Weekend in Gatlinburg TN.

[shortyb]

Just returned from a weekend trip to celebrate my wife's 60th birthday and we traveled to Gatlinburg TN. We had been there a few times before, the last being about 10 years ago (just before the fires) when we went to her high school reunion in nearby Morristown. For some reason, it seemed way more crowded than before, especially vehicular traffic. Of course we traveled into town from the Sevierville exit on I-40 because we HAD to visit Buc-ee's, and from there to town took us almost an hour and a half. Plus, it was Friday afternoon. Sliced turkey sandwich from the beaver was delightful though.

Stayed at the Park Vista and had a room on the 12th floor, mountain side. Breathtaking views. And bears. Bears everywhere. We thought the hotel staff were just being fear mongers with their warnings about them wandering the parking lots, leaving food in the car etc. Nope. We had great fun watching them climb all over the cars in search of food left by those that didn't heed the warnings. One focused bear actually broke a car window and climbed inside. Twice. By the looks of all the stuff dragged out, he was mission successful. Wonder if he left any calling cards inside. Saw several others including a mother bear and her 4 cubs scurrying around. We did NOT leave any food items inside our car so Smokey and his relatives left it alone.

Thank goodness Gatlinburg has a great trolley system (free!) to get around because there is way too much traffic and parking is at a premium. We got basically anywhere we wanted to go using it, and it stopped right at the front door of the hotel. Once we started walking around, it was more difficult to get around. So many people this time than what I remember. In spite of the touristy shops and attractions not changing at all since our last visit. My wife was in heaven though, because it was so target rich for her people watching hobby. Ate some good food, and some not so good. The Shoneys on The Parkway `is NOTHING like the Shoneys I remember from long ago and probably should be avoided. About an hour later we were absolutely convinced. We did Ober Gatlinburg and the Skyway trams, but passed on Anakeesta because we couldn't see the end of the line to get up there. We finished our "touring" with a lengthy drive through the spectacular Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

All in all we had a great time and love the area. Especially when we travelled up to Morristown to meet with several of her friends to celebrate the milestone. It really is beautiful country and would seriously consider relocating there if not for my dread of cold weather and snow.

 

[Kira]

Great little "traveler's Tease".....more details online. Also, thanks for the Ursa Warnings.

 

[alarmguy]

Wife and I love it up there. For over a decade we would ride our Road King up all over the area of NC and TN mountains.
That was when we lived in the Lake Murray Area of SC. We are not down near the NC coast so I sadly think those days are over. It used to be a few hour ride, now it would be more like a 6 hours.

 

[Elkins45]

I’ve never been there when the traffic wasn’t absolutely horrible. From the moment you exit I-40 all the way to the park it’s bumper to bumper.

 

[RedSpider]

There are plenty of ways to get from I-40 into Gatlinburg without going through the nightmarish traffic, if you're willing to go out of your way a few miles or ten. Beats sitting in the traffic.

 

[AZjeff]

Glad you had a good time and thanks for the heads up. We don’t do crowds or lines.

 

[scoot]

Last April my wife and I rented a house for a week about 30 minutes from Gatlinburg. Got very lucky weather wise , almost 80 all week . I must have lived a sheltered life because I was completely shocked by the poverty in the area . Such beautiful scenery with dumps every where .

 

[john_pifer]

Last April my wife and I rented a house for a week about 30 minutes from Gatlinburg. Got very lucky weather wise , almost 80 all week . I must have lived a sheltered life because I was completely shocked by the poverty in the area . Such beautiful scenery with dumps every where .

It’s Appalachia.

You get outside the cities, and unless you work for city, county, state, or federal govt, or you’re a college-educated professional, there’s not a lot of good work.

But people get by. It’s definitely a different culture.

 

[wavinwayne]

I agree with your assessment of the crowds. Gatlinburg does seem a lot more crowded now than in the "before times". We usually go every couple of years and always stay in Pigeon Forge in less crowded areas. I used to ride my road bike from the National Park visitor's center up into the Park, all the way up to the Clingman's dome parking lot. I'm no longer in good enough shape for that but wouldn't do it now anyway. Traffic is terrible in the park, and distracted drivers are worse than ever. I like being alive.

My favorite part of going to the Smoky Mountains now is riding the roller coasters at Dollywood. The Wild Eagle is awesome!

 

[Blagoje]

About half of my mom's side of the family has lived in the Pigeon Forge area for most of my life and I have taken so many trips there throughout my life and just don't care to go there anymore. It was great to visit there in the '80s and '90s but in the new millennium it has just become so overly commercialized to the point where it has completely lost its charm.

I remember driving through there with my dad maybe 10 years ago and was just appalled at what it had become, extremely busy and crowded with an obnoxious amount of traffic along the main roads. I just don't think I could find it anywhere near as enjoyable as it was before I was a legal adult.

 

[Schmoe]

I'm from Clarksville, and that was Dad's favorite place to go on long weekends. He got a time share condo at Old Hickory. This was the 80's and 90's before he passed. Back then, never had traffic issues. Campgrounds and trails were never crowded. It was pretty. Went there about 5 years ago and I could hardly recognize the place. Cars and people everywhere. You felt like sardines and really didn't get you're "nature" on. Was sad to see that happen to a beautiful place. By now, I imagine even the locals have been priced out.

