Area Attractions
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the southern Appalachians. It straddles the Tennessee-North Carolina border for 70 miles. The Cherokee people called this area Shacomage, or “Place of Blue Smoke.” The bluish mist, which clings to the mountainsides and fills the valleys, gives the park its name and remains its most distinctive feature. The park is 520,976 acres. The highest elevation in the park is 6,643 feet at the summit of Clingmans Dome, and the lowest elevation is 840 feet at the mouth of Abrams Creek, so is a great place to create a hangout with your friends, and even if you don’t have many you can meet more at chatempanada.com.
Dollywood
Dollywood is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee just a few miles from the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Dollywood is a theme park which offers rides and attractions for children and adults, annual festivals and special events, shows, heritage and crafts, themed shops, and great restaurants and specialty foods.
Cades Cove
Man became part of Cades Cove beyond reach of human memory. Indians hunted here for uncounted centuries, but hardly any sign of them remains. White settlers followed the Indians to the Cove, and their sign is everywhere: buildings and roads, apple trees and fences, daffodils and footpaths. Cades Cove is an open air museum that preserves some of the material culture of those who last lived there.
The eleven-mile loop road follows many of the grades and turns of the old wagon roads, fording a stream now and then. Along the way you are likely to see wildlife, including black bear, wild turkey, and deer.
www.mysmokymountainvacation.com/cadescove.html
Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg is situated at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Gatlinburg is a resort town offering outstanding accommodations, great restaurants, and major attractions, including Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.
Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge is a family vacation spot located at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Pigeon Forge is home to Dollywood theme park, many luxury resorts, music theatres, and world class outlet malls.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
Smoky Mountain visitors and residents alike can view some of nature’s most exotic undersea life in the protective comfort of downtown Gatlinburg. The $42 million, 100,000-plus square foot marine attraction is home to thousands of fish and other types of aquatic life from around the world. More than 1.3 million gallons of water (mostly man-made sea water) accommodate the various exhibits and displays located throughout the facility.
www.ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com
Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum
Located on the beautiful campus of Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum houses one of the most diverse Lincoln and Civil War collections in the country. Exhibited are many rare items – the cane Lincoln carried that fateful night at Ford’s Theatre, two life masks, the tea set he and Mary Todd used in their home in Springfield, and numerous other artifacts. Approximately 30,000 books, manuscripts, pamphlets, photographs, paintings and sculptures tell the story of President Lincoln and the Civil War period in America’s history.
American Museum of Science & Energy
The American Museum of Science & Energy opened in 1949 in an old wartime cafeteria. It was originally named the American Museum of Atomic Energy. Its guided tours took visitors through the peaceful uses of atomic energy. The present facility, opened in 1975, continues to provide the general public with energy information. The name of the museum was changed to the American Museum of Science and Energy in 1978.
Live demonstrations, videos and other programs are scheduled for the general public daily.
www.amse.org
Aviation Museum: Tennessee ANG
Capt. Joseph B. Jordan, flying a Lockheed F-104C Starfighter set a new altitude record when he reached 103,395.5 ft over the Edwards AFB. Flight Test Center California. During this flight, Capt. Jordan reached 98,424 ft 930,000 m) in only 15 minutes 4.92 seconds. This was the first aircraft taking off on its own power to reach the 30,000 m and 100,000 ft altitudes. You can see the Lockheed F-104C on display at the Aviation Museum.
Big South Fork National Recreation Area
The Big South Fork encompasses 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau. Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area protects the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries. The area has miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, is rich with natural and historic features, and has been developed to provide visitors with a wide range of outdoor recreational activities.
Bike Trails
Concord Park Trails – Concord Park on Northshore Drive in West Knoxville offers 8.3 miles of bike trails which periodically run along Ft. Loudon Lake.
I.C. King Park Trails – This 7.5 mile bike trail provides views of the Tennessee River. The park is located off Alcoa Highway (US 129) south of Knoxville between John Sevier Highway and Maloney Road. The 190-acre park lies on the shores of the Tennessee River. Park at the second (northern entrance) to the Park, where the boat ramp is located. The single-track trail leaves the northern end of the parking area between the railroad track and cove. The trails roll and weave through hardwoods, cedars, and pines. The southern section of trails consists of several loops of 1 to 2 miles. The outermost northern loop has some steep berms. There is 2.8 miles of steep trail on the south side of the park via a bridge. From the trail head, it’s about 1.5 miles to the new bridge. There are some technical switchbacks on the 5 climbs of this section (cumulative climb 800 feet).
