Fall leaf color report for Laurel Falls Hiking Trail

The Laurel Falls hiking trail in the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains national park is easily the most hiked trail in the entire park. This is also on of the few paved hiking trails and today it is in peak leaf season throughout the length of the trail.

The trailhead for Laurel Falls in on Little River Road and has a paved parking area which at peak times can be rather full. There is a self guiding tour pamphlet you can purchase right at the beginning of the trail and as you can see the color starts right in the parking lot.

What makes this hiking trail one of the best trails for seeing fall colors in the national park is that you gently climb up in elevation and trees change color to the sides and above you and often you have overlooks looking out at mountains across from the trail and some whole small mountains ranges that are all filling in with fall colors.

There are many varieties of trees along the trail with little undergrowth at the beginning switchbacks so you the ability to have a panoramic view of the forest below you and interesting rock formations on the sides of the trail and above you.

The Laurel Falls Waterfall starts above the trail and collects in a pool that runs under the trail and drops of a shear rock drop to the steam below. The rocks are very slippery on the falls and you are forbidden from climbing on them as people have fallen off of the falls and have gotten hurt. Small children must also be under strict control as the large drop off has no guard rails.

The trees above the falls are showing peach, red, and yellow in the leaves. The rhododendron on the sides and way above the falls stay a beautiful dark green year round.

When there is water in the stream above the falls that can be a huge torrent of water but alas we are in a drought here in the Smokies and the flow though much larger than it appears in the picture below is in fact just a trickle compared to what it could be.

When it gets real cold here Laurel Falls first has ice form on the sides. If you are lucky to catch the falls after there is a bug snow melt and it refreezes the entire waterfall becomes a huge dazzling ice sculpture that must be seen in person to be appreciated.

While most people stop at the waterfall and turn around, the best part of the hike is just 20 more minutes beyond the falls. Here you will leave all the crowds that come to see the falls behind and you enter the forest of huge trees.

The Smoky Mountains national park was heavily logged and almost all the old growth huge trees were cut and taken away. Here on this trail they could not reach some of the trees to log them and they are a sight to see.

These huge trees will be peaking shortly and color along the whole trail should be good for more than a week. The overlooks will have reds and oranges in the distance for at least another 2 or more weeks.

Anytime of the year this is a great trail to explore and is less than 20 minute from mostof the cabin rentals in the Smokies.

Fall colors at peak in the Sinks area of the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Fall colors here at the Smoky Mountains are just starting to peak in some areas and even though we had snow 2 days ago, yesterday was a beautiful sunny day with comfortable fall temperatures.

Many leaves have fallen early but that doesn't mean that you have missed the fall peak season for 2008. As a matter of fact the best and brightest colors are just starting to pop out all over the Smoky Mountains.

This fall report is for the Sinks area just off of Little River Road between Gatlinburg and Townsend Tennessee a short drive from Elkmont, Wears Valley and the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area.

The Meigs Creek Trailhead is at the Sinks parking area which is right by a bridge and is marked as a congested area by national park road signs and is located between Elkmont and the Townsend Wye.

The Sinks Waterfall is a popular place for people to come to year round to see the massive rocks, deep pools and the beautiful waterfall. Though people try to, this is not a place to swim due to very fast moving water and submerged rocks.

In the winter the sinks pools can freeze up and be careful if you are climbing on the rocks around the sinks when they are wet or icy as a slip can lead to a serious fall.

Sit here before hiking and take a few pictures of the falls and listen to the roar of the water. Look around and you will see most of the trees here have not even started to change colors or are just starting to lighten in color.

The Meigs Creek Trail is wide comfortable trail to hike on that only goes for about 3.5 miles. It passes through deep forests with beautiful huge trees, along a low ridge line, along the Meigs Creek and lower forests and back up another low ridge where it meets with other trails. The only warning is you will have to cross the Meigs Creek often and right now you can do so by walking on rocks and logs.

After you climb a very low hill, the beginning of the Meigs Creek Trail first travels in a lower elevation where you will see a few trees just starting to turn yellow. Expect to see plenty of birds and right now there a 2 bear very active in this area.

