The Derosia Team

This August marks an exciting time across the world and our area is in a prime location to commemorate this special event. August 21, 2017, the world will see daylight turn into darkness as the moon overtakes the sun for a brief period of time. What exactly is a solar eclipse? It is a celestial event where the moon will cross over the path of the sun blocking all or part of it for 3 to 4 hours.  This particular eclipse will involve the moon blocking the sun completely for about 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Much of our area is in totality meaning that the sun will be completely blocked and viewers will experience a 360 degree sunset! The path of totality is only about 70 miles wide, so we are lucky to be in that path! Lincoln Beach, Oregon will mark the beginning of this phenomenon at 9:05 am PDT and Charleston, SC will mark the end of the total eclipse at 2:48 pm EDT. However, the lunar shadow will hang around until 4:09 pm EDT.  There are several events in our area to partake...

Summertime is a great time for hiking in the Smoky Mountains. The air is cooler in the mountains and the creeks and rivers are refreshing. Whether you choose to tackle a 10 mile hike or wander to the stream side to relax in a hammock, the mountains are sure to not disappoint. Here are some terrific hikes for summer that offer plenty of places to take a dip in the cool mountain water. Middle Prong: Located in the Tremont section of the national park, this 8.3 mile hike offers 3 waterfalls and numerous cascades, smaller falls, and cataracts. Tremont used to be a lumber camp that featured a post office, hotel, general store, maintenance sheds, and a community center that served as a school, church, and movie theater. The Middle Prong trail used to be an old railroad bed used by the Little River Lumber Company. If you hike in the early summer months, there should still be a multitude of wildflowers. If you are lucky and look carefully at about 1.9 miles in you will see a short...

Located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Elkmont is definitely a treasure to find. What appears to be a "Ghost Town" actually started as an Appalachian Club vacation community.  The land was once owned by Little River Lumber Company and in 1910, they started selling off the land in order to create an elite private social club. Later the Wonderland Hotel was purchased and the Wonderland Club was created. This area quickly became a favorite vacation spot among wealthy East TN families. Elkmont became the home for the birth of the National Park.  In 1926, Colonel Wilson B. Townesend, the owner of Little River Lumber Company, sold the 76,000 acres so that it could be turned into the national park. While most people in park boundaries were forced to sell their land and relocate, those in the Elkmont area were able to sell their cottages at half the price in exchange for lifetime leases. Most of the leases expired in 1992 and the final two expired in 2001....

CADES COVE IN THE SPRING! Cades Cove is a perfect area to visit with the family during the whole year. Lots of hiking trails, wildlife, and plenty of room for picnics. Walk the 11 mile loop, ride a bike, or pile the whole family in the car. Spring in Cades Cove though is an absolutely magical time. The plethora of wildflowers is unmatched and bears are emerging after their long winter nap. Also, during the week crowds are not as busy. Went this week and there were times we did not see another car. Just one trip around the loop provided the opportunity to observe about 50 deer, numerous turkeys including a white one, several bears including teeny tiny bear cubs, lots of horses, a coyote, an owl, and a black bat. Not to mention the numerous times stopping to take pictures of all the wildflowers. White oak sinks is an unmarked trail that offers a carpet of flowers among the four caves. The caves are currently closed due to the treatment of white nose syndrome on the bats. Enjoy t...