The Festival of Trees

 

If you want to get into the Christmas spirit early, visit the Festival of Trees in Gatlinburg. Running from November 24th until the 28th, the Festival of Trees displays dozens of ornately decorated Christmas trees. Located in the W. L. Mills Conference Center, visitors can enjoy this display for free. For more information or to reserve tickets, visit their website:http://www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=16

Local Art Galleries

Local art galleries are a great way to experience local culture and most of them have a minimum fee or no fee. Gatlinburg is home to several great local art galleries. Some of the best ones are listed below.

Alice Moore Gallery: an arts and crafts community in Gatlinburg.
To contact, call  (865) 436-0327. 

American Legacies: Gatlinburg log cabin art.
To contact, call  (865) 430-4301.

Appalachian Gallery and Frame
To contact, call  (865) 436-2477.

Beneath The Smokies: offers photography and work by Ken Jenkins, a nationally known photographer.
To contact, call (865) 436-3460.

Church Mouse Gallery: features fine art, prints, and pottery.
To contact, call  (865) 436-8988.

Gatlinburg Winter Magic

From November 5 until February 28, visitors in Gatlinburg can experience mountain scenes and colorful winter displays along Hwy. 321. Located next to Parkway, River Road features an enhanced, romantic arched walkway with a pair of 40-foot swans and several ornate floral representations. Lights line the streets of Gatlinburg and invite people of all ages to come and see the beautiful landscape. Winter Magic also delivers quartets of holiday carolers and Winter Magic Tunes and Tales, where visitors can meet characters and storytellers, and listen to music. For more information, visit their website:http://www.gatlinburgwintermagic.com/

Elk Bugling

Elk once roamed the Smokies before they were over-hunted, but they were reintroduced in 2001. Click the link below to hear a sound that is once again familiar in the Smokies, thanks to the elk. 

 Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYzWmKlZtrU

Old Timey Photo Shops

Old Timey Photos By Renee

716 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738-3240

(865) 436-4411‎

Miss Dee’s Old Fashioned Photos
174 Old Mill Ave
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863-3516
(865) 429-0111

Dixie’s Old Time Photo
529 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-436-0055

Garters & Guns Old Time Saloon Photos
602 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-430-4455

Miss Sadie’s Old Time Photos
1001 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-430-4120

Old Town Photos
651 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-430-7660

Smoky Mountain Fan Fest

The Dukes of Hazzard original cast members are set to appear at the Smoky Mountain Fan Fest. The event is set to take place at the Smokies Stadium July 18 and 19 for photo ops, autographs, and Q&A sessions. Along with this, a special concert by Merle Haggard will be performed Saturday night. Tickets can be purchased at the Smokies Stadium Ticket office or online at www.smokiesbaseball.com or www.concertsinthesmokies.com

New Found Gap Road

Newfound Gap Road is a 33-mile drive from Gatlinburg, TN to Cherokee, NC. It makes up the largest drivable pass through of the entire park. It is the perfect way to see everything the park has to offer. Along the way, don’t forget to pack a picnic and pull over by the river, or take advantage of the great photo opportunities. You can call the National Park at (865) 436-0120 for a Newfound Gap Road Auto Tour Booklet that will tell you all the great pull-offs and hiking trails along the drive.

Aerial Tram Way at Ober Gatlinburg

Visitors can enjoy high, unobstructed views of the Great Smoky Mountains and Gatlinburg as they ride the aerial tram at Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort & Amusement Park. This very large aerial tramway carries about 120 passengers from downtown Gatlinburg to Ober Gatlinburg throughout the day. Visitors don’t have to worry about parking on the mountain before an exciting day at Ober, the aerial tram is a convenient and exciting way to begin your day at the Ski Resort & Amusement Park. Click here for other attractions and lodging in the Gatlinburg area.

Wildlife Viewing in The Great Smoky Mountain National Park

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has preserved the largest wilderness sanctuary in the Eastern United States. To increase your chances of seeing the most diverse wildlife, be sure to carry binoculars, and drive slow through the park around dawn or dusk. The best place to view elk is in the Cataloochee Valley, where they have been released as an experiment. Cades Cove is filled with white-tailed deer and black bears. Other wildlife throughout the park includes wild turkey, wild boar, mountain lions, fox, bobcats, mink, and exotic wild hogs. Just remember, the animals are pretty to look at, but do not feed them or get too close.

Grotto Falls, Gatlinburg, TN

Grotto Falls is located on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail in Gatlinburg, TN. Grotto Falls is the only waterfall in the park that you can safely walk behind. The 1.5-mile hike to the falls is through a hemlock forest with large American beeches, maples, and silverbells. Round-trip the hike is 3 miles. The trail to the 30-foot waterfall is one of the most popular hikes in all of the Smokies. If you have a picnic lunch, the big rocks around the falls are a great place to set up with the family and get caught up in the serenity of the Park.


 

Directions:

From Gatlinburg take Airport Road at traffic light 8 to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. During spring, summer, and fall, park in the Grotto Falls parking lot about 2 miles into the Nature Trail. Access road is closed in the winter. The Grotto Falls Trail begins at the parking area and soon joins the Trillium Gap Trail on its way to Grotto Falls.