A bustling mountain resort town, Gatlinburg has evolved into one of the world’s most popular family vacation getaways. Nestled within the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg lies within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the population of the United States. Gatlinburg provides easy access to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, an International Biosphere Reserve that features spectacular scenery and wildlife, as well as more than 850 miles of hiking trails, great fishing opportunities, horseback riding, waterfalls, scenic overlooks, picnic areas, historic sites and much more.
Gatlinburg also boasts a multitude of family-friendly attractions such as Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, mountain crafts, world-class dining, miniature golf and excellent shopping opportunities. Neighboring Pigeon Forge is home to the immensely popular Dollywood theme park and Splash Country Water Adventure Park, as well as a wide range of live entertainment venues such as Dixie Stampede and Black Bear Jamboree.
Planning a vacation getaway to Gatlinburg? Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort lies on 70 acres adjacent to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and features spacious accommodations with spectacular mountain views and a multitude of onsite amenities such as the 60,000-square-foot Wild Bear Falls water park, award-winning Smokehouse Grill and world-class Serenity Spa by Westgate. For more information about Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort, visit www.wgsmokymountain.com.
Dolly Parton Sings at Park’s 75th Anniversary Rededication Ceremony
Explore the Wonders of Cataloochee Valley
Hike to Mount LeConte
Laurel Falls
LeConte Lodge
Mingus Mill
Ramsey Cascades
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Traveling Newfound Gap Road
Seeking great deals on spacious and comfortable accommodations that provide convenient access to Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Look no farther than Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa! For more information about Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa, visit www.wgsmokymountains.com.
One of the best (and busiest!) times to visit the Great Smoky Mountains is during the month of October – the peak season for fall foliage when the Great Smoky Mountains National Park comes alive with a brilliant blaze of red, orange and yellow leaves, as well as fresh, crisp mountain air. Some of the best fall colors can be viewed along Newfound Gap Road, the scenic 32-mile stretch of U.S. 441 that winds the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to Cherokee, North Carolina.
An abundance of festivals and special events also take place throughout the Smokies during the autumn months. For example, the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival, which runs through October 31, 2009, features live entertainment, old-fashioned hayrides, local crafts and more. Dollywood’s National Gospel & Harvest Celebration, which takes place October 2-31, 2009, offers the best in Southern gospel music, along with the talents of more than 100 craftspeople. Named as one of the “Top 20 Events in the Southeastern United States” by the Southeast Tourism Society, the 34th-annual Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair (October 8-25, 2009) boasts more than 200 talented artists and craftspeople in the areas of pottery, woodworking, broommaking, stained glass, basketmaking and more. Old-fashioned Wagon Rides depart approximately every 45 minutes from the Mountain Mall at Traffic Light #6 in downtown Gatlinburg Sunday through Thursday from 5 PM to 9 PM (September 1 – October 29, 2009).
In addition, fall is the perfect time to drive through the 8-5-mile loop that comprises the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community, which contains numerous studios, shops and galleries. Founded in 1937, the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community has evolved into the country’s largest organization of independent artisans. Mountain crafts that can be purchased here include woodcarving, pottery, quilting, painting, weaving, candlemaking, broommaking and more. The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community lies just 3 miles from downtown Gatlinburg on U.S. 321 North.
With great weather, colorful foliage, a multitude of lively festivals and a diversity of accommodation choices, the Great Smoky Mountains provide the perfect fall vacation destination. The fall traveler can choose from either resorts, hotels and motels convenient to downtown Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, or rustic cabins and chalets nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains. For instance, Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort offers great deals on spacious accommodations that provide easy access to Smoky Mountain area attractions, including Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Dollywood. For more information about Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort, visit www.wgsmokymountains.com.
Dollywood will host the 2009 National Gospel & Harvest Celebration October 2-31, 2009. The festival will showcase the talents of more than 100 craftspeople around the United States along with the best in Southern gospel music. Don’t miss it!
1. Mystery Mine – A $17.5-million steel roller coaster, Mystery Mine takes you on a wild adventure through a “ramshackled old abandoned mine.” Experience a hair-raising 95-degree, 85-foot drop into darkness! Minimum height requirement: 48 inches.
2. Thunderhead - One of the wildest wooden roller coasters in the mountains, Thunderhead boasts a 100-foot drop and top speeds of 55 miles per hour. Minimum height requirement: 48 inches.
