Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

As the winter weather rolls into the Smoky Mountains, the park service must close down some of their roads in order to prevent visitors from entering dangerous conditions. The road to Clingmans Dome, a popular attraction inside the park, will be closing this Friday. At over 5,000 feet in elevation, Clingmans Dome provides visitors with a 360-degree, spectacular view of the surrounding cities, as well as parts of Fontana Lake! I highly recommend that anyone in town or on their way some time before Friday plan time to take the short trek up the 0.5 mile paved path that will lead you to the highest vantage point inside the park.

I had the opportunity to drive through the park last Friday evening and decided to take one last trip up to the dome for 2006.
I am still excited from my time there. We pulled into the visitor parking area just as the sun disappeared behind a hill. The crowd along the sidewalk grew louder as people snapped as many pictures as possible of the glowing red ball sinking quickly. Because we had just arrived, we, unlike many others, lingered to watch the colors change after the sun sank. I am 22, have lived here all my life, and have never seen such a beautiful sunset inside the park. The sky was ablaze with colors and as the stars came out, the crescent moon rose high above the tree line. As we walked up the path, the sky turned from brilliant reds and oranges to deeper hues with blues and purples joining the picture. Long after the sun was out of site, we were still blessed with a picturesque view.

When we reached the base of the dome, I saw that snow and ice were still on the ground. We walked carefully up the ramp and paused a bit before the top to take some photos. The sky still glowed and its light reflected on the metal handles along the ramp. At the top of the dome we were able to see for miles. At least 15 miles away, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville twinkled in the valleys below the Smokies.

Any location in the park can provide you with an unforgettable experience such as this. At any time of year, there are plenty of areas open for visitors, but please be sure to save yourself some time and check the winter hours and closings section on our Smoky Mountains page when planning your winter Smokies vacation. If you are in town, or will make it here before Friday, try to get up to Clingmans Dome by driving up US-441/Newfound Gap Road and taking Clingmans Dome Road at the North Carolina/Tennessee border in the park. This 7-mile road will close this Friday and remain off limits to motorized vehicles until late spring.

Included in this blog are photos, courtesy of Ryan Hurrell, a Knoxville native who joined me on this visit to the dome. Though these pictures are incredible, they still do not do justice to the view or convey the feelings one gets when surrounded by such natural beauty.

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Thanksgiving is a time when Americans gather with loved ones and reflect on blessings. Sharing a meal is an important part of that tradition, which is why visitors to Pigeon Forge for Thanksgiving should know that there are many Pigeon Forge restaurants open on Thanksgiving. For our visitors' benefit, we have put together contact information for Pigeon Forge restaurants requiring no reservations to enjoy a Thanksgiving Day meal. We hope it will be useful to many of our visitors who take advantage of the holiday to spend time with their family in Pigeon Forge cabin, hotel, or condo, or anyone who wants to enjoy more time with family and less time in the kitchen.

Alamo Steak House
3050 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
(865) 908-9998
www.alamosteakhouse.com
The Alamo Steak House opens at 4:00 in the afternoon. No reservations are required.

Duff's Smorgasbord
3985 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
(866) 450-6443
www.duffs-pigeonforge.com
Guests of Duff’s Smorgasbord dine on a first come first serve basis. No reservations are taken.

Old Mill Restaurant
164 Old Mill Ave
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
(865) 429-3463.
Dine at the historic Old Mill in Pigeon Forge.Seating is first come, first served. Reservations are not accepted.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
3960 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
(865) 428-4613
There are two cracker barrel locations in Pigeon Forge as well as one in Sevierville. Reservations are not accepted.

These Pigeon Forge restaurants are open to serve you. If you are vacationing in Pigeon Forge this Thanksgiving, we at PigeonForge.com welcome you to Pigeon Forge as family. As always, we are most thankful for our visitors, and we wish for all to have a blessed Thanksgiving holiday.

Posted by at 03:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Controversy over the death of two bear cubs roils following a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency decision to euthanize the cubs, captured while visiting a garbage dump in the mountain resort town of Gatlinburg. The garbage disposal site at Ski Mountain and Heiden Drive (map) constantly attracted hungry bears, residents say. Many people are outraged that the TWRA euthanized the cubs, but the National Parks Conservation Association and Appalachian Bear Rescue defend the decision. The blame, these organizations say, lies not with the TWRA but with Gatlinburg City officials.

It is hard to argue otherwise. Evidence shows the City of Gatlinburg shirked responsibility to properly manage the city-owned convenience site, operated by the Gatlinburg Public Works department. First, even though residents of the area often saw bears rummaging through dumpsters in broad daylight, the dumpsters did not even have lids. Private residences and Gatlinburg vacation cabins are required by law to have bear-proof garbage containers, but the city itself did not bother to provide secure dumpsters. The city put up a fence surrounding the dumpsters, but bears are excellent climbers and even barbed wire did not deter them.

