What to Do – Page 4 – Smokies Guide

Tennessee State Parks

The state parks in Tennessee range from the historic site to the recreation center located on the shore of a reservoir. Museums, historic buildings, educational opportunities, living history and much more await you in the state run parks of the state of Tennessee.

Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park – This is not only a great state park but it is a historic site as well. One of the homes that Davy Crockett grew up in is located inside the state park. It has been restored and gives you a glimpse into the man and the life of Davy Crockett. This state park contains, a small museum about Crockett, pavilions that can be reserved down by the Nolichucky River, a campground and a pool. Wonderful stop if you are touring historic sites in Tennessee or just a nice place to spend the weekend.

Fort Loudon State Park – Fort Loudon State Park is built on the site of the original Fort Loudon that protected the wilderness from Native American attacks and from the British during the Revolutionary war. Along with a fort that represents some of the best living history you will find, it also has lots of recreational activities. Boating, fishing, hiking trails, picnic areas and much more await you at this great state park.

Hiwassee / Ocoee State Park – At the southern tip of the Smokies is a park with some of the best kayaking and rafting you will ever find. One of the first rivers managed by the State Scenic River Program, this area offers all your summer water fun activities in one place. Also, you get to visit the Ocoee Olympic site. If you are a ‘yaker,’ this means that you can test your skills on a class 4 rapid called the Humungous.

Indian Mountain State Park – Located at the base of Indian Mountain, this state park has been developed on a piece of reclaimed mining land. A truly multiuse park, Indian Mountain is lush and verdant throughout most of the year. Boating, camping, hiking and much more draw thousands of visitors each year.

Panther Creek State Park – Panther Creek and Panther Springs are named for a legend. Supposedly, Colonel Bradley of Virginia shot a panther in the area and said panther fell into the spring. Fast forward to the 21^st century and you have a state park named for Panther Creek and sitting on the banks of the Cherokee Reservoir. Boating and camping are the activities that bring people to the area to explore this 1,435 acre state park.

Roan Mountain State Park – Roan Mountain provides some of the most beautiful views in the Southern Appalachian mountains. Cover in rhododendrons, exploring this mountain and this state park during the spring provides amazing color and photography opportunities that you will not find anywhere else. Add to that camping and cabins and much more and you have a beautiful place to spend the day or a weekend.

Sycamore Shoals State Park – Historic sites, a museum and a theater depicting the history of the area are just a few of the reasons to visit Sycamore Shoals State Park. Open from dawn to dusk every day, this quaint little park provides hiking trails and picnic areas along with tours of historic buildings.

Warriors’ Path State Park – Located on the trail that the Cherokee used for war and trading, Warriors’ Path State Park has lots of history and plenty of recreational activities for the people that visit it every year. Biking and camping bring in the visitors but in 2007, the park opened a new opportunity for those individuals with special needs: Darrell’s Dream Boundless Playground. This playground is designed for those children with special needs that get left out of the excitement in some traditional playgrounds. Warriors’ Path is a great destination when you are vacationing in the Smokies.

Stargazing in the Smokies

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a very quiet place at night, which is good for all you stargazers out there. It’s a totally different world as most people leave, the cars seem fewer and far between and most of the animals have gone in for the night. Nothing to see, right? Wrong. In fact, you could argue that there is even more to see at night than during the day. Stargazing in the Smokies is a great way to get to know the natural elements of the Smoky Mountains minus all the daily visitors

The term “celestial wildlife” comes to mind when talking about stargazing in the Smoky Mountains. Stars that are usually hidden due to city lights are seen majestically undeterred. Orion’s belt seems to be accessorized by additional stars. Ursa Major and Ursa Minor come into clear view and their resemblance to a large bear is more distinct. From any of the observation points in the Smoky Mountains, or from any backcountry vantage point, the night sky opens up as you leave the vestiges of civilization and work your way towards the Smokies. Speaking of vantage points, Newfound Gap Trailhead, which doubles as a parking area for one of the most hiked portions of the Appalachian Trail, is a prime spot to stargaze in the Smokies.

