What-To-Do Issue 1 2024-2025 - Magazine - Page 22

The Land of the Blue Smoke
View of Clingmans Dome
Clingmans Dome
Clingmans Dome is the tallest
point in Tennessee and the second
highest in North Carolina. At the
top, you’re 6,643 feet above sea
level and the views are stunning.
There, you’ll find an observation
deck where it is possible to see
seven different states on a clear
day. Most of the year you can drive
within a half-mile of the lookout
tower, but in the winter, the road is
closed to vehicles.
memorial. John D. Rockefeller’s memorial fund to his wife, Laura Spelman
Rockefeller, funded half of the $10 million needed to purchase the land for
the national park. A simple monument that remembers the family’s donation
was built and it was there that President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the
park in 1940 “for the permanent enjoyment of the people.”
Once a tiny farming community nestled in a small valley within the
Smokies, Cades Cove is one of the most interesting places to visit within the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Homesteads, churches, barns, and
worksites such as mills and blacksmith shops from the 1800s can be seen
and explored along the route. Visitors can walk around the properties and
imagine themselves working the land, raising a family in log cabins, and
making the most of an Appalachian life.
A little mountain stream that swells considerably after a heavy rain contributed to giving the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail its name. Beginning
close to Gatlinburg on Cherokee Orchard Road, take time at the start of the
trail to explore Noah “Bud” Ogle’s 1920s farmstead where visitors can see
his home and the wooden flume plumbing system he handcrafted. Then
drive this 5.5-mile trail that follows LeConte Creek to the Rainbow Falls hiking path (the waterfall is a 5-mile, round-trip hike from Cherokee Orchard
Road). The road then connects to Roaring Fork Road and takes motorists to
beautiful mountain overlooks and close to two other hiking trails that lead
to Grotto Falls or Baskins Creek Falls. Both are stunningly different but be
prepared for a steep incline to reach Baskins Creek Falls. On the latter half of
the loop, motorists stop at cabins along the way to become immersed in the
history of the mid-1800s and early 1900s. Here it’s possible to see frontier
life and the challenges faced by the settlers. Take a self-guided tour of the
brothers Ephraim and Jim Bales’ Places, the Alex Cole Cabin (at the Jim Bales
Place) or the Alfred Reagan Place. Before leaving the loop, be sure to see the
Thousand Drips Falls from the comfort of your vehicle. It is best observed in
the rainy season, when the drips become small falls. It’s a spectacular final
scene of the Roaring Fork Motor Trail
Local Cities and Towns
Photo courtesy
of gatlinburg.com
Gatlinburg
The Gateway to the Smokies is
located just outside the main
Tennessee entrance to the park.
For modern amenities, delectable food and non-stop entertainment, visit
any one of the neighboring cities and towns that surround the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park. In both Tennessee and North Carolina, you’ll find
bright lights, welcoming people, and tons to see, do, and try!
Gatlinburg
Known as the Gateway to the Smokies, Gatlinburg is located just outside
the main Tennessee entrance to the park. Enjoy modern living in this city
with a small-town feel before delving into the wilderness. Plus, the views
here are spectacular! Whether you’re on a sky lift, gondola ride, a mountain coaster or at the top of Gatlinburg’s 342-foot space needle, you’ll get a
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