Memories in the mountains: Multigenerational adventures in the Great Smokies

We spent our days hiking and exploring, and spent our evenings cooking, playing games and doing puzzles. Destination trips present challenges for families, regardless of their size or the number of generations joining in the fun.

One thing about getting away with your children, and perhaps your children’s children, and if you are lucky, your parents, is that you are away from home. You might still need to cook, but you don’t have to water your plants, check your mail or spend holiday time hosting if you don’t want to. Traveling together encourages even more family bonding than a big party — getting active during the day and spending quiet evenings together sharing hobbies.

Our Thanksgiving trip was a time to be with my three children — who were not distracted by friends, sports or jobs. I was also able to visit with nieces and nephews who do not live nearby. It takes effort, planning and patience, but memories can be made amid the disharmony of what we call family. The best part is that our cellphones have zero service inside the park, so it was all forced family fun and conversations while taking in the beautiful views and walking the trails.

Kuwohi (pronounced koo-WHOA-hee), formerly known as Clingmans Dome, is the highest point in Tennessee at 6,643 feet above sea level. This observation tower was built in 1959 and supported by the Mission 66 program, which funded the expansion of park visitor services nationwide, including over 100 new visitor centers, campgrounds, roads and restroom facilities.

The path to Kuwohi is a steep, half-mile paved walk to the top of the tower, and the path is wheelchair friendly. It is worth the effort — on a clear day, you can see over 100 miles. It’s one of the most popular sites in the park, attracting over half a million visitors annually.

The observation tower has always been called Kuwohi to the Cherokee people and the official name change occurred in September 2024, when the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians submitted a formal request to revert to its original name, which translates to “Mulberry place.” The National Park Service strongly supported this effort, and the decision received accolades and support from local communities and governments.

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is a narrow, winding one-way loop off the main road, offering ample opportunities to explore an array of historical structures throughout the park. With more than 80 historic buildings preserved within the park, each is a national treasure in its own right, with stories to share with us.

Many families farmed and raised their children in the Roaring Fork area. Ephraim Bales Cabin is an excellent example of what mountain life was like in the late 1800s. Ephraim and Minerva Bales owned 72 acres, nearly half which they farmed along with their nine children. This style of cabin is known as a dogtrot cabin, where two cabins are placed side by side with a space between them, connected by a standard roof.

Grotto Falls is a 2.5-mile round-trip hike on the Trillium Gap Trail that meanders across streams and through an old-growth forest, rewarding you with a 25-foot waterfall that you can walk behind — the only one like it in this park. The National Park system does an excellent job of providing downloadable trail maps, parking information and road closures. There is little to no service in the park, so I recommend downloading or printing your trail maps before entering.

Cades Cove is a loop drive within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s an 11-mile one-way loop, primarily for cars, with a few vehicle-free days throughout the year, allowing you to bike or walk. Although the drive was congested when we took it, it allowed us time to take in the beauty of this park and snap some group photos with the Great Smokies as a backdrop.