My “List for Next Time” contains all sorts of things. Some of them are monumental and of interest to all sorts of people, whether or not they take their lodging with them, like I do. Others are of interest mainly to RVers. I had heard so many good things about Anchor Down RV Resort that when the opportunity came to stay there, I took it.
The location, on Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee, is lovely. They provide a wide range of amenities, but most of those amenities would be more enjoyable when the weather is warmer.
Some of the sites are fantastic!
However, a site like this would be best enjoyed when you can sit outside without thermal underwear.
Just how much would one of these premium sites cost? Here’s the site map and rate schedule.
Those of you who know me well know that I selected one of the back-in sites.
And here I am, all set up. The trailer is dewinterized and I’m ready for adventure! Since I really wasn’t planning on taking advantage of the Resort’s amenities – although I may have watched some TV with their cable – the next day, I headed out to see what I could see.
My first stop was Sevierville, Tennessee. I just had to stop and check out the Sevier County Courthouse. Designed by the McDonald Brothers in the Beaux Arts style, it was built in 1895. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
It is flanked by two memorials. The first is for the military.
I couldn’t resist including this arty shot in my post.
The second memorial is to local girl made good and national treasure, Dolly.
I thought she should get an equally arty shot.
The statue of Dolly is by Jim Gray and was dedicated in 1987. It’s kind of hard to believe that it has been more than 33 years since its dedication. Where does the time go?
My next stop was to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This is the Most visited national park in the country, with more than 11 million recreational visitors annually. I stopped off in the visitor center to get my National Parks passport stamped and to see what they had to offer.
There was a display offering this brochure for 50 cents. I should have bought it, I guess, but I got the general idea and decided to just head out for a little drive.
I was thrilled to find the trilliums in bloom! My genius of a father built us a cabin in the woods south of Buffalo, and in the springtime, we were surrounded by trilliums. What a memory!
I found a place to pull off the road and taken the splendor. I was kind of wondering why the mountain looked so pale. I wondered if there had been some sort of blight that killed all the trees on it.
I started chatting with some other visitors about it. The man I spoke with said that the whiteness was snow. He and his kids had been camping in a tent up there! I must say, they were amazingly cheerful. I hope they had good sleeping bags.
I thought this was an interesting idea. The park invites visitors to become “Citizen Scientists” by taking nine photos from the post, following the directions on the sign, and uploading them to a website. I did take the photos, but I’m not sure whether I followed through on sending them in.
On the way back to the Resort, I stopped and took a photo of a touristy spot nestled in a valley. Could it be Dollywood? It just might be! I didn’t drive in to check, though.
More scenery on the way back to my T@b and Cora. I was almost to the resort when I saw a sign for the TVA Douglas Dam. I remember learning about the TVA when I was in school. Quite frankly, I was a bit mystified as to why it was such a big deal. I mean, who would think electricity was such a big deal? Actually, it was part of FDR’s New Deal, and was a wonderful boost to the area. It provided employment and income to the people involved in the building and design and made other employment possible. I guess if you had to live without electricity all the time, it would make all sorts of things difficult.
In any event, I thought might as well check it out.
There it is!
And, wouldn’t you know it? They have a campground! This is more my speed of campground. No “amenities” but look at that view! For those who may be interested in giving it a try, this is the Douglas Dam Tailwater Campground.
That waterside campsite costs $29 a night – or $22 with the discount. If it’s a senior discount, I qualify! Incidentally, it that is still to rich for your blood, they have a few sites that you can snag for $19 a night – or $13 with the discount.
After a good night’s sleep, Cora and I are ready to roll.
Cora had to make do with kibble while I feasted on pancakes at Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin.
Next stop: Ashville, North Carolina.