What to Do Next?

I’m at Southern Serenity for what is probably my 13th stay. I’ve been to Gatlinburg many more times than that through the years, starting in the late 1980’s. My dilemma this time is what to do next?

There are so many things I have yet to see in the area. And so many things I want to do! But it never fails, I always end up doing those things I LOVE to do, and only manage to fit in one new adventure. Maybe this time I’ll push the envelope and partake in TWO new adventures! Or perhaps I’ll just spend a lot more time sitting in the rocking chairs on the porch?

If you could do something in the Gatlinburg area you haven’t done yet, what would it be?

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Fires in Gatlinburg and GSMNP

In November of 2016 there were wildfires at Smoky Mountain National Park. People lost homes and businesses, portions of the woods were burned, and unfortunately some people even lost their lives. It was a very scary and tragic event that will have repercussions for many years to come.

Photo Credit: WBIR Taken 12/9/16

People who love the area want you to know (whether they are permanent residents, or just visit once in a while) that Gatlinburg and the surrounding area is up and running and as vital as it ever was!! Downtown Gatlinburg wasn’t greatly affected by the fire, neither was Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, or most of the acreage in the park for that matter.

You will see some fire damage, There were homes and forested areas and resorts that suffered great damage. I was there in December 2016 and even then, less than a month after the wildfires, Gatlinburg was up and running strong! Those Tennessee folks sure are resilient! So please – go – visit, set a spell in a rocking chair on a porch. Gatlinburg will be happy to have you!

#mountaintough

Must-do List for a Gatlinburg Visit

I’ve got three different groups of friends visiting Southern Serenity in Gatlinburg in the next few months. None of them know each other. And yet each of them asked me what to do and see when they visit. I could go on and on about things to do, places to visit, food to eat and hikes to take. But instead I’m going to mostly leave it to them to find out what suits them best.

Having said that I did create a list which I texted to each of them. I sort of ‘distilled’ down my list of things to do. If you are going to visit Gatlinburg and you’re probably only going to do this once, and you’ve got 4-6 days, what would I tell you to be sure to do?

Well here’s the list, and it is in preferential order. Having said that, know that some of these will depend on who you are travelling with; very little people, older people who don’t walk much, young and energetic people. So I guess here’s the list – depending…

1. Sugarland Visitors Center – start here. Ask the Rangers about hikes if you want to do them. Also there are often programs in the park, and they change weekly, ask about those too.
2. Sugarland Visitors Center Movie – The movie plays every 30 minutes and lasts for 20 minutes, and it’s worth every penny. Especially since it’s free! Well worth the time – I’ve seen it numerous times and always learn something. Gives you a flavor for the history of the mountains and it’s people, wildlife are showcased and flora and fauna are discussed.
3. Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail – a favorite of ours!! My husband and I would drive this multiple times on each trip when we were in Gatlinburg. It is just beautiful with lots of windy roads and a few stops to soak in the mountain views. I even saw bear on this loop one spring. I feel like this is a gem that is not well-known, so Shhhh don’t tell anybody.
4. Newfound Gap – Highest point in the park you will get to by car. You can stand in both Tennessee and North Carolina at the same time. A thrill for any schoolkid – and others as well. This is where FDR made his dedication speech when the park was opened. On a clear day you can see for over 20 miles.
5. Glades Road/Arts & Crafts Community – This is an 8-mile loop with individual shops of all kinds. There are many talented artists on this loop so make sure to stop at some of the places that look a bit rustic – you never know what you’ll find inside. My favorites are Alewine Pottery and Paul Murray gallery.
6. Hikes – Trillium Gap Trail is my favorite hike in the park because it is relatively easy and follows the river almost all the way to Grotto Falls, where you can walk behind the waterfall – very cool! Another favorite is a handicap accessible trail just south of Sugarland Visitors Center. The trail is paved, relatively flat, 1/4 mile loop with seats along the way, has old structures and plant information, and is right next to the river. I like this trail for any level hiker.
7. Groceries – If you’re staying at Southern Serenity go to Food City. It’s a few miles away and has everything you’ll need for your stay. They also have small packaged items because of the amount of tourists that shop there.
8. Dinner Shows – I’ve only been to one, Dixie Stampede in Pigeon Forge. It was great fun and an interesting experience. Watch the show in the horse arena while you are served the same food everyone else is eating. No menu so no choices to make.
9. Where to Eat? – For really good homemade family-style food we like Mama’s Farmhouse in Pigeon Forge. The menu varies based on the day of the week and time of day. But again, you’ll be eating what everyone else is eating, and as much of it as you like. Be sure to have the Banana Pudding. Now my mouth is watering! Another EXCELLENT place to eat in Pigeon Forge is The Old Mill Cafe and Grille. All the food is made from scratch, and it tastes like it!  Mountain Lodge Restaurant in Gatlinburg is another favorite, the locals like it too. It’s located just a few miles from the cabin – so easy to get to.
10. Pancakes – This is a must-do when you’re in the area. There are lots and lots of pancake houses, you can go to any of them and get pretty good ‘cakes. Of course we have our favorites because of the variety of options and quality of food and service; The Pancake Pantry was Ken’s favorite, I prefer The Log Cabin Pancake House, and usually have the Bananas Foster pancakes.