Newfound Gap Trailhead is void of any street lights and there are no cities close enough to muddy up the sky at night. At night, the parking lot is usually vacant with the exception of a few cars and the passing cars won’t affect your night vision. Once you reach the trailhead, go to the furthest end of the parking lot, dim the lights and wait for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Then you’ll slowly start to see some eye-popping sights in the night sky. This parking lot is 6,000 feet above sea level so you may want to pack a coat if you decide to stargaze in the early spring or fall. For example, if it’s 60 degrees in Pigeon Forge, then it will be at least 10 degrees cooler in the Smokies.

The moon and its position in the night sky is another thing to keep in mind. The moon at its peak is ten times brighter in the Smoky Mountains than the stars. A full moon on top of the mountain is a spectacular sight to behold but if you’re planning on looking at stars keep the phase of the moon in mind. A new moon is the perfect time to see the most stars. Sans a full moon, your view of the stars will be unobstructed and your stargazing trip to the Great Smoky Mountains will be complete. If you want to see an amazing moonrise, then get to the summit early during a full moon and it will bright enough to read by.

Because of the lack of lights on the mountain it is possible to take pictures of this starry expanse. You will need to turn the flash off on your camera and you will have to use fairly long exposures. Long exposures (one and half to two minutes minimum) will produce star lines on the exposure. The Earth’s constant movement in relation to the unmovable positions of the stars causes the star lines. This is what you want. Lots of light into the camera and giving the camera enough time to absorb the light you are letting it will make the outline of the trees hazy and the stars will be small streaks in the sky. You’ll need to use a tripod to eliminate movement of the camera.

If you are looking for an after-hours opportunity for your family to enjoy something they may not get to see anywhere else, get out of the cabin or hotel room, pack up the cool weather gear and head to the top of the Smokies, or a place like Cades Cove. Put a sleeping bag on the hood of your car, lean back and enjoy the view. Instead of looking at the gorgeous mountains below the heavens, turn your eyes upward and look at the stars.

Ghost Town in the Sky

Information on this page was written in 2012 and remains here for historical purposes.

North Carolina Smoky Mountains Headquarters for Fun!

Ghost Town in the Sky sits high above Maggie Valley and has been an area attraction since the 1960s. Its incline railroad and the site on top of Buck Mountain are part of the scenery and part of the history of the Smokies. Though it closed for sveral years, it is now open again and the new owners are planning on adding on to make this a first class attraction and continue the tradition of delighting thousands of visitors each season.

Ghost Town in the Sky opened for business in 1961. It was the brainchild of RB Coburn who had recently spend some time in the South West and he really enjoyed the ghost towns that he toured while he was there. He came back to Western North Carolina and with the help of some investors he purchased Buck Mountain and in a little over a year, Ghost Town in the Sky was open for business. With a wild west theme, Ghost Town in the Sky had 40 replica buildings, shows, and eventually rides as well. 41 years and millions of visitors later, Ghost Town in the Sky was forced to close its doors in 2002. It was reopened from 2006 until 2009 when it closed again. In the spring of 2012, Alaska Presley, one of the original investors from the 60s, purchased the park and reopened it to the public. Ghost Town in the Sky is once again an attraction in the Smokies and the plan is to open new phases of the park over the next few years.

Right now, the phase one part of Ghost Town in the Sky is open. This includes the chair lift, carousel, kiddie rides and the Ghost Town Museum. Phase 2 which is supposed to open in 2013 will be the Wild West portion of the original park re-envisioned. Gunfights, can-can dancing and the replica buildings will be on display and ready for guests to walk through the town and enjoy the sights. The final proposed phase will be the Holy Land. The Holy Land Phase will be built on the highest level of the original Ghost Town in the Sky and will be a replica of the Holy Land during the time of Christ. Presley had a vision of this when she went to the Holy Land on a tour of Israel. When finished, this will be a full fledged theme park again, bringing in loads of tourist each season and providing jobs to the Maggie Valley area.

