New River State Park
The New River State Park celebrates one of the oldest rivers in North America and the people and cultures that grew up around it. The New River is one of the few rivers in the US that flows northward and adding that to its age, you have an unique area that is fun to explore. […]
Little River Road
Little River Road runs from the Sugarland Visitors Center to Cades Cove. This 18 mile stretch of road runs along the Little River and is actually built on the former railroad bed that the Little River Lumber Company used in its heyday. This is a very popular route through the National Park. Passing by many […]
Photographer’s Paradise
The Smoky Mountains truly are a photographers paradise. From the wildlife that roams the area to the plants that help to make up the ecosystem to the formation of the mountains themselves, there is always something to take a picture of. Getting out in the wilderness, driving through Cades Cove or taking one of the […]
Ramsay Cascades
The rewards are great on this 8-mile round-trip hike in the Greenbrier section of the Park. The diligent hiker not only gets to enjoy the Ramsay Cascade falls–arguably the best waterfall in the Smokies– but also can view stands of old-growth trees which never suffered from the logger’s saw or the settler’s ax. Summary: You […]
Gem Mining
The gem mining industry in North Carolina has been a part of that culture for decades. When the first settlers came to the Smokies to put down roots, they discovered that the soil of the mountains contained precious and semi-precious stones. All of a sudden, the economy in these quiet mountain towns changed. People came […]
Greenbrier Auto Tour
A lesser visited area of the Park, the Greenbrier section is one of our favorites. Besides the Ramsay Cascades, the visitor has the opportunity to view large stands of virgin growth such as northern red oak, eastern hemlock, and red maple. When the Park was created in 1934, old-growth forests were saved from the lumber […]
The AT in the Smokies
The most hiked section of the Appalachian Trail The southern tip of the Appalachian Mountains, with its temperate climate, slow changes in elevation and lush greenery, is a haven to hikers from around the world. People flock to the Smokies especially to spend time on any number of trails, but the trail that is most popular and […]
Albright Grove Loop Trail
The Albright Grove Loop Trail is a short little jaunt into park great for a lunch or side trip. In all, it’s a 0.7 mile hike from the Maddron Bald Trail. To reach the Albright Gove Loop Trail, begin at the Maddron Bald Trailhead and hike 2.9 miles along Laurel Springs Road. The trail was […]
Cold Spring Gap Trail
The Cold Spring Gap Trail is another wildflower trail in the Smokies best hiked in the Spring if at all possible. In all, it’s a 3.5 mile trail from its junction with the Hazel Creek Trail to the intersection with the Welch Ridge Trail. To reach the trailhead, it’s a 6.7 mile hike from backcountry […]
Cherokee National Forest
If you have driven through Tennessee to get to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you have probably driven through the Cherokee National Forest (CNF). Containing more than 650,000 acres, the Cherokee National Forest is separated by the GSMNP into two halves. Both halves follow the state border that Tennessee shares with North Carolina. The […]