So there you have it – my distilled list of things to do in Gatlinburg. This should keep you busy for a few days.

Oh, and the Ultimate MUST DO when you are visiting Southern Serenity? Set a spell in the Rocking Chairs on the front porch and listen to the waterfall. It’s a great place to drink some sweet tea, rest yer legs and read a book on a sunny afternoon!

Leaf Season in the Smoky Mountains

It’s that time of year again – Leaf Season in Gatlinburg. That’s what the locals call it. For the rest of the country it is simply Fall or Autumn of course. Where I live in the upper Midwest we say we are going to see the colors. Apparently, and I just learned this, in Europe they do not have the oranges and reds we have. They only have yellow leaves in the Fall. So I guess we are fortunate to have a lovely display no matter where we have seasons and deciduous trees in the Fall.

We’ve been to the cabin at all different times of the Fall and my favorite is the last week of October into the first week of November. That is when you’ll see the colors in the lower elevations, like right off the cabin porch! BONUS!

A view from a porch

We’ve also been to the south end of the park to Oconoluftee. It’s worth the trip, especially if you are there later in the day when the elk show up. That was a real treat! There is a trail in the woods there where you walk right along the river, and you can take your dog/s. One of only two trails in the park that allows dogs. I’ve not done it but others tell me it’s beautiful and they even spied Elk grazing.

So go, enjoy the colors, Fall, Leaf Season – or whatever you call it in your neck of the woods.

4th of July in Gatlinburg

So I’m here in Gatlinburg for the 4th of July holiday. I’m trying to stay away from the hordes of people who also want to enjoy their time off in this beautiful area. We’ve had a lot of rain the last few days, but now it seems to be done for the evening. And that’s good. Because there is a parade starting in just a few hours…you see Gatlinburg is always the host to the very first July 4th parade in the country. It begins at stoplight #3 at 12:01am. I’m probably going to go.

I’m not a big fan of parades; the crowds, the noise, I’d just as soon have my own party in my backyard with good friends. But, since I’m here I figure I’ll mark this one off my list of interesting things I’ve done.

I looked it up, the parade is one of the top 10 in the country according to National Geographic Traveler Magazine. So I will, I’ll go see it. I’m hoping for no rain, and will try to be patient with the crowd.

Happy Birthday America!

Rhododendrons

I visited Southern Serenity in early May this year. I’ve been there in late April and late May, but never early May. I was so very excited to see the Rhododendron bushes in full bloom. I’ve always seen the green bushes but never with the flowers. They were just gorgeous!