Located right on the main drag in Maggie Valley, Ghost Town in the Sky is not hard to find. When you arrive, you park at the base of Buck Mountain and ride the incline railroad to the top. With this theme park being revitalized, people from all over the country are going to be able to have the same experience that people had for 40+ years in the Smokies: a trip to the Wild West in the shadows of the Smoky Mountains.

Harrah’s Cherokee

There is only one place to go if you are looking for world class gaming in the Smoky Mountains and that is Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in Cherokee, NC. This casino and hotel opened in November of 1997 and it has become a desination unto itself in theyears since its opening. The casino boasta hotel that contains 1,108 rooms and 107 suites. The gaming area started with only electronic games but now it also has actual dealers for some games of chance. Along with the hotel and casino, they have shopping world class dining and they bring in shows and celebrities throughout the year.

Over the years, Cherokee, NC has been trying to find ways to reinvent their town and bring in more and more visitors into their area. With the addition of Harrah’s Cherokee, they have finally gotten a lock on the tourism market and they have used the new found draw to make continued improvements to Cherokee and offer more and more to the tourists and locals alike. The casino provides jobs and is now the only gambling location in North Carolina and it boats the largest hotel in North Carolina as well. The hotel, connected to the casino, is well maintained, beautiful and has amenities that you only find in huge resort areas. Guests staying at Harrah’s Cherokee are treated to service that is beyond compare in rooms that are clean and well decorated. Also, if you are there to game, you never have to leave the casino. You simply walk to the gaming floor, and get your game on.

And speaking of gaming, Harrah’s Cherokee has games to fit every taste. State of the art video slot machines line all of the walls and most of the floor pace but their are also computerized versions of many of the game sof chance that you see in Las Vegas. As of 2012, after attaining approval from the North Carolina legislature, Harrah’s Cherokee now has traditional hand dealt Blackjack, Roulette and Craps tables. This live gaming, with live dealers, has taken Harrah’s Cherokee to the next level and brought in gamers that are looking for a more Vegas-style experience. Whether you are into video gaming or live gaming, Harrah’s Cherokee has what you are looking for and has thousands of vsiitors each year.

But, let’s face it, you can’t game 24 hours a day and you are going to get hungry – Harrah’s Cherokee has you covered on that front as well. Paula Deen’s Kitchen opening in the last few years, a Ruth Cris Steak House is also located inside the grounds of Harrah’s Cherokee, add to that an amazing buffet and lots of other culinary choices and you have more food than you can shake a steak at (pun intended). There is also shopping located all around the casino so if you have a loved one that is spending a lot of time inside the casino there is plenty for you to do without even leaving the hotel.

Harrah’s Cherokee is a world class venue tucked into the shadows of the Smokies. From gorgeous hotel rooms to world class gaming, dining and shopping – this stop on your trip tot he Smokies is more then memorable, it is unforgettable.

Harrah’s Cherokee
777 Casino Drive
Cherokee, NC
828-497-7777

Great Smokies Flea Market

One of the great shopping destinations in the Smokies!

Who doesn’t love a flea market? In Sevierville, and in fact in the Smoky Mountains, one of the best and in fact one of the biggest is Great Smokies Flea Market! Located right off of exit 407 in Sevierville, this is a shopper’s paradise with tens of thousands of products and hundreds of vendors this is one of those spots. Everything from housewares to clothing and everything in between can be found beneath the roof of this retail paradise.

When you walk in the front door of the indoor part of the Great Smokies Flea Market, you are stepping into one of the best organized and best maintained flea markets in the southeast. The owners of the flea market keep out the riff-raff and and the vendors keep the consumers in the merchandise that they want. The booths in the inside section are well lit, handicap accessible and clean. This is not a dank, outdoor flea market, this is an indoor, heated and cooled mall. Once you are inside, pick a row and start browsing. A lot of the vendors on the inside are there weekend after weekend, month after month and they have been there for years. There is literally everything under the sun, under this roof: collectibles, movies, books, housewares, furniture, everything you can imagine and all at low cost prices.