You will cross a small creek/wet area and start slowly ascending a series of switchbacks. Here on the switchbacks yellow and some colored leaves are all over the trail and forest floor and the large tress above and below the trail are just changing colors and will have weeks to go before they fall. Occasionally you will see a deer scampering up and down the hills side here.

After about 1/2 mile and a 500 foot elevation gain in on the Meigs Creek Trail you will come to a turn where in the trail and immediately the trail becomes dryer and warmer and within feet the color explodes!

Here is the best peak leaf color right now in this general area of the Smoky Mountains. Flaming reds, oranges, peaches and salmons are missed in with yellows and various shades of green. In the picture below taken on the trail yesterday you can see how deep blue and clear the sky was and how bright the colors in the leaves are.

Here on the ridge line you should keep walking and you will see plenty of yellow pine which will stay green up here year long. Look to the right and you will see mountain peaks all along side you.

These mountain peaks show how much longer the fall color will last. Look at the mountainside and right now you can see the dots of red and orange and yellow starting to turn against the deep dark green of the forest. This is why there is no best time to come see the fall colors in the Smoky Mountains as they last so long!

Take in the ridge line as you walk along it and be sure to look all around you are even along the trail floor small trees and bushes are bursting forth in a riot of color.

Eventually the ridge-line starts to gradually descend lower and lower and the colors slowly gives way to more green as the forest is just starting to gradually change color.

Lots of yellow leaves are on the forest floor here and you will start to have the Meigs Creek and tributaries more than 10 times before you reach the end of the trail.

If you brought along a camera take a picture of the leaves flowing on the top of the water showing of their colors and floating down the small waterfalls and around the rocks which you can use to cross the creek.

It's so quite here except for the sound of the water and the gentle sound of the leaves falling. This is a great spot to take a picnic lunch but be sure to pack up and take everything you brought into the woods back out with you.

Look in the trees, bushes and along the forest floor while you are hiking and you will see plenty of berries and nuts that will be a autumn feast to the large and small animals that live in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Alongside the trail and on the rocks and some of the logs you will see plenty of partridge berry plants (Rubiaceae Mitchella) in some areas. These small ground cover plants have deep green leaves and pretty bright red berries. If you are lucky and look hard enough you may still be able to find a few blooming as I did yesterday.

The hiking trail starts to now ascend and you will see some patches of fantastic fall color. The leaves of the ground are in a rainbow of glowing colors and you will hit patches of red and orange that would hurt your eyes if you stare at them!

You will also walk through a deep green tunnel of rhododendron bushes that will stay green year round. Many of the trees are still green here giving you an opportunity to see great fall colors for weeks to come.

Eventually the trail starts to ascend more steeply for a few hundred feet and you will come to the end of the trail where it meets 2 other trails. If you want to go further in and see more color at peak, go to the right and take the trail to Tremont.

This was not a hard hike and is right now one of the best places to see the fall colors.

If you could not make it this year, there is always next year to come stay in the Smokies and enjoy the best of the fall color.

Fall colors to peak and intensify after cold snap and snow in the Smokies

The Tennessee Smoky Mountains has had spectacular weather this whole fall and late summer. Maybe a little too nice as there have been no very cold days to snap the leaves into the bright fall colors in the mid and lower elevations.

Yesterday morning the upper elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains where shrouded in deep dark snow clouds which dropped snow on the high elevations and even down to mid elevations prompting road closures in the national park and for hikers to break out the hats and gloves.

Since the fall colors were the brightest and best in the Roaring Fork area right next to Gatlinburg and minutes from Pigeon Forge, it was time to check out to see if the cold weather made the fall colors even better.

One of the most popular hiking trails in the Great Smoky Mountains national park is the Rainbow falls trail. Most hikers only go up the first 2.5 miles where the waterfall is but you can take the trail all the way up to the Mt Le Conte summit.

The parking area fall colors were just a little brighter and even though it seemed warm here, the trial climbs quite a bit so bringing gloves, a hat and a vest was a must.