Up Close Rhododendron by Patti Stauss

 

At Sugarlands Visitor Center I asked a ranger about them, I thought they were something completely different. Ranger Rhonda told me mine were cultivated Rhododendrons because they were already blooming, the wild ones in the park weren’t yet in bloom. I know I’ve seen the bushes in the park along the trails I’ve hiked, I just never knew what they were.

 

The other discovery I made were Tulip Tree flowers. I did not know these even existed! They were a beautiful orange and yellow flower and were very high in the trees. This made them difficult to spot.

Tulip Tree Flower – courtesy Wikipedia

But the fallen petals were all over the ground so I dried some for my journal along with a very small tulip leaf. I dub this time The Trip of the Flowers!

Elk at Oconoluftee

The Oconoluftee Visitor Center is at the south entrance of Smoky Mountain National Park. They boast a re-created farm with a beautiful river on one side and a wide open field on the other. Of course the mountains are off in the distance as well. The park service has gathered farm buildings from all over the park and Southern Appalachian region and put together an historic and interesting farm depicting life as it was before this part of the Smoky Mountains became a park.

We were there on a beautiful fall day, the sun was out and the temperature was comfortable. I was struck by how well the farm was laid out for us tourists. It was very picturesque as you wound your way down the concrete sidewalk to the walkway between the river and the hand-hewn picket fence. The trees were still sporting a good amount of orange and crimson leaves which added to the beauty. There were chickens milling about to entertain us as well.

Each of the buildings had some kind of placard or wooden label so we knew what it was used for. There is a separate ‘Meat House’, a Blacksmith shop, a large barn, chicken coop, a woodshed and ‘Spring House’ to name just a few. Life in these hills must have been busy, challenging, and rewarding all at the same time. It always amazes me how people were able to live in those days without all of our modern conveniences. The buildings were interesting inside and out. I love to look at the construction and see how they whittled away the corners to dovetail them together so perfectly.

There is also a trail along the river where you can take your dog. I spoke with a man who had just come back from the trail with his dog. He said it was absolutely beautiful, and they had even seen Elk while walking in the middle of the day. This is definitely worth a trip with the dog sometime. There are only two dog-friendly trails in the park. The other is at Sugarland Visitor Center at the north end.

But the best part of our day was yet to come! Once I had my fill of the farm we decided to venture a bit further south to Cherokee, just a few miles away, and on to Bryson City, home to The Smoky Mountain Railroad. We stopped for a late lunch and headed back from Bryson City to Cherokee then on to the park entering at Oconoluftee. When we were just south of the park we noticed a traffic jam ahead. At first it seemed odd but then we realized it was about 4:30pm, nearing dusk on this fall day. And that could only mean one thing; the Elk were in the field. And they were! There were over 25 of them; a very large buck, about 20 assorted females and their calves, and 3 other smaller bucks on the fringes of the herd.

The first thing we saw was the big buck fighting with a smaller outlier buck. Then I noticed the line of cars on our side of the road, which numbered 25+ as well. People were out of their cars, Rangers were busy keeping the people safe and the Elk in the field. I got out to take pictures and ended up with a video of the activity. The Elk were simply grazing and making their way through the area living life as they do, we were the interlopers.

That big buck wanted one of those females, and he kept after her for a long time. But after a failed attempt at mating he switched his romancing to one of the other ladies in the group. Apparently all the offspring in this group belonged to Mr. Big Buck. The other males stayed far off at the fringes occasionally sparring but with no real outcome. I was told by a Ranger they were former calves that had outgrown their time in the herd and would be going off on their own soon enough.

It was fun and engaging to happen upon this scene, totally unexpected. We did find out the herd comes to this area at dusk and dawn, pretty much every day like clockwork. So if you are up for the adventure take a day trip to Oconoluftee; bring your dog, walk by the river, look at the old buildings, sit on the porch, and stay long enough to see the Elk.