Forks of the River Bike Trail – This is an easy, 4 mile trail located in South Knoxville, east of Chapman Highway off of Island Home Pike (just south of the IJAMS nature center). The 350 acre Forks of the River (formerly, Eastern State) Wildlife Management Area is nestled on the south shore of the Tennessee River. The area is only a few hundred acres and comprised mostly of open fields. A gravel road runs 0.5 miles. Bicycles are restricted to greenways trail Sept 1 – Feb 28.
Gallaher Bend Bike Trail – This bike trail (2 miles one way) is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This gated gravel road (Bull Bluff Road) starts from the west end of Clark Center Recreation Park off of Bethel Valley Road at the Scarboro Road intersection. Park at the softball fields or swimming area. From the west end of the pavement, start on a packed gravel road. Go around the gate. The gravel road gently rolls 2 miles through the woods before ending at the top of a hill. The last 0.3 miles is steeper and rutted. You can take a right at the end of the final climb and take a 0.4 track along the edge of the woods that loops back to gravel road where it re-enters the woods.
Haw Ridge Park Trail – This 25 mile bike trail is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. You can test your thighs on steep, technical climbs, or test your nerves on descents with gradients in excess of 70 percent. Some trail sections have rocks, roots, and ruts. There are some scenic and relaxing 7.5 miles single-track trails along the shore of the lake. If you would rather push than pedal, you can ride the trails along the western two thirds of the ridge line. From I40, take 162 North toward Oak Ridge (Pellissippi Parkway). After crossing Melton Hill Lake take the first exit to TN 170, Edgemoor Rd heading east. See area map or MapQuest The main parking area is at the west end of the park at the kiosk in the last gravel lot 0.7 miles from 162 on right (south). Other trail heads are on Old Edgemoor Road, where the Anderson Country Life Development Center is located. There is limited parking at the east end of Old Edgemoor Road. The east end of Old Edgemoor Road is connected (unimproved) with Oak Ridge’s Melton Lake Greenway (0.6 miles).
Melton Lake Drive Greenway – This is an easy trail extending 3.4 miles (one way). Located in Oak Ridge, The Melton Lake Greenway, a relatively flat greenway/bike path, is an eight foot wide asphalt trail that parallels Melton Hill Lake. It is shared by bikers, joggers, walkers, bladers, and Nordic skiers. An additional 0.6 miles of “unimproved” trail connects the south end of Phase III with the Haw Ridge Park trails at the east end of Old Edgemoor Rd. The trail is located along Melton Lake Drive on the east edge of Oak Ridge.
Rich Mountain and Parson Branch Bike Trails – Access this trail from US321 west of Townsend by turning south onto the road to Tuckaleechee Caverns, drive up Rich Mountain Rd (Old Cades Cove Rd) to Rich Mountain Gap and park at Great Smoky Mountains National Park boundary. From Rich Mountain Gap ride up the gravel Rich Mountain Road south 3.3 miles to a view of Cades Coves, descend 3.4 miles to the Cades Coves loop road, proceed west on the pavement to the Visitor Center at the southwest corner of the loop. Take the gravel road south to the Parson Branch gate (’bout 2 miles). Parson Branch road is closed til 2007. Climb the gravel Parson Branch Road through the rhododendron tunnels to the Gregory Bald trail head (3.3 miles), then descend to 129 (another 5 miles). This descent has many creek crossings. Whew! Now turn around and ride back to the Cades Coves loop. Turn right on the Cades Coves loop road. You can take Hyatt Lane or Sparks Lane as shortcuts across the Cove to the Rich Mountain road. Cumulative climb for this roundtrip is about 6000′. Rich Mountain trail is 7.7 miles (one way); Parson Branch trail is 10 miles (one way); Cades Cove trail is 11 miles.
Charles Hall Museum
The Charles Hall Museum is 5000 square feet of local history. It consists of more than 200 guns, an extensive telehone collection, and an impressive coin collection, among many other items. You can also find many antiques that were used by Tellico residents over the years. Mr. Hall has on display the most extensive collection of historical photos of the area. The Charles Hall Museum is packed with antiques from centuries past, and 99% of the items in the museum are his own personal collection. The museum is located in Tellico Plains.
Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge
The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge is a dynamic cultural center that features innovative exhibitions, programs and workshops for all ages. Science, art and history are emphasized in hands-on learning opportunities that encourage young people to understand their cultural heritage, environment and the world around them. Educators are encouraged to utilize the museum’s numerous resources – over 20,000 objects, archival holdings, audio/video tapes, books and magazines.
Christus Gardens
America’s #1 religious attraction has become an American treasure. See the Greatest Story Ever Told in series of realistic life-size dioramas.