Then you might want to venture outside. During season, you are looking at a place for lots of outdoor vendors and a farmers market. Aisles of produce, straight from the farm, landscaping, lawn furniture and outdoor tools. Along with all of these wonderful vendors, this is also the place where you will see vendors that might only be at the flea market for one weekend or for a series of weekends during the season. These outdoor areas are roofed and have clean wide walkways between them. The outdoor booths are a revolving door through which the Great Smokies Flea Market brings lots of new merchandise and even locals that are looking for a place to have a makeshift yard sale in a bigger venue.

Of course, as in real estate, the best part about Great Smokies Flea Market is location. When you come off of I-40 on exit 407 into Sevier County, you will take the first right hand turn. This puts you on Dumplin Valley Dr in Sevierville. Follow this road until you see the Great Smokies Flea Market, it will be on the right hand side of the road, don’t worry you will not miss it! Add the Great Smokies Flea Market to your places to stop while you are in the Smokies, don’t miss the shopping experience.

Great Smokies Flea Market
220 W Dumplin Valley Road
Kodak, TN 37764
865-932-3532

Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s history is forever tied to the nation’s railroad industry. So much so that the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad is still one of the best ways to re-live the history of the Smokies while getting an up-close view of its natural beauty at the same time.

Obviously, the scenic train excursion is what makes The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad such a unique attraction. Train rides include the Nantahala Gorge Excursion – a 44 mile trip to the gorge and back, or the Tuckasegee River Excursion – a 32 mile roundtrip along the river. These spectacular trips range from three and a half hours to an entire day and can even include a meal or special seating while you ride the rails in the Smokies.

With each new season comes a different set of trips. Rhododendrons explode into a pink canvas in the spring; the fall foliage comes into full view as the steam engine makes its way around the Great Smoky Mountains. This is the same experience people had decades ago when they wanted to visit the national park before it was actually a national park.

The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad’s special events calendar is pretty crowded each year with new programs and shows turning up by the month while annual events continue to attract large crowds. The Lone Ranger is the star event on the spring calendar. With a “Hi Yo Silver!” the Lone Ranger does what he does best – saves passengers from a train robbery. In October, the railroad features an adaptation of “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.” This classic Halloween tale is told to kids while they travel to the pumpkin patch to pick out their own great pumpkin. Also dedicated to kids is a November ride aboard the Polar Express. Listen as the story of the Polar Express story is read while families ride along behind the train. It’s one golden ticket per person to ride the Polar Express.

Deciding on the type of rail car you want to ride will be your hardest decision. It’s a decision that will more than likely depend on how much money you want to spend on your trip. Pick from First Class, Crown Class or Standard seating. With a First Class ticket you get a ride in an air conditioned enclosed car with a meal served to you by the car’s personal attendants. Crown Class admission gives you a seat in an enclosed environment with large windows. You also get a tumbler for a drink during the trip. The final option, Standard seating, is the most cost effective way to travel and includes open air seating during the train ride.

For East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad is a one-of-a-kind attraction. Bryson City, NC is home to this unique attraction and they continue to preserve and share this piece of living Appalachian history with visitors of all ages. Whether you’re in town for one of the seasonal special events or just to take a train ride through the Great Smoky Mountains, they give you plenty of options for the train enthusiasts in your traveling group. Make sure that you ride the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad while you are in the area.

From Gatlinburg, TN: Take US 441 south to Cherokee, North Carolina. US 441 will dead end onto US 19. Turn right onto US-19. Turn left at next stoplight onto US-441 South. Continue on US 441 South to US 74. Go West on US 74 until you reach Bryson City exit 67. Bear right at the end of the exit ramp onto Veterans Blvd. Turn right onto Main St at the first traffic light on Veterans Blvd, and then turn left onto Everett St at the next light. At the first traffic light on Everett, turn left onto Mitchell St. Parking for the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad will be on your right.

www.gsmr.com

Teepees in Cherokee

I remember as a child, when we were vacationing in the Smokies, the signs in Cherokee, NC advertising “real live indians” always intrigued me. Now that I am an adult, I realize that at that time, the people of Cherokee were giving the people that visited the mountains what they expected. They were giving the tourist a ‘real’ indian, not a real cherokee experience but the indian experience that they expected, full of teepees and tomahawks. Looking back on this now, it was kind of sad how exciting that prospect was. Here is th good news though, these roadside attractions are still around but they have changed.

