Children definitely are part of the mix during Wilderness Wildlife Week, an annual salute to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Mother Nature in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Jan. 8-15, 2011.
More than 20 of the week’s 235 programs are geared specifically for children, and dozens more aimed at general audiences would inform and entertain the younger set.
Wilderness Wildlife Week’s eight days of programs are a gift to all visitors from the City of Pigeon Forge to honor its next-door neighbor, America’s most visited national park.
Among the child-friendly programs are “Those Ain’t Teddy Bears” (about the park’s iconic black bears), “Hug a Tree and Survive,” “O! Possum” and “Batteries Not Included” (about mountain children’s pre-electric games and toys).
In addition, there are several programs featuring live animals. Presenters include experts from the American Eagle Foundation, the Knoxville Zoo and Bays Mountain Park.
“Today’s young people actually need encouragement to get outdoors and play, and the ‘Kids Track’ programs during Wilderness Wildlife Week are one way to do that. We want future generations to appreciate the treasure that Great Smoky Mountains National Park is,” said Leon Downey, executive director of tourism for Pigeon Forge.
More than 200 experts volunteer their time to conduct the week’s 235 programs – 128 of which are new in 2011 – about nature photography, bears, butterflies, elk, camping skills, outdoor safety and scores of other topics.
New for 2011 is an all-day concentration on outdoor photography called “The Smokies Through the Lens” on Jan. 15. Nine seminars aimed at all skill levels are planned, and topics include equipment, shooting techniques and editing. Other photography instruction classes and numerous photo showcases occur throughout the week.
Other special programming includes
· AppalachiaFest – A musical celebration of mountain music and dancing (audience participation encouraged) featuring the Carolina Bluegrass Boys, Tony Thomas and Boogertown Gap on Jan. 11
· Cade Cove Memories – Five special programs on Jan. 15 organized by the Cades Cove Preservation Association that focus on this popular portion of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
In addition to all the indoor programs, there are 48 hikes and excursions into Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including a llama trek. They range from easy walks to strenuous hikes, and Wilderness Wildlife Week provides transportation to and from each trailhead, plus experienced hiking guides. In 2010, hikers from 17 states participated. Hiking records have been kept for eight years, and the accumulated total mileage is 14,289.
This will be the 21st year for Wilderness Wildlife Week, a major part of the four-month-long Pigeon Forge Winterfest season. Admission to all programs is free.
“The week is extremely flexible. You can come just for one program, for one day only or for the whole week,” Downey said.
Wilderness Wildlife Week began 20 years ago as a half-day program and immediately grew into a weeklong activity. It has been a Southeast Tourism Society “Top 20 Event in the Southeast” 10 times.
Wilderness Wildlife Week details are updated frequently at www.MyPigeonForge.com/wildlife. Information about all aspects of visiting Pigeon Forge is at www.MyPigeonForge.com or by calling toll-free to 1-800-251-9100.
• Ideally located at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa in Gatlinburg, Tennessee
• World-class, mountain-themed family indoor water park
• Largest indoor water park resort in the South
• State-of-the-art retractable roof
• Ramsey Cascades interactive treehouse play area
• Cades Cove lazy river
• Clingman’s Dome & Laurel Falls waterslides
• Swimming Hole pool
• Grotto Falls indoor hot tub
• Moonshine Hollow indoor/outdoor hot tub
• Roaring Fork Café
• Bearfoot Arcade
For more information about Wild Bear Falls Water Park at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort, visit www.wildbearfalls.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.
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.
Find Adventure Along The Parkway
Put on your walking shoes, get out of the car, and join in the great family tradition of the downtown Parkway stroll also known as the center of excitement to those who visit Gatlinburg frequently. Explore every nook and cranny where you’ll find more than 200 unique shops, dozens of restaurants, and attractions for all ages. As you stroll, be on the look-out for homemade mountain taffy pulling, mouthwatering caramel apples being dipped or delectable fudge being prepared. You might just choose to play miniature golf, experience the world’s largest underwater aquarium tunnel, ride America’s largest aerial tram, take an elevator of chair lift to the top of the town, visit the unique museums or take a turn on live-action rides along the way. You can even people-watch!
Stroll River Road By The Little Pigeon River
If you need an “away from it all” moment, take a leisurely stroll along the Riverwalk that runs along the Little Pigeon River one block off the downtown Gatlinburg Parkway. Feed the ducks, watch as fishermen cast their flies in hopes of landing a mountain trout, or relax along the riverbank as you listen to the swift river flow before you. Admire beautiful arrays of flowers and dip your feet in the brisk mountain river. Find the perfect photo spot and help assure that your moments in Gatlinburg are never forgotten.
Drive The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Need to rest your feet? Jump in your car and explore a collection of historical sites on Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail including the preservation of a homestead owned by the Noah “Bud” Ogle family who lived in Gatlinburg after the Civil War. See log cabins, Roaring Fork Cemetery, and the remains of a village that supported some two dozen families more than 150 years ago. The motor nature trail is accessible to automobiles via the eight-mile one-way paved road. Many stops along the way allow you to get out, take a deep breath of mountain air, step back in time as you visit the sites and enjoy the aura of the mountains.