The warning signs were clear and the failure of city officials to act is a tragedy. It is worrisome that city officials failed to act despite common knowledge that bears in human areas means trouble. More alarming is that city officials still did not act even when bears became day-active at the garbage dump. Bears active during the day are a warning bell that a serious garbage problem exists; bears in the wild are rarely active during daylight hours.

In early November, an elderly resident in the neighborhood was injured at her home following a bear attack (news article), leading to placement of bear traps in the area and capture of the cubs later euthanized. The attacking bear, mother to those cubs, was rummaging through the resident’s unsecured garbage on the porch. Because bears are naturally fearful of humans, the bear that attacked the woman normally would never visit the neighborhood. But because of the availability of unsecured garbage in the area, the bear became a garbage bear, stopped following her natural instinct to stay away from humans, and taught her cubs likewise.

When bears first appeared at the dumpster during the day, the city should have reacted swiftly to protect the welfare of both city residents and bears by providing bear-proof dumpsters. It is unsettling that only after a resident was hurt, only after two bear cubs were killed, and only after a rebuke from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, has the city of Gatlinburg taken responsibility for the safety of both residents and wildlife by installing a bear-proof trash compactor.

Visitors to the Pigeon Forge area and the Great Smoky Mountains can do their part to ensure the safety of both black bears and people by remembering the importance of securing garbage properly. When vacationing in a Pigeon Forge cabin, even in a condominium or resort, securing garbage keeps wildlife and visitors safe.

Bears are naturally shy and will make an effort to avoid humans except when they have learned to eat human foods. A tempting treat for bears, garbage should never be left where a bear can get to it. To protect yourself and to protect the bears, follow these guidelines for bear safety:

• Do not leave garbage outdoors overnight. Bears are active at night and will discover the garbage.
• Secure garbage in a sturdy building or a bear-resistant trash container.
• Do not leave pet food where bears can find it.
• Keep bird feeders out of the reach of bears.
• Keep grills and other cooking equipment clean and grease-free, or store where bears cannot get to it.

To read more about bear safety while hiking in the Smoky Mountains and what you should do when you encounter a bear, read the full PigeonForge.com blog “Be Bear Aware” from July 2006 (Click Here to read “Be Bear Aware”)

Posted by at 03:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Winterfest arrives this year in Pigeon Forge on Friday, November 9. The 17th year of the popular festival gets started at 5:45 p.m. at Patriot Park. Country music star Louise Mandrell, “mistress of ceremonies” this year, takes to the stage following a performance by folk singer David Holt. Holt, along with his band the Lightning Bolt, specializes in the unique sounds of Appalachian mountain music. Without further ado, the lights of Pigeon Forge Winterfest will be turned on to brighten the Smokies from now through February.

More than 5 million individual lights are turned on to illuminate the town’s decorations, including the 23 scenes and animated displays. New for 2006 is a multi-unit display depicting the 12 days of Christmas, complete with turtle doves and, of course, a partridge in a pear tree. Look for these new Winterfest displays between traffic light number 4 and 10 in Pigeon Forge. Trolley tours are an excellent way to view all of the Pigeon Forge Winterfest light displays. For more on trolley tours, special events and attractions during Winterfest, visit the PigeonForge.com Winterfest page.

Gatlinburg Winter Magic, Gatlinburg’s Winterfest celebration, starts tonight. Those in town for Gatlinburg’s unique celebration are in for a treat at the annual Chili Cook-off that has become a Gatlinburg Winterfest Kick-Off tradition. The Chili Cook-Off promises the finest offering of chili from local restaurants and organizations plus the chance to vote for your favorite chili for only $7.00 per spoon. The fun takes place tonight from 4 – 8 p.m. at Aquarium Plaza at Ripley’s

Aquarium of the Smokies. A portion of the proceeds from the Chili Cook-Off benefit the Pi Beta Phi Elementary School in Gatlinburg. Accompanied by musical performances, the city’s three million lights will be turned on and the magic of Winterfest 2006 will begin.

New light displays for this year's Gatlinburg Winterfest feature Light Emitting Diodes (LED) rather than traditional miniature incandescent bulbs. The bulbs featured in 1 million dollars' worth of new displays are brighter and produce a cleaner, crisper display. Starting tonight and lasting through January, take advantage of Gatlinburg's Winterfest trolley tours and see all the lights from the comfort of a climate controlled trolley.

Sevierville’s Winterfest officially began on Monday at the Sevierville Municipal Complex. A crowd of about 5,000 festival-goers welcomed the Sevierville light display. The kickoff featured fireworks, a free barbeque, and local entertainers.

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