Ahh, Fall is in the Air!
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains are the place to be in the fall! If you’ve ever visited Pigeon Forge in August and then return just a month later, you’ll be amazed at the difference in temperature you feel in the evenings. This is the time to stroll down the streets or drive up to the mountains to star gaze.
As a “local” who grew up in Sevier County, I cannot begin to explain how beautiful our little towns become when the leaves begin to change. It is a different feel than any other season. I have a difficult time picking a favorite, but fall in East Tennessee is definitely something to see!
Something visitors should incorporate into their plans while in Pigeon Forge is a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Though the park is beautiful year round, it is known for its fall colors. Maples, poplars, beech, and many other trees become vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow as the weather begins to cool. Combining these colors with the evergreens also in this temperate rainforest provides an amazing collage of color on the hills. Drive through Gatlinburg and into the park to enter a different world, separate from the rush of the town.
Once inside the park, make sure you have your windows down so you can soak up some fresh air and feel the temperature drop as you drive towards higher elevation. The earlier in the season you visit, the higher up in elevation you will need to drive in order to see bright colors, but a trip all the way to the state line and the highest elevation in the park, Newfound Gap and Clingman’s Dome, is only a 30 minute drive from Gatlinburg. To make an afternoon of it, stop for a picnic in the Chimney’s Picnic Area on your way up, play in the river after lunch, and then park at Clingman’s Dome and hike the ½ mile, paved trail to the lookout tower. Don’t forget your cameras!
Looking for somewhere a little further off the beaten path? Stop in at Sugarland’s Visitor Center (865-436-1200) for some help on finding a special hike to discover what it feels like to walk along a quiet trail with no other people in site.
If you want to enjoy the colors and feel of the mountains during your entire stay in Pigeon Forge, make sure you check out the option to rent your own cabin! From single bedrooms to large lodges, rental companies in the area accommodate every visitor’s needs.
Comments
I can almost smell the Smoky Mountains...I remember in the '70s driving to Nashville from Philadelphia, thru the Shenandoah Valley.
I was sure the Shenandoah Valley was heaven on earth...and then, at the tail of my trip...I saw the beauty you so aptly describe of the Great Smoky Mountains.
From the beginning of a journey...to a trip to the moon...to the start of things to come...a journey to remember...till the end of time...to the beginning.
Sorry, you made me wax poetically. I must revisit your beautiful country again.
Posted by: Jeff Miller | September 22, 2005 09:58 AM
I'm so excited to be visiting the area soon! I will be in town with friends to go hiking and hopefully stay in a cabin on the river. Just can't wait!
Posted by: Anonymous | September 28, 2005 06:34 PM
This time next week my husband and I will be in the Smokies for our annual fall vacation. We look forward to it year after year. It's just a wonderful place to be, and no matter how often or how many times we go, we always find something new. We hope to make the area our permanent residence some day.
Posted by: Laurie Schaerer | October 10, 2005 11:15 PM