Just about 40 minutes into the trail which first starts along the stream the trail heads deeper into the woods and there is a switchback bend. While there were a few leaves along the way that had a few snow flakes on them, the major snow on the trail started just after the bend.

Here the bright yellow trees burst forth in color and look fantastic against the dark greens and contrast beautifully against the white snow. Normally you get a great view of the mountain peaks across the trial, but the snow was falling hard high up and hid the peaks.

While you are hiking on this trail don't just admire the bright colored fall leaves just about to peak, look around and you will see moss covered chestnut trees on the forest floor dusted with snow and the huge boulders.

This time of the year you should also be able to catch a glimpse of a chipmunk and you will hear the red and gray squirrels chattering way at each other as they jump from branch to branch of the trees knocking down colorful leaves and snow as they perform their acrobatics.

Squirrels and other animals right now in the Great Smoky Mountains national park are already sporting their heavy winter coats and are working hard to eat what they can to build up their winter fat. The squirrel eating below was on the trail and not concerned about anything other than eating acorns.

As you are gaining altitude you will notice it is getting a little colder and the snow is a little deeper and there are few outstanding overlooks as well.

While this is a heavily traveled hiking trail, more often than not you will find it quiet where you can hear the wind blowing through the leaves in the trees and the far away gurgle of streams and creeks.

Sometimes it is so quiet up here you think you are hearing the noise of traffic in the distance. Listen carefully, it's actual the wind blowing down the valleys and hollows of the Smoky Mountains.

Even though Rainbow Falls is less than 3 miles from the trailhead it takes most people from 1-1/2 hours to 2 hours to reach the waterfall. Don't rush getting up here as the journey is as special as the destination is.

You will first pass a smaller lower falls where you may have to rock hop as you are crossing the lower part of the falls. Be careful here is it can freeze up and get very slippery.

You continue up the path and the beautiful Rainbow Falls with its shear multi colored walls framed by huge boulders and ringed by trees unfolds in front of you.

As you can see by the picture above, it's not just the water tumbling down the cliff side that sets Rainbow Falls apart from other waterfalls in the area, it is the sheer size and scale of the waterfall, the huge pools of water below and the gigantic boulders littering the stream bed.

Since we are still in a drought situation here in the Smoky Mountains, the flow of water is very light. Sometimes in the spring and summer after big storm of after a big now melt, the huge section of the wall is a flowing curtain of water. In the winter the whole waterfall sometime freezes.

You can see that even though the trees around the falls right now are crusted in a blanket of white snow, the autumn colors are still showing through. You can see yellows, reds, light and dark greens which look stunning what the sky will clear up with a deep blue sky and the snow will glisten like diamonds.

Rainbow Falls gets its name not by the fact that you will see a rainbow in the sky or in the air around the waterfall but by the fact that rocks on the cliff have many colors running from greens to grays, whiles, blacks and yellows.

It is stunning to if the angle of the sun is right see the falls in the 1/2 hour during sunset and sunrise when everything has a golden hue. Flashlights and experience in hiking in the dark is a must of you wish to do this.

Now that the cold weather has set in with freezing temperatures the last few nights, the fall colors are going to accelerate and intensify in color. So far even though the nights are very cold, but by midday you still need a jacket but you won't be freezing.

Be sure to travel around the Smokies as the colors are going to be popping out everywhere now. Even in the lower elevation such as Little River Road and the Spur the color in the leaves is getting better and better.

Personally this is my favorite time to appreciate the fall colors as there are still greens and they look awesome against the contrast of the other leaf colors and of course snow if we get anymore before the leaves drop from the trees.

Fall Color report for Great Smoky Mountains: Roaring Fork section in Gatlinburg

Some of the best fall colors right now in the Great Smoky Mountains national park can be seen in the Roaring Fork section right outside the city of Gatlinburg Tennessee.

The Cherokee Orchard / Roaring Fork area of the GSMNP is known for its hiking trails, numerous historic buildings and the Roaring Fork Motor Drive. Right now it is also the best place to see fall colors in the Smokies without having to hike very far or if you want even leave your car.