 

[Pew]

It's definitely busier now but that applies to all NatParks now - they really blew up in popularity just before and especially during rona. I used to go a few times a year, get there at like 5-6am, do a hike, and then bug out as early as possible and look at all the cars waiting to get into Gatlinburg.. Lately because of how busy it is, I haven't bothered. Walking around shoulder-to-shoulder with so many people is not an enjoyable experience.

Every memorial weekend I usually try to do Mount LeConte via Alum Caves trail as fast as I can. Not sure if I will this weekend.

 

[Elkins45]

There are plenty of ways to get from I-40 into Gatlinburg without going through the nightmarish traffic, if you're willing to go out of your way a few miles or ten. Beats sitting in the traffic.

Care to suggest one for someone coming in from the west on I-40?

 

[wemay]

When i worked for OPM, i would take work trips to The Oakridge Nuclear Plant. On the weekends our team would really enjoy the area.

 

[RedSpider]

Care to suggest one for someone coming in from the west on I-40?

Get off on Rt 66 from 40, go south into Sevierville.

In Sevierville, take 411 east then turn right onto 416.

Continue on 416 until it turns into 454 (416 veers off to the left but you continue straight onto 454).

454 dead ends into 321, turn right onto 321.

Follow 321 until it takes you right into Gatlinburg on the north end. You'll hit traffic at this intersection for sure, but your there.

Takes a while longer, but we rarely hit any traffic on this route.

 

[alarmguy]

Get off on Rt 66 from 40, go south into Sevierville.

In Sevierville, take 411 east then turn right onto 416.

Continue on 416 until it turns into 454 (416 veers off to the left but you continue straight onto 454).

454 dead ends into 321, turn right onto 321.

Follow 321 until it takes you right into Gatlinburg on the north end. You'll hit traffic at this intersection for sure, but your there.

Takes a while longer, but we rarely hit any traffic on this route.

White Water rafting (Sevierville) was a fun thing to do almost every trip up there. We were usually the only motorcycle in the parking lot and always got a custom space. Once in a while there would be another one or two.

 

[RedSpider]

We keep talking about doing the rafting but have never gotten around to actually doing it, which is weird because we love canoeing and kayaking up here a lot. I think its time we just do it.

I dont have my bike anymore, but we have the next best thing, if there is one. We cruise through Cades Cove a lot.

 

[y_p_w]

It's definitely busier now but that applies to all NatParks now - they really blew up in popularity just before and especially during rona. I used to go a few times a year, get there at like 5-6am, do a hike, and then bug out as early as possible and look at all the cars waiting to get into Gatlinburg.. Lately because of how busy it is, I haven't bothered. Walking around shoulder-to-shoulder with so many people is not an enjoyable experience.

Every memorial weekend I usually try to do Mount LeConte via Alum Caves trail as fast as I can. Not sure if I will this weekend.

Kind of surprised that the name is still there. Clingmans Dome was already renamed.

The LeContes have a long history, and some of it rather controversial. They were pioneers who basically started the teaching of physical sciences at UC Berkeley, and were early officers of the Sierra Club. I used to attend classes at LeConte Hall (site of the first atom collider) and drive to school on Le Conte Street (spelling was different). But then some of their interesting theories on humanity came to light. Now the new building is just Physics North/South until they come up with a new name. A few schools named after them have been renamed.

https://www.sierraclub.org/yosemite-heritage-center/dr-joseph-leconte
https://chancellor.berkeley.edu/tas...review-committee/building-name-review-leconte

https://chancellor.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/bnrc_leconte_recommedation.pdf​

The Building Name Review Committee has evaluated the proposal from the Department of Physics to remove the LeConte name. After studying the proposal, collecting more than 600 comments, and carefully evaluating all information presented, our committee voted unanimously to recommend that the name be removed. We further recommend that the Department of Physics create a permanent exhibit or series of events that engages critically with the history of the LeConte brothers and the reasons why the LeConte name was removed.​

 

[y_p_w]

I've been watching videos from the Everything Autos YouTube channel. They operated a towing business called Everything Auto but I guess they had to deal with what was available as a YT name. They operate out of Gatlinburg but also do tows in Pigeon Forge as well as in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The tows of illegally parked vehicles in the park can be among their most interesting because that's always for breaking laws/regulations and not for violating private parking rules. Also a lot of rescues of people stuck in those crazy driveways and/or narrow private roads for cabins in the area. I see how poorly designed a lot of those driveways/roads are and wonder how they're even legal. Especially really sharp angles where a lot of people make a turn into them and end up grounding the vehicle just off the asphalt.

They also handle a lot of vehicles parked in private lots. Especially employee lots or pay lots where they mess up on the payment and get towed. Or where some hotel employee told them to just park next door, and they got towed when management of the actual property requested it.

The other thing about Gatlinburg is that I see a lot of complaints that it's a tourist trap with no redeeming qualities.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I have a good friend that lives nearby so have been 50 times at least. It’s really not my kind of place - too crowded, too touristy. I do understand the allure. I think your review was accurate.

There are some slow times - mid week early in the year and very late fall - after the leaves. But yes it’s grown a lot.