Nowadays when you visit the Cherokee Indian Reservation in Cherokee, NC, you can still sit on the benches under a small tent. You can still get your picture taken with a ‘real live’ Indian but the show has changed. Now you will get to see traditional Cherokee dancing. You will get to hear stories about the Cherokee, about the proud people that settled this land thousands of years before the European settlers go to the Southern Appalachians. You will hear the true tongue of the Cherokee, you will be able to understand more about their language and their culture. And of course, the best part is that they are not the cheesy roadside stands of many years ago. These offer a more modern look at the Cherokee. No longer are they doing this to make a little income.

Now these Native Americans are using this darker part of their past when these roadside stands were frowned upon and making them an interactive attraction. They are making these an educational opportunity. Now, you can sit down and here Cherokee stories and be taught songs about the Cherokee people, you can also see authentic Cherokee dances. Yes, the teepees are still there, and though they are out of place (the Cherokee never lived in teepees) they are a reminder of the past and great way to bring in the crowds to learn more about the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians.

Mast General Store – Knoxville

In 2006, a Smoky Mountain tradition joined the newly renovated downtown area of Knoxville, TN – the Mast General Store. The Mast General Store is what it was to people back in the turn of the century a store, carrying general merchandise and those things from our homespun past that bring back tons of great memories. This addition to the downtown scene in Knoxville has brought visitors to the area that may not have stopped by before and the ability to walk into a great store, carrying amazing merchandise is a perfect in downtown Knoxville.

The Mast General Store in Knoxville is located on Gay Street. This is one of the main roads that run through the middle of downtown. Gay Street passes right next to Market Square, in front of the Tennessee Theater past many a Knoxvilian’s favorite restaurants and late night hangouts. Parking was at one time an issue in this typical downtown area but now, especially at night and on the weekends, parking is free and the walk to and from your car will let you window shop and enjoy the sights and sounds of Knoxville.

When you pass through the doors of the Mast General Store you will be overwhelmed y the sheer volume of the merchandise that they have on display. From clothing to home wares, from candy to dry goods and even those items you need to strike out on the trail, you will find yourself walking the aisles of the Mast General Store for hours. On the main level you are going to find a great selection of clothing for both men and women, homewares and the best candy selection in East Tennessee. The candy area is a draw for children both young and old. There rae bins and barrels and boxes of candy of every shape and size. They also have a lot of candies that you might not have seen in years. Some of the classic candy selections include: BB Bats, Black Licorice Pipes, Kits, Sky Bars, Squirrel Nut Zippers and many more. Daily, people take their taste buds on a walk down memory lane in the candy section of the Mast General Store.

Downtown at the Mast General Store in Knoxville is a hikers paradise. Footwear to the right, backpacks to the back and hiking gear scattered on every surface. Watches to wallets, shorts to sleeping bags, you will find everything you need to tackle the trails in the GSMNP. Buy yourself a backpack and load up on all of the essential gear. Of course, the best thing about the Mast General Store is the fact that the employees use the gear they sale and they will point you in the right direction for the items you need for your day hiking or any other outdoor activity in the Smoky Mountains.

Pay a visit to the Mast General Store in Knoxville, TN. It is a step back in time, it is a great shopping experience, it is a place to walk down memory lane. It is in the middle of one of the great downtown revival sin East Tennessee. Make the Mast General Store a destination on your vacation.

