Gatlinburg Off The Beaten Path

Emerts Cove is in the small community of Pittman Center. Emerts Cove Covered Bridge spans the MIddle Prong of the Little Pigeon River, in Pittman Center which is NE of Gatlinburg.
Frederick Emert, of German descent, was a soldier in the American Revolution. He and his wife Barbara Ann settled in this cove after the war and lived their life here.
This bridge was built in 2000 as a remembrance to the values of mountain life.
The tilt of the roof, the shakes on the roof all reflect the local traditions of the surrounding area.

Check out Gatlinburg's Arts & Crafts Community located on an 8 mile loop along Glades Road and Buckhorn Road beginning at stop light number 3A on US 321 at the East edge of town. A large collection of shops showcasing various types of craft and art work. A great way to spend the day while driving through the beatifull area.

If you're of the looking for a long, breathtaking hike, then try the hike to Mt. LeConte Lodge. Depending on your starting point (Motor Nature Trail, Clingman's Dome or Newfound Gap) you are guaranteed views that are spectacular. If you plan your trip far enough in advance, spend the night at the lodge. Otherwise, relax on the porch on a very comfortable rocker, enjoy the view while getting a 2nd breath, then eventually start your hike back down!

This is a neat thing to do in Pigeon Forge. First of all, the dinner consists of things you can eat with your hands (chicken, corn, etc.). You eat dinner while they are putting on a western show and then they have live interactions from the audience.

When you are in Gatlinburg, if you look behind Reagan Terrace on the hill you will see what looks like a fort. It is called Fort Fun. Up on that hill there are 2 putt-putt golf courses. Both are lots of fun to play.

Go into the arcade at the entrance to the courses and tell them you want to purchase the unlimited golf package. For $12.95 for each person in your group you will have unlimited access to the two courses during your stay in Gatlinburg.

This is a very nice 1 hour drive through the mountains that should be done by a vacationers to Gatlinburg. Grutto Falls is just off the road and along the trip you will see old houses that have been vacated since the N.P. came in years ago. Take a left a redlight #8 and follow go stait and in a mile you are in the N.P. for a nices drive. Be avare the the TRAIL IS NOT OPEN IN THE WINTER.

It is a real ghostwon located six miles from Gatlinburg in the Smokey's. The people were forced out of the town in the 1980's and is really neet to see. If you are there in June you can see Fireflies in unison and it is absolutely stunning.

If it were not for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg would most likely be a small, isolated, mountain community. The only industry here is tourism, catering to the needs and desires of 10 million visitors a year who come to America's most visited National Park.

Admittedly, one reason the Smokies is so popular is because it is within a day's drive to half the population of the United States. But that alone doesn't draw visitors. The 500,000 acres of the Great Smoky Mountains, equally divided between Tennessee and North Carolina, comprise some of the highest and wildest peaks in the eastern United States. They also happen to be one of the most beautiful spots on earth. The Smokies is a place of lush greeness, with more varieties of flowering plants and trees than in all of Western Europe. It is also the home to Whitetail Deer, Elk, Red Wolves, Wild Boar, River Otter, Black Bear and numerous other species of wildlife.

More than 850 miles of hiking trails wind through the mountains, and there are even more miles of fishable streams. Those who explore here discover hidden waterfalls, restored pioneer farmsteads, and beautiful mountain vistas in abundance. To learn more about the Smokies see our Great Smoky Mountains National Park tips under North Carolina.