Lake Junaluska

Maggie Valley is effectively a five-mile strip of motels and shops loosely strung out along the sides of a wooded valley just east of the Smokey Mountains National park. This morning we drove a few miles east into into Waynesville for a coffee and a nose around.

After lunch we drove a few miles further to Junaluska Lake. It's another pleasant, comfortable Christian community, retreat and conference centre, named after the East Cherokee leader of the 19th century. Junaluska is credited with saving the life of General Andrew Jackson during the American Civil War, for which he was awarded citizenship and a parcel of land. Very generous of the government, having taken the land from the resident Cherokee in the first place.

Didn't see any Cherokee around the lake. Maybe a cleaner.