The fall leaf colors just stared to pop out in the lower elevations here in Roaring Fork area and should have some stunning views into November.

As you enter Roaring Forge on Cherokee Orchard Road you will already see color before you even come up to one of the most photographed cabins in the Great Smoky Mountains national park the Noah Bud Ogle cabin pictured below.

If you want to see the Smokies in the wild and don't wish to have a strenuous hike, park your car here and purchase a pamphlet and take a self guided nature tour. It will be time well spent.

As you go further in on Cherokee Orchard Road you may have already pass by one of the active black bears on the left hand side. If the traffic starts to back up a ranger will waive you along.

If you wish to photograph a black bear keep far back and be sure to park in a pull off rather than stop in the road (you want get a ticket this way!). Be sure to watch out as other drivers may be so interested in the bear they won't see you.

The next trailhead you will pull up to is the Old Sugarlands Trail. You don't have to walk very far to see a beautiful stream with a log bridge and a little further down this wide old roadway that is now a trail the color will really burst forth.

Don't want to hike? Pass the next 2 parking areas and make a right and take the Roaring Fork Motor Trail Tour (guide book for sale right at the entrance). This road twist and turns its way up and at the first overlook make sure to get out of your car and take a look at the stunning views looking out at the Gatlinburg mountains which are bursting out in a pallet of pretty colors.

There is one more pull off with another stunning overlook and the parking area where you can take the short hike to Grotto Falls or a long hike all the way up to My Le Conte over 6,500 feet! Past here you will see more and more autumn color in the trees breaking through in yellows, oranges and now hot reds and peaches.

Going downhill you will see a parking area on the left with an old homestead on the right. Now need to describe the beauty of this cabin and farm buildings and the beautiful fall colors busting forth just look at the picture below.

Now that you have seen this stunning beauty you have 2 more homesteads areas and a mill to check out before you leave the park. Each is worth parking and taking in the fantastic fall colors and the beauty of the Smokies.

Roaring for is slow driving road, don't rush it so you want miss anything and for your own safety. It so a good idea to check out this section of the park with at least 1-1/2 hours before sunset as driving in here in the dark is not the best idea and beside - you will miss all the fall colors for leaf season!

Gatlinburg Fall leaf color report for Mount Le Conte in The Great Smoky Mountains

It's autumn in the Great Smoky Mountains and the peak leaf season has started in the higher elevations of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and we still have a week before the colors starts to saturate the lower elevations.

The picture below of the city of Gatlinburg was taken on the first overlook on the Gatlinburg Bypass; the road that connects the Spur section of the Foothills Parkway with the Great Smoky Mountains national park. As you can see there are little spots of bright leaf colors in the trees in the higher and mid elevations and the lower elevations of the Smoky Mountains are still a beautiful deep dark green color.

One of the most prominent features of the Great Smoky Mountains that can be seen from as far away as Sevierville and towers over the beautiful scenery Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Tennessee is Mount Le Conte.

This stunning triple peak mountain is the second tallest in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and is 6,593 feet tall is slight bit shorter than Clingmans Dome which stands at 6,643 feet.

You can clearly see in the picture below that Mt Le Conte's peak is not sporting a snow dusting yet but a deep green of the pines and firs found on the top of this awesome mountains.

There a 5 ways to hike up to the peak of Mt Le Conte. You can hike up to Mt Le Conte from 3 trails in the Roaring Fork Section of the Great Smoky Mountings national park by the City of Gatlinburg. These hiking trails are The Rainbow Falls Trail, the Trillium Gap Trail and the Bull Head Trail.

The other 2 ways to access the peak of Mt Le Conte is from Newfound Gap Road. Your choices are the Alum Cave Hiking Trail on the Tennessee side and via the Boulevard trail off the Appalachian Trail access from the Newfound Gap parking area on the North Carolina and Tennessee border.

Right now Newfound Gap Road is the best road in the Great Smoky Mountains national park to see the best fall colors in the trees. The higher you go the better they are but color can now be seen on the lowest part of the road near the national park headquarters at Gatlinburg.

