“That’s funny. That’s fun-n-ny.” – Kid Augustine.
When your almost two-and-a-half-year-old daughter likes to do something new, they talk about it in the cutest ways. ‘That’s funny,” was her expression for how it was to throw a snowball for the very first time.
My dad — her grandpa —was more than happy to play instructor, even though admittedly he hasn’t had much experience himself. Growing up more a beach bum than ski bunny, my entire family has spent a lot more time in warm weather destinations than cold, snowy ones. Perhaps that’s why throwing a snowball was so fun for both of them. Seeing snow, throwing it, molding it, and just stomping on it, lit them both up as if it were Christmas morning.
We didn’t expect snowy weather on our spring mountain trip to Sevierville, a small, family-friendly Tennessee mountain town about 20 minutes from Great Smoky Mountains National Park and 40 minutes from Knoxville and the University of Tennessee. Luckily, we packed a heavier coat just in case and bundled up for the one day of snow fun high atop the national park’s peaks.
The Smoky Mountains are a huge draw for visitors in the spring, when waterfalls are flowing, spring flowers are blooming, longer hikes seem more doable. And, as we found out, sometimes it can still snow.
We’ve visited this area a few times before, but never have we had this much fun. Maybe it’s Kid Augustine’s age, where everything and anything is awe-inspiring, or maybe it’s because our itinerary included fun kid-friendly activities like the Rainforest Adventure and adult activities like whiskey tastings.
The drive from Sevierville to Newfound Gap is about an hour or more depending on how many times you stop along the way up to the top. We planned our trip for Kid Augustine’s naptime, taking turns at pit stops for one person to stay in the car with her while she snoozed, while the others played in the snow and took photos. The temperature dropped pretty quickly from the bottom of the mountains to the top. My car’s thermometer showed 30 degrees at one point — that is cold!
Newfound Gap is where North Carolina and Tennessee state lines cross. It’s a popular stopping point and vista point for anyone visiting the park. This was our stopping point, and the moment Kid Augustine woke up. We all got out — and Kid Augustine was a bit surprised to see all the snow. The last thing she saw before the zzz’s was green grass and blooming trees. Now, everything was covered in beautiful snow. She held onto my leg pretty tight as we walked around the Interactive Loop. That’s when my dad threw the first snowball.
Augustine laughed out loud. It was loud enough and silly enough that I’m pretty sure that’s the type of laugh that created LOL. The snow flying through the air and then crashing on the ground was just the excitement she needed to let go of me and run up to the snow herself.
It wasn’t too long before she was stomping on the snowballs. She quickly began throwing them up in the air herself (although many of them just landed back down on her; she hasn’t really grasped the concept of throwing out, not up) and building a little snowman with my mom.
As we drove back down to the cabin in Sevierville, Augustine could not stop chatting about the snowballs. It was definitely the highlight of her life — well, up until we went horseback riding the next day.
Where we stayed: We booked a two-bedroom cabin at Oak Haven in Sevierville. Perfect for us and my parents.
Other Smoky Mountain National Park Stops: If you’re an avid hiker, hike to Mount Le Conte for sunrise. Clingmans Dome opens later this month and allows you to see seven states from one spot. You can also go on a waterfall hike to Abrams Falls, Tom Branch Falls or Grotto Falls.
