7/24/20 - 7/25/20 Savannah, GA to Walterboro, GA, 90 miles, stayed at Eagles RV Park for one night door $30
7/25/20 - 7/27/20 Walterboro, GA to Kinards, SC, 125 miles, stayed at Magnolia RV Park for 2 nights at $46/night
7/27/20 - 8/3/20 Kinards, SC to Hartford, TN, 151 miles, stayed at Fox Fire Riverside Campground for one week at $270
Smoky Mountains
Last year, we visited the Great Smoky Mountains by staying in Sevierville, TN and driving through Gatlinburg. It is EXTREMELY busy and touristy. This time, we approached from South Carolina, up I40, and stayed just over the Tennessee border in Hartford, so We could easily go back and explore Asheville, NC. The RV Park had only a few spaces, nestled between the mountains to the East and the Pigeon River to the West.
We arrived on a Monday, and Hartford was dead quiet. It’s just a little spot on the map. But we ventured out the next day to eat and found the place PACKED! Turns out, the Pigeon River is a Mecca for white water rafting, kayaking, paddle boarding, cycling and zip-lining! And several rafting outfits ended at our campground. We learned that the river is dam-controlled and rafting is best on the days the dam releases water (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays). Hundreds of people came and went. On the other days, we had the river almost to ourselves, so we could sit and bask in the quiet. On one of those crazy days, we decided to go to Asheville.
I’ve heard so many wonderful things about the Biltmore Estate, but COVID and budget were working against us. I wanted to spend my day at the River Arts District - two miles of warehouses and manufacturing plants near the river and train tracks that have been converted to artist studios and galleries. This is my kind of place! It took us two hours to get there because of construction, and only 30% of the galleries were occupied. Everyone else was quarantining at home. Yet, I got a taste of what it was like to visit artists at work. We also found Lexington Glassworks, a glass-blowing foundry not far away and spent time watching them practice their craft - so cool! I loved this place. It’s quirky and artsy, and I want to come back when things are in full swing!
As the afternoon rains began to fall, we ducked into a taco shop and enjoyed a late lunch before dashing back to our car for the long drive home. Fun fact - the Smoky Mountains are a rain forest and it rains almost every afternoon. When the rain stops and the mountains heat up, the water evaporates, making it look like they’re on fire. This is one of the reasons for the name “Smoky Mountains”.