Cumberland County Playhouse
The Cumberland County Playhouse is now the only major non-profit professional performing arts resource in rural Tennessee and one of the 10 largest professional theaters in rural America. It serves more than 145,000 visitors annually with two indoor and two outdoor states, young audience productions, a comprehensive dance program, a concert series and touring shows. The Cumberland County Playhouse is the only non-profit professional performing arts organization in Tennessee that wholly owns and operates its own major performance facility. The playhouse is located in Crossville, Tennessee.
Douglas Dam
Douglas Reservoir is located among the rolling uplands of the Great Valley of east Tennessee. Set against the backdrop of the lush, green Smoky Mountain foothills, Douglas attracts two million recreation visitors a year. Picnicking, camping, boating, and fishing are all popular activities at the reservoir.
Forbidden Caverns
Visitors are provided with an entertaining and educational tour past sparkling formations, towering natural chimneys, numerous grottos and a crystal clear stream. Special lighting effects, a stereophonic sound presentation and well-trained tour guides combine to make this a most enjoyable experience. The trails are well-lighted, with handrails at all necessary points.
Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center
The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center offers gallery exhibits, educational programs, demonstrations and festivals guide you on an historic journey through time to visit the diverse cultures of Townsend and Tuckaleechee Cove. Features artifacts representing 5,000 years of Native American life related to hunting, pottery, foodways, ceremony, games, medicine, and trade. The center is located in Townsend, Tennessee.
Historic Rugby
Rugby is a restored Victorian village founded in 1880 by British author and social reformer, Thomas Hughes. It was to be a cooperative, class-free, agricultural community for younger sons of English gentry and others wishing to start life anew in America. At its peak, some 350 people lived in the colony. More than 70 buildings of Victorian design graced the townscape on East Tennessee’s beautiful Cumberland Plateau.
Little River Railroad & Lumber Company Museum
The Little River Railroad & Lumber Company Museum was founded in 1982 to preserve the heritage of the Little River Lumber Company and the Little River Railroad. This museum collects, preserves and exhibits the history of these companies and of the people in this region. Townsend was the site of the sawmill and headquarters of this operation, which logged huge portions of what is now the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from 1901 until 1939. The Little River became famous far beyond its remote mountain origins, due in large part to its innovations in railroad motive power, which included invention of the first 2-4-4-2 articulated Mallet, and the smallest 4-6-2 Pacific ever built for North American standard gauge. The museum is located in Townsend, Tennessee.
The Lost Sea
Deep inside a mountain near Sweetwater in East Tennessee is a remarkable body of water known as The Lost Sea. Listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest underground lake, the Lost Sea is part of an extensive and historic cave system called Craighead Caverns.
The caverns have been known and used since the days of the Cherokee Indians. From the tiny natural opening on the side of the mountain, the cave expands into a series of huge rooms. Nearly a mile from the entrance, in a room now known as “The Council Room,” a wide range of Indian artifacts including pottery, arrowheads, weapons, and jewelry have been found, testifying to the use of the cave by the Cherokees.
Museum of Appalachia
One of the largest, single collections of pioneer relics and mountain life exhibits on a 70-acre frontier farm.
Norris Dam
Norris is a popular tourist and recreation destination, and in summer 2005 TVA opened a new visitor center at the dam. Visitors can learn about the history of Norris, hydropower operations, and TVA’s management of the river system. The facility, located at the top of the dam, is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. It’s staffed by TVA retiree volunteers.
Norris features three hiking trails. The River Bluff Trail is the longest at 3.1 miles and offers rich pockets of wildflowers. The Edge Path is a shady corridor with wheelchair access. The Songbird Trail is, as the name suggests, a popular area for birding.
Water sports at Norris include boating, water skiing, swimming, and excellent fishing. The Tennessee state record brown trout was caught in the waters of the Clinch River below Norris Dam.
Oak Ridge Playhouse
Just minutes northwest of Knoxville, Tennessee, Oak Ridge Playhouse is one of the most thriving community theatres in East Tennessee and one of the oldest in the Southeastern United States. In continuous operation since 1943, the Playhouse offers a diverse season of musicals, comedies, dramas, and children’s plays serving audiences from Anderson, Knox, Roane, Blount, Sevier, Morgan, Scott, and Cumberland counties.
Tuckaleechee Caverns
Carved over tens of thousands of years in one of the earth’s oldest mountain chains, Tuckaleechee Caverns at Townsend are known as the “Greatest Site Under the Smokies.” Estimated to be between 20 and 30 million years old, the Caverns are rich in history and lore in recent years as well.
Wears Valley
Wears Valley borders Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is a beautiful valley situated within the Smoky Mountains and offers craft shops, several mom and pop restaurants, hiking trails, biking, and cabin rentals.