Where To Enjoy Spring in the Smokies

A guide to putting winter in the rearview in the mountains

After a long, cold – possibly lonely – winter, spring is on the horizon. The prospect of returning to the outdoors without bundling up like an arctic explorer is alluring and enticing. 

If you’re like me and winter feels chiefly like being grounded for three months, anticipation overflows. I watch the 10-day forecast for any sign that we have turned the corner. Searching for the anticipated warmer days, rather than the cold, in the coming weeks. I know that in East Tennessee, winter always has one more get back, a March or even April cold snap that will bring ice and snow. However, I always jump the gun.

For instance, I planted in our little garden a little too early. I also start planning outdoor softball practices even before parks and rec reopen the field for the season. And I always decide on a mountain picnic trip. But then, I get up there and remember that the water’s too cold, the wind too bitter, and absolutely nothing will be blooming. Spring comes late to the upper elevations even when the sun is shining brightly.

And I want to see the signs of spring. I want to see real blooming flowers, even if it’s the patches of roadside daffodils that look like accidents. In other words, like someone spilled a seed packet years ago, and this little colony is like the floral equivalent of the Roanoke Colony, just hanging on by a thread in a vast and dangerous wilderness. I want to see the birds. The cardinals and robins always seem to know instinctively that warmth is on the way. 

But even if it’s too early in the spring to get up into the high mountains, there are other ways you can get a feeling of the changing of the season and welcome spring back into your life in the Smokies. 

Places to enjoy Spring in the mountains

Dollywood

One of the best ways to get a dose of spring flowers in the mountains is to seek out the places with pockets deep enough that they don’t have to wait for Mother Nature. Dollywood will open this year on March 13 – March 12 for passholders. There will be flowers, massive displays of immaculate flowers. I’m not enough of a horticulturist to understand just how much work goes into keeping Dollywood in bloom. But I imagine it is significant.

There will be days when it’s too cold and windy for roller coasters. It will feel like winter is still in full control. But, you can go to Dollywood and bask in the flowers – and also other things like shows, food, and shopping. There, you can dream of a time when the whole mountain will be in bloom.

Also, if you want to know how much Dollywood has pushed to be a year-round park, in its inaugural season, the park didn’t open until May 3. In the year 2000, it was mid-April. It has been mostly mid-March for a while. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see it move to early March in the coming years with the opening of the indoor NightFlight Expedition. 

Dollywood is located at 2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd. in Pigeon Forge. Visit the Dollywood website and calendar here.

Biltmore

This is another place where the flower and garden budget is likely higher than the GNP of several smaller nations. I enjoy the Biltmore House. It’s like visiting the old castles and estates of Europe. But I truly adore the Biltmore grounds. That said, we don’t have to wait for the grounds to be in bloom there. I can assure you that the folks at Biltmore have a better sense of when it’s time to plant the flowers than I do.

The alternative is to visit the Conservatory there. It is a wonder, a refreshing injection of spring that hits the soul directly. Sure, it’s a tropical spring, but we can’t be too choosy. When all the world around you is colored in varying degrees of brown, the deep greens and bright colors inside the conservatory are a breath of fresh – and wonderfully scented – air. 

The nice thing is you can get a ticket to see the grounds and the Conservatory at a reduced price. It’s still expensive, but not as expensive as if you went inside the house as well. Also, the Conservatory shop can help you get ready to welcome spring, with a bit of the Biltmore back in your home garden. Biltmore, Asheville, is located at One Lodge Street. Follow the website here.

North Carolina Arboretum

The North Carolina Arboretum is located within the Ben Creek Experimental Forest in Asheville. So, the location makes for a nice combo trip with Biltmore. There you will find a bevy of wonderful garden exhibits. It is also home to an extensive collection of wildflowers scattered across the 434-acre property. Some of them bloom in early spring – like Bloodroot, for instance. Bloodroot is a plant used by the native peoples and early settlers for its medicinal purposes. It earned its name from its red sap.

If you want a little more than the trees and gardens, the Arboretum hosts events on birding, exhibitions on the amphibians of the mountains, and presentations on ecology, geology, and more. It is a perfect place to learn about the mountains and the various species that thrive in them. Visiting the Arboretum in spring is highly recommended. You can view the event calendar here. The Arboretum is located at 20 Frederick Law Olmsted Way in Asheville, NC.

The Townsend Wye

Typically, the Wye is more of a summer destination. The Why is located at a bend in the Little River. It’s where the river has dug deep, making a good place for swimming. The Wye is a well-loved hangout spot for sunning, enjoying the water, and more. But in the early Spring, when the water is too cold and the crowds have yet to arrive, it’s a great picnic spot. This is especially true on a sunny day. Bring a lunch and spread out on a blanket. Listen to the river as it makes its way out of the mountains.

More traditional picnic spots may be at too high an elevation or too shady to let you soak up the sun’s warmth. But it’s nice to enjoy the Wye when it’s not as crowded as it is in the Summer. It’s the closest thing the mountains have to a beach. You can also swing by one of the nearby trails known for wildflowers, like Schoolhouse Gap or the Little River Trail. But again, if it’s early spring, the wildflowers may not yet be in bloom. The Townsend Wye location is Laurel Creek Rd & Little River Road in Townsend, TN.

Do you enjoy spring in the mountains? Let us know your favorite spots in the comments and on the socials!