Maggie Valley has become one of our favorite spots in western North Carolina. It's tucked in a beautiful valley surrounded by 5000- to 6000-foot mountains not far from the southeast boundary of The Great Smoky Mountain National Park. If you ever find yourself in Maggie Valley in time for breakfast, make sure that you eat at Joey's. Get there before 9:00 a.m. or you'll have a long wait. Their breakfasts are the best!Our route home from Maggie Valley was 250 miles and took 10 hours. You have heard the expression, "The longest way around is the sweetest way home." Well, that may not apply so aptly to Carolyn and me now as it did 40+ years ago, but with some imagination and the pictures below, I am sure you can adapt the expression to our trip.
From Maggie Valley we traveled the brief 4 miles up the mountain on US 19 and turned southeast on the Blue Ridge Parkway, following it to NC 215. There we followed 215 south to US 64. We followed US 64 through the towns of Cashiers, NC; Highlands, NC; Franklin, NC; to Murphy, NC. From Murphy we continued west through the Ocoee River Canyon to Cleveland, TN, and on home to Chattanooga.
We always look forward to our drives on the Blue Ridge. It truly is a national treasure. The section we traveled includes the highest point on the Blue Ridge, just over 6000 feet. Route 215 is one of the most curve-ridden roads Carolyn and I have ever driven. It's narrow and has many segments canopied with trees. 
US 64 from Highlands to Franklin is also laden with many curves, not to mention 4 waterfalls along the way. We stopped at 3 of the 4 falls to take pictures. The parking lot for Dry Falls was closed for repairs so we were unable to stop for pictures.
Be on the lookout for two forthcoming updates: Labor Day with our granddaughters, Gracie and Liana; and the Fedex BMW Golf Tournament when we visit with Ray, Melissa, Cadan, and Issac.