Clingmans Dome Road which connects to Newfound Gap Road near the Newfound Gap parking area is 7 miles of twists and turns by colorful trees as it climbs up to Clingmans Dome offering stunning fall color views and vistas that allow you to see range after range of mountains. The fall colors are still good here today but will fade faster on Clingmans Dome Road as it is the highest elevation road in the national park.

Since we had just checked the fall colors by going up to Mt Le Conte on the Trillium Gap trail a few days ago with a stop off on Brushy Mountain which overlooks Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, this report was made by hiking up the Alum Cave Trail off Newfound Gap Road.

The Alum Cave hiking trail is the most popular way to reach the peak of Mt Le Conte and is best in spring through fall as it ices up in the winter and can be quite dangerous.

The Alum cave hiking trail takes a course through various elevation gains, along river beds, past a natural arch you must climb through, past a huge cave and over peaks and along shear edge cliffs so the views are stunning and passing so many features you get a chance to chase the fall color longer than on most trails.

While some of the leaves on the trees along the start of the trail have fallen, it still has a tremendous feeling of green with all of the Rhododendron bushes that are along the trail. Bright yellow leaves are still in the trees and orange can be seen interspersed with tall green trees.

The first part of the Alum Cave Trail is rather level even though it is always slowly climbing up the valley alongside the river. Make sure to take pictures along the way of the old trees, the twisted and worn tree roots and the stream with crystal clear water and pretty small waterfalls.

After almost a mile and a half of hiking you cross a log bridge with a handrail and you are now at the Arch Rock a natural structure that you must climb up through. Don't worry stairs and handrail cables have been added. The steps are usually wet so hold onto the handrail cable as you climb up and down the Arch Rock.

Once you pass through Arch Rock the elevation gain while hiking increases in intensity and the views will become spectacular. Long vistas and beautiful fall colors great you at every twist and turn of the trail. Expect some bright reds, some oranges and lots of brilliant yellow fall leaves and deep greens of evergreens - hemlocks, spruces and firs.

At about 2 miles into the hiking trail you arrive at Alum Cave. Stop and stay here for a while and soak in the views as well as the beauty of the cave its self. Not only have rare minerals been found here at the cave - not found anywhere else in the world, this is also the site of an historic civil war battle which made its way down the mountain hillside all the way to the city of Gatlinburg call "White Oak Flats" at the time.

As you can see by the picture of the cave the fall colors are clearly showing at this elevation and the sunlight during the day will change the colors in the rocks around the cave.

Often water drops down from about the cave and in the late fall and wintertime will form ice. Be careful as when a day becomes warmer or in high wind, icicles have been known to come crashing down on the trail below.

From here you are another 3 miles to the peak of Mt Le Conte and the views become more impressive as the climb becomes more intense and difficult. Red and yellow bushes in the foreground give way to yellowing trees in the valleys set of by the deep greens of the evergreens and trees yet to turn.

So far none of these areas are past peak but some are just at peak fall colors right now. The walking is tougher here with wet rocks and narrow walkways. While you must watch where your feet go on this section of the Alum Cave Trail, you have to stop and take in the views constantly.

The closer you closer to the top the more spruce and fir trees you will encounter. These trees will stay deep green year round and look incredible later in fall and in winter when covered by with a dusting or a deep coat of snow.

As you climb higher you will also see more deep and light green moss on the sides of the trail and the trees will become shorter. In here it fells like Christmas year round with the beauty of these natural Christmas trees and the heavenly scent of them that perfumes the air.

By the time you reach the peak of Mt Le Conte there is only fall colors to appreciate on the distance as what few trees have that live this high up that change color have done so almost a month ago.

Make sure to check out both the cliff side area as well as Myrtle point on the other side of the peak of Le Conte. By now you will be thankful if you packed a hat, glove and a coat as it always is windy and cold up here!

Fall color report for Gatlinburg Greenbrier section of the Smoky Mountains

The Greenbrier section of the Great Smoky Mountains national park is just outside the city limits of Gatlinburg on 321 and it is showing serious fall colors and will be at least another week before it reaches peak which should last a week or more.

