Great Smoky Mountain NP recommendations
April 24, 2021 11:31 AM   Subscribe

It's been about a decade since anybody asked here, so.... We will be there the week of May 9 (Sat--Sat). Camping 4 nights in Townsend and 3 nights near Gatlinburg.

If you have opinions, please share.

Favorite day hikes? (5-8 mile neighborhood - I'm an experienced hiker and there are so many to choose from)

Favorite 1 mile-ish scenic walks?

Favorite scenic drives? (Assume I know about Cades Cove)

Any under the radar stuff I shouldn't miss? It'll just be me and my wife, but she is recovering from an injury and is under doctor imposed orders to limit the hikes to pleasant walks.

And I guess any not miss restaurants? We'll be camp cooking most nights, but we are vaccinated, so we can go out to eat.
posted by COD to Travel & Transportation around Gatlinburg, TN (3 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Ooooh make reservations for the Appalachian Bistro at the Dancing Bear Lodge in Townsend!

Otherwise, plan to eat early. Most things in Townsend close down early because the local like it quiet. Seriously, though, the Appalachian Bistro is amazing but small! The Dancing Bean coffeehouse is also worth a stop, it's out front before you get to the cabins.
posted by Ostara at 10:57 PM on April 24, 2021 [2 favorites]


The Spruce Falls Flats trail near Townsend is amazing, as well. It is rocky and muddy in places so trekking poles help. Parrot Mountain in Pigeon Forge is really nice if you like colorful birds that you can hold. My 11-year-old really wanted to bring a macaw back with us.
posted by Ostara at 11:00 PM on April 24, 2021 [1 favorite]


It has been a very, very long time since I've been to G'burg but I have many fond memories of the area. Please go to Donut Friar in Gatlinburg and have a sugar donut for me. They are amazing and some of my fondest memories with my father are from there. Also, I think it survived the fire a few years ago, but Hillbilly Golf was fun and the Aquarium is always delightful.

If your limited on walking, skip Abrams Falls, it's a bit of hike but there are a ton of short hikes all through Cades Cove that you should be able to manage.
posted by teleri025 at 10:27 AM on April 26, 2021


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