Absorb Sugarlands Visitor Center
Located at the main northern entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park two miles south of Gatlinburg along Newfound Gap Road, (U.S. 441) Sugarlands is a visitor center you should visit. A free 20-minute orientation motion picture provides an in-depth look at the Smokies and the enormous diversity of plant and animal life in the Park. Natural history exhibits include mounted specimens of park animals in recreations of their habitats and reproductions of journals kept by the first park naturalists. Ranger talks and slide shows are presented daily from spring through fall.
Explore The Greenbrier Just a few miles outside of Gatlinburg and is a hidden jewel known as Greenbrier. A plethora of daytime fun and free outdoor activities can be enjoyed at this area of the National Park, located just east of Gatlinburg. Tube, swim, picnic, hike, sunbathe, or mountain bike. Ramsey Cascades Trail Head is also located here. Discover Cades Cove Historical cabins, farmhouses and churches are maintained in Cades Cove, a western valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. First settled by Europeans in 1819, today, the National Park Service maintains a historical and cultural preserve of log cabins, churches and other structures. The 11-mile one-way road passes by 19 numbered tour stops as identified in the pamphlet available at the entrance. Be sure to bring your camera in hopes of spotting wildlife such as deer, bear, turkey, owl and fox. If you prefer, you can also experience the loop on horseback or bicycle!
Take In The Gatlinburg Overlook See Gatlinburg from a bird’s eye view from the two overlooks in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s the perfect souvenir photo spot and one of the most popular places to watch the sun rise. So grab your cameras and head up to Gatlinburg Overlook and enjoy the view!
Visit Arrowmont School Of Arts & Crafts
Indulge in a little culture as you browse the galleries of Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Arrowmont has developed into a leader of contemporary arts and crafts education. Founded in 1945, the school has developed into a leader in arts and crafts education, with an annual enrollment of more than 2,000 students from the United States and abroad. Stop by and tour select collections of the art galleries, the resource center and the book and supply store.
Investigate Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community/The Glades
Take a trolley ride or take a leisurely drive to visit the eight-mile loop of Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community and see craftsmanship at its best, as artisans using simple tools and skillful hands whittle, carve, cast, sew, weave and transform raw elements into works of art and function. Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community is recognized internationally as the largest group of independent artisans in North America with nearly 100 shops, studios, galleries, cafes and lodging options.
Enjoy Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales
All summer long visitors can meet characters, hear mountain music and learn about life in the Smokies on the streets of Gatlinburg. In conjunction with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, enjoy storytellers, musicians and cloggers performing along the Parkway every evening during this fourth annual event!
• Ideally located in the heart of Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort
• World-class, mountain-themed family indoor water park
• Largest indoor water park resort in the South
• State-of-the-art retractable roof
• Ramsey Cascades interactive treehouse play area
• Cades Cove lazy river
• Clingman’s Dome & Laurel Falls waterslides
• Swimming Hole pool
• Grotto Falls indoor hot tub
• Moonshine Hollow indoor/outdoor hot tub
• Roaring Fork Café
• Bearfoot Arcade
For more information about Wild Bear Falls Water Park at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort, visit www.wildbearfalls.com.
The sounds of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (KSO) will grace the coves and hollows of Cades Cove on Saturday, June 13, 2009, at 3 PM with a variety of classical compositions during a 90-minute outdoor concert as part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75th anniversary celebration. Led by Music Director Lucas Richman, the KSO will be joined by U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, who will perform on a grand piano, reminiscent of his past performance at the national park’s 50th anniversary. The outdoor concert, in partnership with Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, will be held in the Cable Mill area adjacent to the Cades Cove Visitor Center, located half-way around the 11-mile, one-way loop road. Due to limitations in the amount of parking available at the concert site, the event will be limited to those having purchased a vehicle pass in advance (1,500 vehicle passes will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis through the KSO’s ticketing channels.
The KSO’s Box Office will begin selling vehicle passes on Saturday, March 28, 2009, at 9 AM, and continue Monday through Friday, March 30-April 3, between 9 AM and 5 PM until all passes are sold. The passes can only be purchased by calling the KSO Box Offic at (865) 291-3310. Only two passes will be issued per person. The cost of the event is $25 for vehicles with up to a 15-passenger capacity and $50 for vehicles with a capacity greater than 15 passengers. The vehicle pass issues, along with a ticket receipt, will be required for admisison. Since this is an outdoor concert with no weather shelter for the orchestra or the public, the concert will be cancelled in the event of inclement weather. There will no rain date scheduled and no refunds will be issued. A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the Friends of the Smokies, which is sponsoring the event. For more information, visit KSO’s website at www.knoxvillesymphony.com.
Managers at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have announced that the Forge Creek Road, which extends from the park’s Cable Mill Visitor Center to the Gregory Ridge Trailhead, has been closed until mid-March 2009. The closure will not affect the paved Cades Cove Loop Road used by most visitors but it will add about 2 miles to the 5.7-mile hike (one-way) to the scenic Gregory’s Bald.
Escape to the Smoky Mountains 