Planning a mountain adventure stirs up excitement and, admittedly, apprehension. The thrill of exploring rugged terrains and reaching new heights comes with its logistical puzzles. How do you ensure you’re fully prepared, safe, and able to enjoy every moment without getting bogged down by the details? Enter the realm of …
When you consider that more than 10 million visitors pass through the gates of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year, it’s not hard to imagine the resulting damage if they all took something home with them. What you find in the park stays in the park—or at least …
There are lots of animals in the Smoky Mountains, and some of them might well be dangerous if you get too close to them. So if you decide on a trip to this magical region, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for its inhabitants at all times—especially the big …
Some regions of the U.S. are defined by huge mountain ranges and a sense of adventure. Both the Rocky Mountains and the Smoky Mountains epitomize aspects of American history and lifestyle. Adventure, solitude, and tourism abound in either of them not to mention mountainous holiday location landscapes and a plethora …
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an interesting enough region based on its views alone. But how does the idea of a scenic drive and a unique hike through a long tunnel in the mountains sound? Commonly referred to as the “Road to Nowhere,” here lies a scenic route …
The western entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is served directly by a couple of routes that run straight out of Knoxville. The main one heads out along I-40 then off Exit 407 into Gatlinburg. The alternative is State Route 441 out of Knoxville’s downtown, which leads through …
The Smoky Mountains are well-known historically for the gold belt that runs through them. One method of extracting small amounts of precious ore from the ground is known as gold panning due to the pan used in the process. But can you pan for gold in the Smoky Mountains today? …
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a huge range that stretches all the way through Eastern America from Virginia to Northern Georgia. The mountains in turn form part of the Appalachian Mountain Range and include the 469-mile-long Blue Ridge Parkway as well as Shenandoah National Park. The Great Smoky Mountains on the …
The Great Smoky Mountains and the national park that forms their boundaries are home to some 500,000 acres of vast wilderness containing a wide and diverse range of wildlife. More than 65 mammal species are protected by the park environment, along with hundreds of bird species, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. …
If you’re looking for things to do in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, then the middle of November is the time to go. The city is still mostly green and the leaves are just about done changing color, but by the middle of the month, the town will already be decked out for …
