The Barrier.....
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (86910)
United States
July 16, 2020 6:43pm CST
The highlight for today was a trip across the Smokies to the Qualla Boundary (better known as the Cherokee Eastern Band Reservation). There’s a waterfall that’s sorta kinda in the Smokies, but who knows if it really is or not. To reach it, you have to drive through the reservation, then off.....
Then you’re greeted by these.
According to a lady who passed me as she was coming down while I was sitting, catching my breath, there are 167 steps from the parking lot to the area where it sort of “levels off,” and all you’re left to do is walk over boulders and tree roots.
It was all I could do to get up that mess of steps once, so I was going to take her word for it instead of climbing back down to count them.
And what did I get to see as a result of climbing up all those steps?
(See next discussion)
8 people like this
7 responses
@Michellekidwell (29953)
• Sonora, California
17 Jul 20
Those steps look steep, but I’m sure the view was beautiful...
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86910)
• United States
17 Jul 20
I can’t get the picture to load for the second discussion to show it right now!!! 
1 person likes this
@Michellekidwell (29953)
• Sonora, California
17 Jul 20
@FourWalls Ugh, I hate when that happens!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86910)
• United States
17 Jul 20
@Michellekidwell — I have it up now. Phew!!! Worth the effort to get it posted as well as the effort to get to the actual falls! 
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86910)
• United States
17 Jul 20
They were, but wasn’t it worth it!!!!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382656)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jul 20
@FourWalls Oh definitely. Worth every step.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169591)
• United States
17 Jul 20
It looks like a challenge. No wonder you were sitting catching your breath.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86910)
• United States
17 Jul 20
I took a blast of albuterol (my asthma inhaler) before I started up the steps. I think it helped. I know it helped me when I climbed to Clingman’s Dome last year.
@FourWalls (86910)
• United States
17 Jul 20
I had to take some asthma medicine before I started up the steps, and I did take frequent breaks. And it was worth every step.
@RasmaSandra (98157)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
17 Jul 20
I am scared of heights so those steps look very steep to me. I remember going to a nature park in Latvia where I got to climb up and down all kinds of stairs but then my hubby was still with me and I did not mind as long as he helped me. I would not do that alone.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86910)
• United States
17 Jul 20
I have problems with heights, too (which is why I’m avoiding one of the newest attractions in Gatlinburg, a suspension bridge between two mountains ). This wasn’t one of those “look down and get dizzy” types of climbs. I don’t know if I could have made it had I had to look way down between the steps! 
). This wasn’t one of those “look down and get dizzy” types of climbs. I don’t know if I could have made it had I had to look way down between the steps! 1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222896)
• United States
17 Jul 20
That would be too much for me! Looking forward to the next pic and discussion.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86910)
• United States
17 Jul 20
Thankfully, it’s not like a ride, in that once you start you can’t stop. The banister is very secure and good to lean against while catching one’s breath (not that I did that 60-70 times.....
)
)1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (37621)
•
17 Jul 20
My reaction to that photo is who made those steps? They are kind of crooked giving me the impression the masons were hungover or tipsy when installing them 
I guess you were "on the road to find out" what lies ahead of those steps and pathway...
I guess you were "on the road to find out" what lies ahead of those steps and pathway...1 person likes this