3. Daredevil Falls - Take an amazing journey along a winding river (where you will encounter tunnels, bats, unstable mine shafts, black bears and abandoned lumber machinery) that culminates with a thrilling, 60-foot descent down a waterfall at speeds up to 60 miles per hour! Minimum height requirement: 42 inches.
4. Tennessee Tornado - Located in Craftsman’s Valley, Tennessee Tornado is a triple spiral-looping roller coaster that reaches speeds up to 70 miles per hour. Minimum height requirement: 48 inches.
5. Blazing Fury - An 18-passenger, indoor roller coaster, Blazing Fury is based on the story of an out-of-control fire set by a group of vigilantes just minutes away from engulfing an 1880’s town. Minimum height requirement: 42 inches.
6. Smoky Mountain River Rampage - An awesome whitewater rafting ride, Smoky Mountain River Rampage winds through a beautiful waterfall setting and no two excursions are alike. Minimum height requirement: 36 inches.
7. Mountain Slidewinder - Speed down a mountainside at breathtaking speeds aboard the Mountain Slidewinder, a thrilling water toboggan waterslide. Minimum height requirement: 39 inches.
8. River Battle - A totally interactive, themed water raft ride, River Battle includes nine rafts, a 500-foot channel and powerful soaker guns. Up to eight passengers per raft can aim their soaker guns at other rafts as well as more than 100 targets along the way. No height requirement.
9. Timber Tower - The only ride of its kind in North America, Timber Tower is a freefall tower that actually tilts a full 60 degrees toward tree stumps and geyers. Minimum height requirement: 48 inches.
10. Dollywood Express - A genuine 2-8-2 Baldwin Steam Locomotive, the Dollywood Express provides a five-mile journey through Dollywood, where you will catch a glimpse of Dreamland Forest, Rivertown Junction, Craftsmen’s Valley, The Village, Country Fair, Showstreet, Jukebox Junction and Adventures in Imagination. No height requirement.
In honor of Great Smoky Mountains National Park celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2009 (a rededication ceremony is scheduled for September 2, 2009, at Newfound Gap), below are 75 interesting facts about Great Smoky Mountains National Park:
• Established in 1934, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the largest national park East of the Rocky Mountains.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses approximately 244,000 acres in Tennessee and 276,000 acres in North Carolina for a total of 520,000 acres or more than 800 square miles.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (although certain secondary roads, campgrounds and visitor facilities are closed during the winter).
• With approximately 9-10 million visitors annually, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is also the most visited national park in the United States.
• In contrast, Grand Canyons National Park receives less than 5 million visitors annually.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the few major national parks that charge no admission fee.
• A 32-mile stretch of road through Great Smoky Mountains National Park that connects Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to Cherokee, North Carolina, Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) features scenic overlooks, picnic areas, mountain streams, and the Sugarlands and Oconaluftee visitor centers.
• Designated an International Biosphere Reserve, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to 4,000 plant species, 140 tree species and an estimated 1,600 black bears.
• Other animals that inhabit Great Smoky Mountains National Park include the Eastern cottontail rabbit, red wolf, groundhog, red fox, coyote, bobcat, river otter, white-tailed deer and wild boar.
• A 70-mile stretch of the 2,178-mile Appalachian Trail winds through Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• In addition to the Appalachian Trail, Great Smoky Mountains National Park features more than 850 miles of hiking trails.
• Some of the most popular hiking trails in Great Smoky Mountain National Park include Abrams Falls Trail (5 miles round trip), Alum Cave Trail (11 miles round trip), Andrews Bald Trail (3.6 miles round trip), Boulevard Trail (16 miles round trip), Chasteen Creek Falls Trail (4 miles round trip), Chimney Tops Trail (4 miles round trip), Grotto Falls Trail (3 miles round trip), Hen Wallow Falls Trail (4 miles round trip), Indian Creek Falls Trail (2 miles round trip), Laurel Falls Trail (2.5 miles round trip), Ramsey Cascades Trail (8 miles round trip) and Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail (3,000-foot loop).
• Cades Cove – a 4,000-acre scenic valley that boasts preserved pioneer homesteads, a campground and hiking trails – is the most visited area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Animals that call Cades Cove home include black bears, deer, foxes, wild turkey and raccoons. Dawn and dusk are the best times to catch a glimpse of wildlife in Cades Cove.
