Great Smokey Mountains National Park is bigger than we expected! So much to take in and we only had…read moreso much time. We did go to the visitor center and get a map. It was a good visitor center and had some cool merch and friendly rangers with good advice. We hiked a bit, saw many mushrooms, squirrels, birds and snakes. We did not see bears but we heard there are there. Highly recommend and can't hardly wait to check it out again with more time.

So incredibly beautiful. So many dang bears…read more Or so I've been told. Fortunately for me, a person who is very much afraid of bears and wants nothing to do with them, I did not see any bears during my visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But they're there! Lurking ... somewhere ... in the forest, I'm sure. I visited during the spring, when the bears were waking up from their long slumber, and I'm sure they were just waiting, with growling tummies, to eat someone. Because of the bears, I didn't travel too far away from the visitor center area of Newfound Gap. But there are trails and other things to see that are beautiful if you like hiking and whatnot. As for me, I was satisfied staying close to where there was more concrete and cars than nature. (I know! I'm kind of dumb sometimes.) Newfound Gap straddles both Tennessee and North Carolina, so you can be in two states at once -- literally, you can have one foot in Tennessee and the other in North Carolina! There's also a cool rock structure that you can climb to the top of called the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial, where you'll get great views of the mountains. They really do look smoky! They ain't lyin'. The Newfound Gap area of the Smoky Mountains also has a trailhead for the Appalachian Trail, plus restrooms. I saw backpackers who definitely looked like they had been on the the Appalachian Trail for a while. I've since learned that although this is not the largest national park, it's the most visited, and I believe it! There were quite a lot of people at the Newfound Gap area. That said, I visited a few other places around the park where there were zero people, so you might have to change locations, depending on how many people you want to share your park experience with.

Wow. Pricey, but great experience. Should be some sweet memories for the kids - and us!!…read more Special shout-out to Chad (no idea about last name), who was taking tickets before we got on the lift. Super nice guy - professional and helpful (good tips) - friendly and welcoming. Sending us off with a God bless was a nice touch, although I could see that sounding funny to some folks, ha ha. (Dear God, please watch over us on this chair lift...) It was the kids' 1st time on a chair lift / ski lift, and it was a good one. Had to go open-air. No one freaked out. They even took selfies together on it. So sweet. Great views on the way down! Lift was rebuilt in... 2019 (?) after wildfires destroyed it, but they maintained a great old-school feel. Now! To the top. The SkyBridge. THE SKYBRIDGE. WOW. So so cool. Longest suspension bridge in North America, apparently. It was awesome, complete with grating and plexiglass at the middle. Amazing views. A little scary, sure, but so cool. Was stoked the kids wanted to walk across it multiple times. The trails up top are better than I expected. Not top tier Smokies trails, but better than expected. And more good views. Tulip Tower was cool, too. The overall SkyPark area was also beautifully landscaped. REALLY impressive - beautiful. Highly recommended.

The Gatlinburg SkyPark is a good experience worth buying tickets for. The ride up was great with…read morenice views of the town (the seats fit up to 3 people) and the bridge had good views of the mountains, and for the thrill seekers had a part that was transparent glass. At the other end of the bridge there is a drink and burger place and seats with a view. Though you might wonder why isn't this review a 5 star review. It's because the workers print out photos of you on the ride up and wait for you at the top asking you to buy them. They also take a photo of you before the ride, knocking the background out, putting it on a picture of the bridge and expecting 36 bucks for it. If you say no it goes in the trash which is a big waste. Now my family's face is shredded like iceberg lettuce and tossed into a dumpster somewhere in Gatlinburg (probably owned by Blake Shelton) The prices of the food were good, though just a notice the "frozen lemonade" is STRAWBERRY lemonade and is pre packaged.

We don't come from PF to Gatlinburg without stopping at this park. It's excellent for our toddler…read moreto burn off energy before a car-nap or to move around a bit, especially if we've been in the car a while. We watched them build it for a while, even witnessed an Eagle a few years back in this same area, and were so glad once it was finally finished and open. They have nice bathrooms, a fishing access area, and a fence around this play area-which I really appreciate! Highly recommend stopping by if you have a kid and need to let them run and play a bit or if you're looking for something free to do. Also, be sure to walk down and look at the trout in the area near the restrooms.

Cute park located in downtown Gatlinburg--perfect for parents with kids who need to release some…read moreendless energy. I really liked that it had easy parking and was surrounded by a fence to keep kids inside. Restrooms are also located here.

This was a great trail to drive as we spent most of the day hiking. You are able to see a great…read moreamount of the river and wildlife on the drive. Usually you can see some black bears driving through. Parking is extremely limited so definitely get there early. But if you're driving through there are plenty of places to stop quick for the scenic overlooks.

Drove through this trail this past weekend and saw lots of running water and scenic views of the…read moreforest. Did not get to see any wildlife during our drive though, maybe because we went later in the morning after 10am. Just very green and peaceful. Nice to have the window down to hear all the birds and running water.

Great city park! Clean, lots to do at the park. Nice clean bathrooms, paved walking trail around…read morewhole park. Great place for families or just to enjoy the outdoors! Twin Creek trailhead is just up the road and is a beautiful walk through the woods.