Fall is a great time to visit the Greenbrier section of the national park in the Smokies as the leaf colors are quite brilliant at peak. Greenbrier has some very good hiking trails for fall colors with plenty of stream, creeks and rivers to reflect the colorful leaves in the pools and Ramsey Cascades a stunning cascade falls in the higher elevation. There are also plenty of small waterfalls along the way.

One of the more interesting hikes very close to Gatlinburg is the Old Settlers Trail in Greenbrier that ends up more than 15 miles away in Cosby. Of course you don't have to hike the full 15 miles (or 30 miles round trip) to see fantastic fall colors and beautiful scenery and pass by dozens of old homesteads and farms.

The bright colored leaves above were on the forest floor yesterday on the Old Settlers Trail and this trail is far from peak!

This hiking trail starts as others in Greenbrier do at the base lower elevation by the Little Pigeon River. Large boulders in the Little Pigeon River break up normally swift flowing water and the river is lined by large trees still mostly green but showing plenty of yellows, golden browns and light greens with splashes of red.

The Old Settlers Hiking trail goes up and down in elevation but is never really steep. When you start out the forest floor is mostly green but the light greens and yellows in the trees and bushes and on the forest floor seems to lighten up the whole area with a mystical glow.

Deeper in on the Old Settler Hiking trail as you gain in elevation the leaf colors start to burst forth. The fall colors in the leaves make a perfect contrast to the bright and dark green moss growing on the trunk of the trees and along the sides of the hiking trail.

Some of the trees have dropped all of their leaves in the rain we have had in the past few days opening up the autumn canopy so you may better see the sky. The canopy closes back up to mostly greens and by the time you are down in elevation and hiking along Snakefeeder Branch there are mostly yellows and light greens.

Along the lowest elevation of the Old Settlers Trail most of the wildflowers are gone now that it is autumn and the grasses have turned golden yellow to brown. There were a few blue gentian, some purple asters and little white flowers still blooming.

Climbing up the hills now toward campground 33 you pass by another old homestead one of more than a dozen you have already passed. Here it is still mostly green from the trees, rhododendron as moss. Look carefully down one of the deserted branches of this trail and you will see the broken down building which was either a corn crib or hog pen.

As you as you pass the stone walls all covered in green moss and lichen the forest start to change colors again with more yellows and light green - the starts of more brilliant fall colors to burst forth in the next weeks.

At campground 33 you are slightly more than 6-15 miles in and the falls colors are barley starting here. The Old Settlers Trail in Greenbrier will be a great hiking trail near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge for weeks to come!

Don't forget if you want to want to rent the best cabins in the Smokies during peak fall color to rent it early from American Mountain Rentals!

Fall color report for late October 2008 in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

Late October in the Great Smoky Mountains national park is peak for color in the higher attitudes in both Tennessee and North Carolina and the fall color in the leaves are working their way down from the mountain peaks slowly down to the valleys.

There a many reasons why the Great Smoky Mountains national park is so fantastic in the autumn to see the leaves change color in October and November. 2 reasons are that there are more than 100 species of trees in the park and that there is more than 4,000 feet in elevation range from the mountains tops the valleys.

The result of all of the species of different trees all in one place that change color sis that they will all change colors at different times, in different shades and with different intensities. Add into this great diversity of color and timing of the peak of each type of trees leaves and add in the major changes in elevation and you have a leaf season that starts in early October and you can find great color until mid or late November.

Cades Cove in the picture above taken yesterday is not even close to having peak beginning on the valley floor. The deer and coyote are sporting their winter coats and the bear are busy collecting acorns and eating as much as they can to take them through the winter.

The Great Smoky Mountains has many other sections in the park and we will take you through the best place to see the fall colors right now on the Smokies and where they will be.

Once of the best places to take a hike right now in the Great Smoky Mountains national park to see the fall colors is in the higher elevations by Cove Mountain, Wear Valley and Round Top trail that will take you all the way to the Townsend Wye, of course you don't have to hike in far to see great sights.