• Near the Abrams Falls parking area in Cades Cove, visitors can view a typical Smoky Mountain homestead, complete with a barn, smokehouse, blacksmith shop and corncrib.
• Cades Cove is closed to motor traffic on Saturdays and Wednesdays until 10 AM from May to September, giving bicyclists and pedestrians free reign of the road. Bike rentals are available from April through October and again in December.
• Horseback riding is available at Cades Cove Riding Stables. Cades Cove also offers hayrides during evenings from May through October.
• At 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains, followed by Mount Guyot (6,621 feet) and Mount LeConte (6,593 feet).
• Clingmans Dome is also the third highest mountain East of the Mississippi behind Mount Craig (6,647 feet) and Mount Mitchell (6,684 feet).
• A short but (steep!), 0.5-mile hike along a paved walkway takes visitors up to Clingmans Dome’s 54-foot-tall observation tower for spectacular views of the Great Smoky Mountains.
• The Appalachian Trail crosses Clingmans Dome, marking the highest point along its 2,178-mile journey from Georgia to Maine.
• Clingmans Dome was named in honor of North Carolina Senator Thomas Lanier Clingman, who helped measure it in 1858.
• A total of 16 mountains within Great Smoky Mountains National Park reach elevations higher than 6,000 feet.
• The Rockefeller Memorial along Newfound Gap Road marks the spot where President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated Great Smoky Mountains National Park on September 2, 1940.
• “There are trees here that stood before our forefathers ever came to this continent; there are brooks that still run as clear as on the day the first pioneer cupped his hand and drank from them. In this Park, we shall conserve these trees, the pine, the red-bud, the dogwood, the azalea, the rhododendron, the trout and the thrush for the happiness of the American people.” – President Franklin D. Roosevelt
• Planned as a second entrance into Cades Cove during the 1940s, the so-called Road to Nowhere is today a 6-mile scenic drive in Great Smoky Mountains National Park that ends at the mouth of a tunnel.
• More than 13,000 members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians live in the 56,000-acre Qualla Boundary, the Eastern gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.
• Fishing is permitted in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which features more than 2,115 miles of streams and rivers (a Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license is required).
• It takes a 5.5-mile hike to reach the rustic LeConte Lodge on Mount LeConte (reservations are usually made up to a year in advance!).
• The LeConte Lodge, which was built in 1926, has no electricity, telephones or running water.
• Other than LeConte Lodge, there are no rental cabins, motels or hotels within Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Five hiking trails lead to Mount LeConte: Boulevard Trail (16 miles round trip), Alum Cave Trail (11 miles round trip), Rainbow Falls Trail (13.4 mile round trip), Trillium Gap Trail (13.4 miles round trip) and Bull Head Trail (14.4 miles round trip).
• The Great Smoky Mountains are known as the “Salamander Capital of the World” since approximately 30 species of salamander can be found here.
• Nestled along the Southwestern boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 480-foot-tall Fontana Dam is the tallest dam in the Eastern United States.
• A 19th-century farmstead known as the Mountain Farm Museum lies adjacent to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Mountain Farm Museum includes a farmhouse, barn, apple house, hen house, springhouse and blacksmith shop.
• About 1 mile down the road from the Oconaluftee Visitor Center lies Mingus Mill, a working grist mill that was built in 1886.
• Known as the “Peaceful Side of the Smokies,” Townsend, Tennessee, serves as a low-key entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is home to several attractions, including Little River Railroad Museum and Tuckaleechee Caverns.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to approximately 1,500 species of wildflowers – more than any other national park in the United States.
• Often called the “Crown Jewels of the Appalachian Mountains,” the Smokies were also referred to as the “ Land of Blue Mist” by the Cherokees.
• Once a thriving farm community, the remote Cataloochee Valley section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to abundant wildlife, including deer, wild turkeys, black bear, elk and red wolves, as well as historic structures, campsites and numerous hiking trails, including the popular, 7-mile Boogerman Loop Trail.
• The busiest times to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park are during the summer months and the month of October – the peak season for fall foliage when the park comes alive with a blaze of brilliant red, orange and yellow leaves.
• J. Ross Eakin, the first superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, held the post from 1931 to 1945.
• In 1941, visitation to Great Smoky Mountains National Park topped 1 million for the first time.
• John D. Rockefeller, Jr. contributed $5 million for the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the United States government added $2 million and private citizens from both Tennessee and North Carolina pitched in to assemble land for the park, piece by piece.
