12/99

The Great Smokey Mountains lay across the Tennessee/North Carolina State line. Jason and I get down to them once or twice a year.

There is a good old swimming hole on Abrams Creek at the Abrams water falls. I don't know what the official policy on topfree use of this swimming hole is, but I know that nudity is officially forbidden within 300 feet of any trail. Since the trail runs right along the lake, nudity is technically a no-no.

Still, the rangers don't seem to mind people wearing thong bottoms, since Jason and I once we were laying out on the rocks at the edge of the water, drying off and sunning our buns when a ranger came up who just said "Hi". It didn't seem to bother him any that I didn't have a top on, even when I flipped over when I reached for my shirt.

To get to the falls you need to take a 2.5 mile trail from a poorly marked parking lot at the end of Cades Cove. If you miss the lot, you have to drive another 6-7 miles to get back, due to the one-way roads. Some people think it is a strenuous trail, going up and down several 300-500 foot inclines before getting to the falls, but it's not bad if you take your time and drink lots of water. Just ask at the park information about the Abrams Falls trail. You know you are on the right trail if half the people are carrying towels.

Jason and I have also gone tube rafting, which is very popular in the warmer summer months. While I've never gone topless, I once saw two women topfree and wearing just tiny G-strings on such a trip. I could hardly believe this, since the river they were rafting on runs right along the road between Gatlinburg and Townsend. Several people driving by almost wrecked their cars when they realized the girls were topless. That's why I didn't shed my top too -- I didn't want to be responsible for a car wreck!

--Traci, Ohio