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views of what is considered the park’s lowest drivable pass, or low
point in a mountain ridge, showcase a forest ecosystem rivaling that
of the entire eastern seaboard.
DAZZLING DISPLAY
For many, these smoky blue mountains are heaven year-round. More
than 80 hiking trails span from east to west, from Big Creek to
Cades Cove, on which wanderers discover waterfalls and old-growth
forests. For the young ones, an added appreciation of this wooded
wonderland can be fostered through the Junior Ranger program, in
which participants earn a badge and discover how the mountains
were formed and changed over time. Hands-on programs feature
creepy-crawly critters as well as pigs and chickens.
Great Smoky Mountains is also one of only a handful of places
in the U.S. to witness a dazzling natural display. Each year in late
May or early June, mating season for the synchronous fireflies
commences. Thousands flitter about, while people in lawn chairs
sit for hours, eyes wide open in fascination as the little creatures
illuminate the night sky. The best viewing area? Elkmont near Cades
Cove. Arrive two hours before sunset to secure a spot to sit, and
leave the flashlights behind. (During predicted peak activity, visitors
must secure a parking pass, available through recreation.gov.)
A DESTINATION IS BORN
The serpentine road moves me down the mountain. I pass through
three short tunnels, laying on my car horn — a childhood ritual —
loving the echoes, hoping the car behind me follows suit. Then, a
canopy of trees appears, forming a natural tunnel delivering me
into the tiny town of Gatlinburg.
Gatlinburg’s allure is built upon its history. A bustling logging
community through the early 1930s, the town’s atmosphere changed
once the National Park claimed ownership of neighboring lands.
With that, the people came. By the 1940s, it had transformed into
a vacation destination for the everyman as well as notables like
author Ray Bradbury, Lady Bird Johnson, and Boudleaux and
Felice Bryant, who penned the Tennessee state song “Rocky Top”
in Room 388 of the Gatlinburg Inn. Building on its reputation as the
park’s gateway, in the 1970s, Gatlinburg blossomed into a popular
wedding and elopement destination. Little fairy-tale wedding chapels
popped up on every corner, while personnel at downtown shops
would plan your wedding, rent you a dress, and book a cabin for
the honeymoon. Gatlinburg has never let go of its romantic side; if
you drive slowly through the city, there’s a good chance you’ll spot
“Just Married” stenciled on a car window.
GOOD OLD-FASHIONED FUN
Today, Gatlinburg is on everyone’s list. Summer in Gatlinburg is as
much a tradition as pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. However, no family
drama on tap, for Gatlinburg is a multigenerational destination, min-
gling an excitement for adventure with a passion for history, pleasing
grandson and grandpa equally. There’s minigolf for the competitors;
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Home to more than
20 chapels,
Gatlinburg is known
as the wedding
capital of the South.
Sips Up!
Crowds circle, shoulder to shoulder, and in the middle, an arm lifts a bottle high, raising up a different version every few
minutes. The crowd roars, the communion cups steady, and the bottle tilts. It’s moonshine tasting on Gatlinburg’s Parkway.
With four distillers — Ole Smoky, Davy Crockett’s, Doc Collier, and Sugarlands — visitors of age can experience history in liquid form.
Each distillery draws its legacy and recipe from moonshiners who have filtered through these hills and hollows for decades.
One of the newest is Sugarlands Distilling Company, named after the Sugarlands area of the Great Smoky Mountains, historically known
as a moonshiners’ paradise where access and discoverability were difficult. With more than 250,000 visitors during the summer season,
Sugarlands offers free tastings of all nine flavors, with their Appalachian Apple Pie made with caramel and green apples crowned as favorite.
It’s pure fun, confirm those who pour and those who taste. Tour the still house, see the process, and then, gather around the guy or gal
who’s pouring a taste of Sugarlands and in unison blast their signature phrase, “Sips up!”