Welcome to Tennessee, the Soundtrack of America and apparently the best “State Parks in the Nation”! We tested this state park claim by staying at Panther Creek State Park. Many of the state parks in Tennessee were flooded due to the heavy rains so we headed for higher ground in the northeast and still had to pass through some flooded roads!
This park is nestled on the shore of Cherokee Lake and, even in the rain, this mountain area was gorgeous. Jo was on a mission to hike to the Cherokee Lake Overlook so we set out on the (mostly) dry walkways but Jo was persistent and we eventually found ourselves in the woods on the muddy trails. As it was early in the season, the trails were not yet groomed and we faced the challenges of going around, over and even under some downed trees. The view of the lake was spectacular even as the fog shrouded the islands. With dusk creeping in we arrived back at camp just before the heavens opened!