonderland entrance. Note the old photo showing the steps and hotel

This cemetery is accessible from a gravel road, or by walking the old road/path from the Wonderland Hotel

Looks like a cool playhouse

Restored Appalachian Clubhouse

Old power pole

Walking down the street that ends at the Appalachian Club

Beautiful cascades as you approach a second cemetery

Hoh Rain Forest

Just off the Pacific, inside Olympic National Park, lies a jewel that needs to be on your to do list when you visit Washington State. Greenery everywhere, and a freshness in the air that is invigorating. And the huge trees...

My day was shrouded in clouds for hours, and ironically as I entered the rain forest blue skies and sunshine peeked through. The nice weather lasted until I was driving along the coast, five minutes out from pulling in to see the sunset, and rain began to pelt my windshield.

Two short trails are easy for most visitors, one that hugs the Hoh River and another that takes you into more of a "dark forest." A third trail goes on for over 15 miles. I recommend walking at least a portion of this one to enjoy the peace and tranquility of getting away from virtually everyone.

I saw (and photographed from a distance) a herd of elk crossing the river as I was on my way out of the park.

Strolling through such a place, and exploring imagery so full and encompassing fulfills me like nothing else.  A sweetness fills the air from flora so alive it almost speaks to you. Gentle spirits of nature's beauty are overwhelming.

A few images-

Massive trees

Dead tree completely engulfed with life

Watch yur step; looking down at the shore of the Hoh River

Everything brings forth life and shelter; even death

My time in the spotlight

Hoh River meanders along, fed by glacier melting

Everything is not only alive, but thriving

Two of the elk that wandered across the river. Never took their eyes off of me

Mount Rainier

I visited Rainier for the first time this past weekend. I will always remember the first look of the majestic peak as it came into view on a windy, wooded road that somehow blocked the magnificent view as long as it could. I will let the photos speak for themselves.

I did the 165 mile loop tour, along with side trips to Sunset and Paradise. I hiked Grove of the Patriarchs trail, along with several short trails. Next time out I will plan to see a few of the longer trails and really experience Rainier.

Entrance fee was $15, which covered seven days. Other options are the annual pass for Rainier ($30) or a national parks pass for $80. Seniors can take advantage of a much better price.

 Sunset, approaching the top

 Patches of fall color

 Close up of a 1000 year old Douglas-Fir

 Beautiful drive

 From the river bed, with its cold flow of glacier runoff

 My camera set up

 Welcome center at Sunrise, which is the highest elevation in the park you can drive to

 Grove of the Patriarchs

 Twin Douglas firs, both 1000 years old

Trapped

A hummingbird fought against itself, fluttering about near the ceiling of our garage. A small area where plaster has fallen looked like a window as she moved about in a panic, exhausting herself, trying to escape. The garage door was wide open.

Light flowing in through two windows may have confused her, as well as the light brown patch that seemed to draw her attention as much as anything else. Her tunnel vision was to hug the ceiling. Seemed safer up there where the unknown couldn’t slink along, catching her by surprise. It’s a common reaction for people. But birds, if they survive, have built-in instinct to protect. Like the inner voice we often ignore, or over time lose the ability to distinguish between its good or a voice of evil.

She kept flying above the opening and resting on the chain drive for the garage opener. This took away the option of lowering the door and raising it back because that was her place to rest and regroup. After a time of watching the same pattern repeated I grabbed a broom and tried to gently direct her in the path of safety, but she resisted, and finally landed on a window sill, about six feet off the floor, completely exhausted and with no more fight left.

I haven’t photographed a single hummingbird this year, but I had an opportunity to touch this one, as her exhausted body didn’t resist. I gently picked her up and walked outside through the open garage door. Looking around for the part-time feral cat that sometimes uses our yard as a hunting ground, I found an old bird bath with a top over it that seemed safe, and put her down carefully. I stroked her green body with one finger and then backed off as she summoned all her strength and flew upward long enough to reach a tree branch that was close to the height of our garage ceiling.

Hopefully she survived the ordeal. I checked later and her perch was empty, with no trace down below of the beautiful creature. I’m hoping she just needed a helping hand and a little direction. I’ll write the final chapter that way.

Hear My Train

A train approached the crossing this morning, lumbering along with no big deadline in mind from what I could tell. As I sat watching the train crossing arm drop down I moved closer, turning right so I had a front row seat. I figured with nowhere to go I might as well revisit my childhood game of watching the train go by and counting the cars. With only one engine I figured it would be a short one so instead I just sat back and watched.

Graffiti formed a nice mid band around most of the otherwise drab colors, with the exception of a couple of yellow cars that stood on their own. I don’t remember that much artwork on trains when I was younger. Instead of counting I began watching for doors slightly ajar with a traveler looking out and admiring new scenery. The storage cars were pods that had been set down on flatbed cars. Technology can take away the romance of the old ways, in its efficiency. A hobo didn’t stand a chance on this train, with no doors to slip into at the rail yard and hide away.

I miss seeing the red caboose bringing up the rear. As a kid I remember leaning forward from my place in the back seat of the car and waving through the windshield. Sometimes the conductor would wave back with a big smile on his face, way back in a bygone era.  

Reminded me of warm smiles from a desk clerk at the local mom and pop. Creaking wood floors and scents that just seemed right in such places. Before Amazon started selling and shipping to our door for much less.

Turned out to be a short train compared to some I have seen, but it brought back lots of memories.