• Throughout the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps, Works Progress Administration and other federal organizations created trails and fire watchtowers, and made other infrastructure improvements to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1976.
• The AAA magazine, Going Places, published its 2009 list of the “Top 10 U.S. National Parks,” which includes Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as well as Yosemite National Park in California, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, Congaree National Park in South Carolina, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Everglades National Park in Florida and Acadia National Park in Maine.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park holds an annual “Music of the Mountains” festival each March , in partnership with the City of Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains Association.
• In 1983, Great Smoky Mountains National Park was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Elk were released in Cataloochee Valley in 2001 as part of an experimental program to reintroduce them to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Approximately 550 miles of the hiking trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park are open to horses.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park features five drive-in horse camps: Anthony Creek, Big Creek, Cataloochee, Round Bottom and Towstring.
• Picnic areas are located in Great Smoky Mountains National Park at Big Creek, Chimney Tops, Cades Cove, Collins Creek, Cosby, Deep Creek, Greenbrier, Heintooga, Look Rock, Metcalf Bottoms and Twin Creeks.
• Waterfalls that can be viewed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park include Abrams Falls, Grotto Falls, Hen Wallow Falls, Indian Creek/Toms Branch Falls, Juney Whank Falls, Laurel Falls, Mingo Falls, Mouse Creek Falls, Rainbow Falls and Ramsey Cascades, among others.
• In 2008, Backpacker Magazine listed Abrams Falls Trail as one of “America’s 10 Most Dangerous Hikes.” (Never climb on waterfalls!)
• One of the most popular hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park leads to 80-foot Laurel Falls.
• At 100 feet in height, Ramsey Cascades is the tallest waterfall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Before the early 1800s, Cades Cove was part of the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee referred to the valley as Tsiyahi or “place of the river otter.”
• Elevations in Great Smoky Mountains National Park range from 875 feet to 6,643 feet (Clingmans Dome).
• Temperatures in Great Smoky Mountains National Park can vary 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit from mountain base to top.
• More than 384 miles of road wind their way through Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Dogs are allowed on only two trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Gatlinburg Trail and Oconaluftee River Trail.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park features 10 developed campgrounds: Abrams Creek, Balsam Mountain, Big Creek, Cades Cove, Cataloochee, Cosby, Deep Creek, Elkmont, Look Rock and Smokemont.
• No temperature above 80 degrees Fahrenheit has ever been recorded on 6,593-foot Mount LeConte.
• From June through October, Great Smoky Mountains National Park hosts guided hikes, history demonstrations, campfires and other ranger-led programs.
• The one-way, 6-mile-long Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail winds it way through forests and passes by overlooks, streams and waterfalls, as well as the Roaring Fork Historic District.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to two species of venomous snakes: the northern copperhead and timber rattlesnake.
• Wildflower viewing? Generally, look for Spring Wildflowers in April, Flame Azalea in April and May, Mountain Laurel in May and June, Rhododendrons in June and fall foliage in October.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park features more than 100 backcountry campsites.
• A free permit is required for all backcountry camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Permits are available at Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Sugarlands Visitor Center and other locations throughout the park.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park lies within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the nation’s population.
• The Great Smoky Mountains were formed approximately 200-300 million years ago, making them among the oldest mountains in the world.
• A total of 78 historic structures can be found throughout Great Smoky Mountains National Park at Cades Cove, Elkmont, Cataloochee, Hazel Creek, Greenbrier, The Sugarlands, Noah Ogle Place, Roaring Fork, Little Greenbrier and Oconaluftee.
• July is the busiest month at Great Smoky Mountains National Park with approximately 1.2 million visitors.
• January is the least busiest month at Great Smoky Mountains National Park with approximately 320,000 visitors.
For more information about Great Smoky Mountains National Park, visit www.escapetothesmokies.com. Seeking great deals on spacious and comfortable accommodations that provide convenient access to Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Look no farther than Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa! For more information about Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa, visit www.wgsmokymountains.com.
Fine craftsmenship abounds in the Smoky Mountain area, especially along the Parkway that links Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. Start your search for genuine mountain crafts with a visit to the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community, which was founded in 1937 and has evolved into the largest organization of independent artisans in the United States. Founded in 1945, the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts offers summer workshops.
For more information about mountain crafts in the Great Smoky Mountains, visit www.escapetothesmokies.com.