Mast General Store – Knoxville
402 South Gay Street
Knoxville, TN
865-546-1336

Hiking Trails

Hiking is probably the most popular activity in the Smokies. There are hikes for every level of hiker. Strenuous to easy, leisurely walks in the woods to all day and overnight hikes that require permits to stay in the backcountry the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has everything a hiker could want in a trail.

Make sure, if you are going to spend a lot of time hiking in the Smokies that you pick up their little brown book. Titled “Hiking Trails of the Smokies” this book has every trail in the Smokies and gives pertinent information like, elevation, length, highlights and even landmarks so that you track your progress along the trail.

Abrams Falls Trail – This is the trail that starts at the Abrams Creek Trailhead in Cades Cove and runs to Abrams Falls. This is a highly trafficked trail and one that is wide enough through the majority of its length to walk two or three abreast. Rolling hills add a touch of difficulty but the payoff of the beautiful Abrams Falls and the swimming hole around it is spectacular.

Kephart Prong Trail – Named after one of the people that helped the Smokies become a national park, Horace Kephart, the Kephart Trail is 2 miles into the mountains from the North Carolina side of the park. At the end of the Kephart Prong Trail, you come to the Kephart Shelter, which you can reserve for backcountry camping before you make your choice of the other trails to branch off from after a night spent in the shelter.

Gatlinburg Trail – This trail connects Gatlinburg and the Sugarlands Visitors Center. A well maintained, easy trail with no steep grade or elevation change, the Gatlinburg Trail is an quick 2.5 mile hike through lush forest along the side of a bubbling mountain river. Within the first mile and a half from Gatlinburg, you cross a foot bridge and then began a slow assent past a former CCC camp.

Laurel Falls – This is the most popular trail in the Smokies. Easy is the best word to describe this trail. Paved, wide and short, you can hike this trail in an afternoon. At Laurel Falls you get to experience the fun of hiking in the Smokies while not having to get off road and hike on a dirt trail. And the payoff is a beautiful view of Laurel Falls – one of the most photographed waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains.

Roan Mountain State Park

Roan Mountain State Park (RMSP) sits at the base of Roan Mountain. Roan Mountain rises 6,285 feet above sea level and there is no better way to see all of Roan Mountain then by sending a weekend at Roan Mountain State Park. Swimming, hiking, fishing, camping or staying in a cabin, all of this and more await you in one of the most beautiful state park on the Tennessee side of the Smoky Mountains.

Roan Mountain is the big draw for this state park. The twisting mountain road that gets you to the top are only part of the fun. The hiking trails at the top of Roan Mountain offer spectacular views of the mountains to the east and the valleys to the west. Also at the top of the mountain, in the spring, visitors are welcomed by a covering of pink from the blooming of the catawaba rhododendron that inhabit the rhododendron garden. This garden has one of the best collections of rhododendrons you will find in the Smoky Mountains. People come from all over the country to see the rhododendrons that bloom in this garden above 3,000 feet.

Roan Mountain State Park gives you plenty of options if you would like to stay overnight. Many people choose to stay in the campground that includes 107 camp sites. Or if you want a few more amenities, they also have 30 cabins in the park. These cabins sleep up to 4 people, have a fully outfitted kitchen, full bath, a wood burner stove and a heater. You can stay out in the wilderness without having to break out the tent or pull in an RV.

While you are at the RMSP you can fish, hike or swim (during season). Or you can take part in one of their many special events:

Winter Naturalist Rally
Easter Egg Hunt
Spring Naturalist’s Rally
Jr. Trout Tournament
Memorial Day Celebration
Diamond Jubilee
Rhododendron Festival
Independance Day Celebration
Jr. Ranger Camp
Xtreme Roan Adventures Youth Rally
Fall Naturalist’s Rally
Chili Cook-off
Autumn Harvest
Halloween in the Campground
Old Time Yule

Make sure that you visit Roan Mountain State Park, the next time you are in the Smoky Mountain area. Depending on your visit, you may want to take the time to drive to the top of Roan Mountain and check out the rhododendrons when they are in bloom. Spend some time at the base of the mountain exploring the many activities that RMSP has to offer people that visit the area.