This is a beautiful park, especially in October with the trees and their colorful leaves. Our…read morefriend is able to walk her dog here. We explored under the pavilion, and down by the water. We didn't use the 6 tennis courts or dance under the pavillion, but we did use the bathrooms. Husband said his was fine. Ours had a defective paper towel dispenser, but a working blower. We had soap, toilet paper, and the toilets flushed. Perfect! We also walked by the clubhouse. They have a water fountain to fill bottles! If you are lucky, you'll also see butterflies & bees in the flowers nearby. This would be a lovely place to picnic. We'll be back to do just that!

Beautiful and scenic. A bit more strenuous than I'd thought it would be. Still, quite lovely and…read morecool

Laurel Falls is a great starter trail for Families that are introducing their children to hiking in…read moreGatlinburg. There are plenty of interesting facts to be shared, different types of plants and wildlife along the trail. This time we didn't see many animals but the trail was a bit more crowded that day. I would not recommend taking a stroller or wheelchair on this trail. It is barely paved and there are many roots. Parts of it are very steep as well. It's a great place to practice mindfulness on the way up. There are enough roots and rocks on the path to force you to focus on being present and walking carefully. It's a peaceful trail that gives you a great view of the forest. The falls are still there but not as deep as they used to be. The rocks are very slippery! I definitely recommend water shoes if you have them. The way down is a bit harder than the way up. If you have issues with your legs or balance, I recommend using a support of some kind. There are no benches but you should be able to find large boulders to rest on.

Patriot Park is a perfect starting point for exploring Pigeon Forge--especially on a sunny day…read more Free parking alone makes this spot a win, and it's conveniently located next to the Pigeon Forge Trolley stop, which is affordable, easy to use, and connect you directly to Dollywood and most of the city's major attractions. The park itself is clean, well maintained, and has centrally located restrooms (always appreciated). From here, you're steps away from Old Mill Avenue and the historic Old Mill district, one of the most charming areas in Pigeon Forge. Highlights include the Old Mill Pottery House Cafe and Pigeon River Pottery, where you can watch local artisans at work, plus plenty of unique gifts and souvenirs. Old Mill Square feels like the heart of the original Pigeon Forge, with its preserved charm and walkable cluster of shops and eateries. Favorites include Iron Mountain Metal Craft, Old Forge Distillery (they have the best prices in town for moonshine, whiskeys and all) Old Mill Restaurant, Creamery, Candy Kitchen, General Store, Farmhouse Kitchen, and more--there's truly something for everyone. This area beautifully maintains its historic ambiance while offering great food, shopping, and family-friendly fun. Ideal for all ages, Patriot Park and the Old Mill district are absolutely worth dedicating a full day to--and a must-stop on any Pigeon Forge visit.

This park is cute and has a nice walk area and grass area. Loved the Smoky the Bear statue and a…read morefew of the Pigeon Forge statues here too. Located real close to the transit center, this is a great place to park for free and use the tram to go into town. Overall, the park is on the small side, but the location makes this a nice stop. It's super close to the Old Mill, so a pleasant area for a walk through and around town and the Old Mill area where parking is sometimes scarce.

My family had a wonderful experience this morning doing the Mega Zip!…read more Our guides were Alyssa, Bobby, and Sky! They had great attitudes/personalities and really enhanced the experience This place takes safety very seriously and the guides teach you how to be safe and do multiple safety checks throughout the entire experience to make sure everything goes smoothly. All of my fears were calmed by how thorough they were. And they actually have a tiny "demo" ZipLine that they have you do first- to make sure you know what to do and can handle the Mega Zip. THE "Mega Zip" ZIPLINE WAS A BLAST!!! And the views from the ZipLine, the top of the mountain, and on the way up in the bus are gorgeous. 10/10 would come back again! Very safe and very fun!

To put it mildly, SIMPLY AWSOME!! Just about everything you can do at Wildside is adventurous and…read moreawesome! It is a great family place and you can spend all day there!

Step back in time as you visit this 19th century one-room schoolhouse. The blackboards are still…read morethere, as are the student desks, well-worn wood polished smooth by countless children who were educated here for more than 50 years. The schoolhouse served the Little Greenbrier community as both school and church beginning in 1882 when it was built. There is a small cemetary across from the school at the edge of the small parking area. A marker with a picture of students and teacher at the entrance to the school yard gives a brief history. We reached the schoolhouse easily enough by taking the narrow, one-lane Little Greenbrier Road from the Metcalf Bottoms picnic and trailhead area. Do not attempt this road in a large vehicle. There is a portapotty at the edge of the parking area. Visting the school itself is cool, but making the experience even better is the hike up the road on the Little Brier Gap Trail to the Walker Sisters place. This is a farily easy, approximately 1.5 mile hike which crosses a small stream via a narrow footbridge just before reaching the Walker's. The Walker house and outbuildings are the last remnants of the Little Greenbrier Community. The 5 Walker sisters lived there within the Great Smoky Mountain National Park until the last sister died in 1960. We opted to visit and hike after lunch. It made for a perfect afternoon. As one of the "less advertised" spots to visit in the park, we saw a handful of folks at the schoolhouse and met a few people on their way back from the Walkers but for the most part, we were alone on the trail and felt like we had the place to ourselves. What a treat!

Amazing bison burger! Food was great. Atmosphere kinda close to other tables and crowded but well…read moreworth it. Got a table fairly quickly and server was awesome