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| Below
are places we saw along the way with links to separate pages, if applicable. |
| Mile-post |
Attraction |
| 390 |
Beautiful
Asheville, NC |
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| This
was a convenient home base while exploring Asheville area attractions
during June 18-23. See separate page linked above for pics and
more info. |
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| Don't
miss this great estate! |
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| 385 |
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| I
was intrigued from the time I first saw this picture.
I knew I just had to see and feel for myself what it's
like up there! Check out my pics at the link above for
the exhilarating hike I took. |
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Lane
Pinnacle
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| There
are so many pulloffs with so many amazing views. I just
thought it extra appropriate to take my picture at Lane
Pinnacle. |
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| 365 |
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Craggy
Gardens Visitors Center
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This
was one of the stops I was most looking forward to after
hearing of the purple rhododendron covered slopes from
mid to late June. I based my departure date on this,
but nature didn't cooperate this year due to a late
freeze. Oh well...it was a pretty stop anyway. There
were a few colorful bushes and at least the Mountain
Laurel was still showing off in style.
Coming
north, you'll come across a sign to Craggy Gardens Picnic
Area a couple of miles before the Visitors Center. It's
about a mile long road and is pretty tight with one
hairpin curve thrown in for good measure. The parking
lot at the end is just large enough to park and turn
around in. I think next time I'll skip the Picnic Area.
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| 340 |
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Crabtree
Meadows Campground |
June
24-25, 2007
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After
leaving KOA Asheville East, we only went 53 miles before our next
stop at Crabtree Meadows Campground. There are just so many pulloffs
to stop and gawk at and it's ridiculous to try to rush through this
little slice of heaven. |
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Like
at Mt. Pisgah, most of the 22 RV sites are parallel to
the road through the campground. I don't particularly
like that layout, but it was much more quiet than I thought
it would be. That's my motorhome on the right in site
#20 (A loop). |
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Note:
I could have turned around and come in the other way so my
door would have faced out the right way, but I thought I'd
only be here one night and didn't care at that point. I wound
up staying two nights because I wanted to do the trail to
the falls (see below).
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Our
across-the-street neighbors, Bob & Gerry from Spruce
Pine, NC are in site #21. We enjoyed meeting them and
they were so nice about sharing tips about local stuff
to do and see. Gypsy
made a friend here, too, with their cute little 3 month
old puppy, Grecko. |
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You'll
also find a really nice, friendly camp host here. James Cannon
has been on the parkway for 30 years and says this campground
is his favorite. It's not only pretty, but quiet and peaceful
and he thinks it's a shame that a lot of people pass this
one by in favor of Linville Falls. This was a fortunate stop
for me for another reason. This was the first dry camping
stay of the trip and when I turned on my generator, it sounded
fine - except it didn't generate electricity inside the RV.
James' son (James III) was visiting from Mississippi and he
kindly came over and found the problem - a simple flip of
the breaker at the generator and all was well again.
One
thing I was a bit surprised at - while I knew all the national
park campgrounds along the parkway had no electric or hookups,
I guess I had never thought they didn't have water at the
sites, either. I had carried enough in the tank to get me
by for the 2 nights I was here, and there are centrally located
water faucets, but you'd need extra long hoses to get water
from them into the RV, so keep that in mind.
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The
trail leading from the campground to Crabtree Falls is
another good reason to stay here. This beauty is a just
reward for a mile hike to get to the base. Getting down
to it is certainly well worth it, so I recommend you stay
a while and savor the sights and sounds, because going
back up is a huffer & a puffer! |
| For
more pics and a short movie of Crabtree Falls, see Malia's
RV page. |
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Click
arrow for next page of Parkway
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