Outdoors

9 Best Scenic Drives in the Smoky Mountains, Ranked

A local’s guide to the Best Drives in the Smoky Mountains One of the great things about the Smoky Mountains is that just about any drive you take can be a scenic drive. For instance, there are spots on I-40 as you climb up into the higher elevations where the river cuts a path down through the truly breathtaking valleys, especially

Bears in Gatlinburg: 7 Best Places and Tips To See a Bear

Where Is the Best Place To See Bears in Gatlinburg? What’s the number 1 question from visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Is that bathroom locked? No, but I like what you’re thinking. The most popular question is: Where is the best place to see a bear in the Smoky Mountains? Honestly, we don’t know. If we did,

How To Plan the Perfect Smoky Mountain Picnic

A Local Offers Tips for Creating the Perfect Smoky Mountain Picnic While I appreciate the value of a good walk through the woods or a scenic drive through Cades Cove or along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, my favorite thing to do in the mountains is a good family picnic. When I was kid, my stepfather’s family would come

Our Top 5 Favorite National Parks

A Great Smoky Mountain National Park Fanboy Ranks His Favorite National Parks If you think about it, it’s a bit strange to grow up with the most visited national park in the country in your backyard. Last year, 12.2 million people visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I could be there in 45 minutes, 30 if I get good

The Complete Guide to Fireflies, Lightning Bugs in the Smokies

A Local’s Guide to Finding Bugs Whose Butts Light Up in the Great Smoky Mountains I was an adult man, young but fully adult, before I found out there were parts of the United States without lightning bugs. I suppose I’d just never really thought about it. Lightning bugs were just a part of summer. I remember being a youngster

7 Gatlinburg Scenic Overlooks: Best Scenic Routes for Beautiful Views

A locals favorite Scenic Overlooks in Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains If we start a discussion of the best scenic overlooks near Gatlinburg TN, we should begin with a caveat. You don’t have to leave Gatlinburg at all for great mountain views. To illustrate, there are several great views located just a short walk from downtown Gatlinburg. Anakeesta offers majestic

Why the Federal Government Is Making Camping in the Smokies a Lot More Crowded

Book ’Em While You Got ’Em. Why the Federal Government Is Making Camping in the Smokies a Lot More Crowded The Great Smoky Mountains and other national parks across the country are caught in political crossfire, resulting in less access to their majesty. There are few things more peaceful than a Smoky Mountain camping getaway. It’s a disconnect from the

Items That Are Banned in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Local Lists Items That Are Banned Across the National Park Growing up with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in my backyard, I never gave much thought to the rules. I just, you know, went to the park without putting much thought into it.  I mean I knew what would be considered the park commandments from a young age. You

Where Does the Cherohala Skyway Begin? Your Guide to This Scenic Drive

Everything you need to know about the Cherohala Skyway There’s a road running across the mountains connecting Tellico Plains, Tennessee to Robbinsville, North Carolina. And if you catch it on the right day, when the sky is the right blue and fluffy white clouds dot just the right places, it seems like the top of the world.  IN THIS ARTICLE