TN-NC Adventure--Day 7

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I ended the last post on the way to Nashville on Monday afternoon. I was flying home Wednesday morning so the plan was to spend Tuesday night in Nashville but find something to do on Tuesday. I don’t remember where we stayed Monday night. I think it was somewhere around Knoxville, Tennessee but the motels on Monday and Tuesday night are less than memorable. You get what you pay for.

Sign at Frozen Head State Park, TN

Katie had looked up things to do between Asheville and Nashville and found Frozen Head State Park . The criteria was somewhere we could hike in a place that Kirby would enjoy. She’d been a real trooper throughout this trip (and remember that she’d already been away from home for almost 4 weeks) and we didn’t want a hike that was too steep, too long, or where there was a body of water that was off limits (too deep, too rapid, etc).

Hikers on dirt trail through the hardwood forest.

Katie found Frozen Head State Park and we selected the Panther Branch trail.

Hikers in a creek bed in the woods.

This trail followed a creek that was accessible and fit the criteria above.

Mushroom growing out of tree trunk
Spiderweb between trees in forest.
Hiking up river bed in forest

It would have been easier walking to stay on the trail, but Kirby liked picking her way along the rocks and in the water.

Five swallowtail butterflies on wet dirt in riverbed.

I saw a cluster of swallowtail butterflies in the wet dirt along the creek. Cluster? I googled a “group of butterflies”. The official word seems to be a Kaleidoscope, with other references to flutter, flight, swarm and wing. You learned something reading this blog post!

Waterfall with a group of people in the water below

Eventually we were back on the trail to avoid a lot of branches and trees across the creek. We found that we weren’t alone. We made our was down to this waterfall and talked with a group of moms who meet here with their kids every so often. .

Girl standing in water flowing over rocks from above.

Kirby enjoyed the waterfall.

Girl splashing in water below waterfall.
Cluster of swallowtail butterflies on the creekbed.

We spent an hour or so there and then walked back down the creek. I found the kaleidoscope of butterflies at the same place.

A dozen swallowtail butterflies on the creekbed.

I read that adult butterflies consume only liquids and sometimes cluster in places that have extra minerals that they need. I don’t know if that’s the case here.

Butterflies flying away.

This is what happens when the photographer gets too close.

Two people walking in creek in the forest.

Katie and Kirby continued their hike down the creek and I took the trail.

Looking up into the canopy of trees.
Two people hiking on trail in green hardwood forest.

We finished together on the trail. Then we headed for Nashville.

In the parking lot of Buc-ees Truck Stop

I had never stopped at a Buc-ee’s, but Katie is a big fan. We got gas and food here.

In the continuing theme of doing something that Kirby would find enjoyable we looked up Taylor Swift’s favorite things to do in Nashville. Kirby is a fan. We found a top five list and we visited three places.

Signs for Radnor Lake and Tennessee State Parks

It seems that Taylor likes to walk around Radnor Lake for some peace and quiet.

We walked the trail …

Walking on a trail through the green woods.

…and sat by the lake.

Smooth surface of lake with trees in background

We found another less-than-memorable motel to spend the night. Katie went out for pizza which we ate in the room. I will remember the lightning storm that night—at least the motel was dry.