Highlights

Gatlinburg - the "Heart of the Smokies" is the major gateway to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and center for many of the most exciting attractions of the area. The new aquarium will open the summer of 2000. The Parkway is a favorite of shoppers for the many gift and souvenier shops, art galleries, and fine dining.

Cades Cove - is the most visited feature of the Park. Millions of visitors annually flock to Cades Cove to see the preserved pioneer homesteads, the blue-misted mountains which serve as a backdrop to the cove, and the abundant wildlife which now populate the area. To facilitate visitors, the Park provides a self-guided tour book at the cove's entrance. The 11-mile loop road takes approximately 45 minutes to complete casually from your vehicle. A more detailed look at the homesteads, some of which require brief hikes, can take several hours. Or you can make an entire day of Cades Cove if you stop at the Cable Mill area visitor center and include a 5-mile (round trip) hike to Abrams Falls.

Hiking - The best part of the Smoky Mountains area is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park itself, which has over 800 miles of trails, and more than 500,000 acres of land. During your visit to Wears Valley and Gatlinburg, Tennessee, you should enjoy several of the hikes the Park has established.

Fishing - To fish in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you need a valid Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license. They are not available in the Park, but can be obtained from sources in the towns adjacent to the Park. Fishing is permitted year round in the Smokies from one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset. You should know your fish before you go, because there are restrictions.

Arts & Crafts Community - The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community comprises the largest group of independent artisans in the country with more than 70 members. A visit to the 8-mile loop of shops, studios, and galleries is like a visit to an era gone by where skills developed by early settlers 200 years ago are demonstrated in these shops and studios. Travelers can choose from an array of fine, handcrafted gift items made right here in the Smokies.

Pigeon Forge Outlets - In 1996, Southern Living magazine's Readers' Choice Awards ranked Pigeon Forge as the number-one shopping spot in the South. Pigeon Forge and outlet shopping are only about 8 miles from Wears Valley Real Estate. More shopping...

Check the Local Weather Conditions?

For your convenience, we have linked to two sites which describe current weather conditions in the Smoky Mountain area. To obtain a four-day forecast for the Great Smoky Mountains, click here. To learn about the conditions at different elevations in the Park, click here. A new window will open to accommodate the weather info. Simply close the window to return to Wears Valley Real Estate.