Wears Valley formerly known as Crowsons Cove, and Wears Cove, has undergone several name changes over the years I grew up running around Townsend and using Wears Valley Road to get to Pigeon Forge. But I never knew the Valley by any other name. I can’t remember anyone calling it Wears Cove and certainly don’t remember noticing the sign marking
A few tips and tricks on what not to do when you see wildlife in the Smoky Mountains Warmer weather has returned to the mountains and with it, wildlife in the Smokies is more active. As someone who has lived near the mountains for more than 30 years, I’ve seen my fair share of people who have surprisingly little awareness
The Primitive Baptist Church in Cades Cove is now over 200 years old, here are a few of the hidden gems that lie within Growing up a short drive from Cades Cove, I went to school with the descendants of both the early settlers and the last remaining residents of the Cove. And like others, I drive the Cove looking
Regardless of whether or not these tales are to be believed, they continue to be passed down from one generation to the next As someone who grew up slightly obsessed with ghostly phenomena, I spent much of my youth chasing ghost stories in the mountains. From the supposedly dark rituals at God’s Pocket in Blount County to the rumors of
Each year, thousands of people compete for the chance to attend this limited-capacity light show in the Smoky Mountains The hardest ticket to obtain in the Smokies isn’t to Dollywood’s new drone show. It’s not dinner theater on the strip. Certainly, it’s not the lumberjack competition. It’s a ticket to a light show that only happens for a few weeks
Look, I’ve lived on this Earth long enough to know that nothing has a 100 percent approval rating. There are people – if you can believe it – who don’t like pizza or Star Wars movies. But as someone who left the Smokies for a brief period in the early 2000s and was desperate to return, I can say the
The Smoky Mountains are generally considered to be safe, but that doesn’t mean they are without danger I’ve been around these mountains too long to fear them. After 30 years, a body tends to be comfortable with its surroundings. And so, when people ask if the mountains are safe, I say of course they are. But that doesn’t mean there
Yes, the New York Times did print a story about a Wildman in Tennessee. But that’s where the truth begins and ends. I’ve spent a good part of my life in and around the mountains. I grew up on the edge of the Smokies. Although I was aware that various cultures had stories about Wildmen, I was an adult before
What you should know before your hike to Kuwohi, from a local Since Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) has a paved trail, many people think it’s an easy trail. But my opinion? Not so fast my friend. The tower and its looping path are tricky little minxes. Some people assume the trail to Kuwohi in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
While there are plenty of hidden caves and caverns in the Smoky Mountains, none have thus far produced an underground city As someone who has lived on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I’ve heard a lot of whoppers. They range from extinct animals living in the park to feral people to Bigfeet. And while I’m loathe