As you can see by the picture of the bright red leaves on the tree the colors are already stunning. There are also bright yellows and mixes of orange, light yellow and still plenty of deep green of trees which have not changed yet, rhododendron and some yellow pine.

Get off Little River Road at the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area and take the bridge over the river and keep going uphill until you reach the trailhead parking on either round top on the left or the Hiking Trail to Little Greenbrier on the right. Both trails will be great for weeks.

Another section of the national park close to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge is Elkmont section pictured above where a lot of the logging operations took place prior to the formation of the national park.

Since the bottom of Elkmont is one of the lower elevations on the park you are just going to see the start of the color changes here right now. Elkmont has many great hiking trails and they will all take you to higher elevations where the color is better.

One of the nicest and easiest hiking trails to take in Elkmont to see the fall colors is along the Little River Trail. Here you will see the yellow and golden brown leaves already on the trail floor and floating on the river alongside the trail. Giant rock boulders in the river form many small waterfalls and the higher up you hike the better the color becomes.

This is a very easy smooth trail that was a railroad grade and logging road so it is very easy to hike. You do keep on climbing though the further you go in and if you take the Goshen Prong branch of the trail you will reach the peak of the park on the Appalachian Trail where you will find amazing fall colors.

Between Elkmont and Cades Cove just after the Townsend Wye you will find the turnoff to taker you to Tremont - another section of the park that used to have large logging operations.

In the lower elevations of Tremont you will also find most of the trees have not started to change colors but there are some very pretty patches of yellows and reds that are growing more intense by the day.

The gravel road in Tremont travels along the river. Get out on some of the pull outs and just soak in the beauty of this area.

The gravel ends up at a trailhead parking area. Even if you don't want to hike far, just go in 15 minutes and sit at the bench and take in one of the nicest waterfall cascades in the park. Again this is a relatively smooth trail that keeps climbing and the higher you go the better the color is.

Expect this trail to be great until mid to late November!

Hundreds of hot cars to Cruise the Smokies at the Fall Rod Run

Did you miss the rod run this fall in Pigeon Forge Tennessee? Don't despair as Cherokee North Carolina only an hour away is expecting more than 800 classic and souped up custom cars for the Cruise the Smokies Cherokee rod run.

With fall leaf season at its peak in the Smoky Mountains, this will be a perfect time to come out and see the beautiful classic cars and watch them later on motor around the Smokies.

This is also a prefect time for photography enthusiasts to catch special shots of these classic cars against the stunning backdrops of the of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Great Smoky Mountains national park and the Foothills Parkway. Some of the finer autos are going to take on the famous tail of the Dragon.

We are expecting at least 3,000 attendees to show up for the Cherokee Rod Run and if your wheels are older than 1972 or your car is heavily customized you can register to show you car and compete for cash drawings totaling $15,000 for only $40.

The fall rod run is a great place to meet and network with car lovers, shop at the swap meet, enjoy the daily entertainment. If all of this is not enough to get you excited, The Temptations and The Platters are going to play Saturday night at Harrah's Cherokee Casino.

The Cherokee rod run for classic cars in the Smoky Mountains will be held from October 31st to November 2nd at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds. On Friday and Saturday the fairground gates are open from 9-5 and on Sunday from 9 until noon. Tickets for adults and kids 7 and up cost $5 and kids 6 and under are free.

The fall rod run in Cherokee North Carolina is sponsored by Cherokee Travel and Tourism and Harrah's Casino and for more information visit Cherokee Web Site or call (828) 438-1601.

Fall Weekend activities in the Great Smoky Mountains October 18th – 19th

Looking for activities to do on a budget this weekend in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee? We have 2 big events going on here in the Smokies and the most expensive one is only $2 a carload!

This weekend we have activities going on in Cosby Tennessee and Walland Tennessee both evens are in sight of the Great Smoky Mountains national park and both Smokies events are a few minutes drive from Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville Tennessee.

The first event this weekend actually started today at the Cosby visitors center on 321 at the Moonshine Capital of the world Cosby TN - the 11th annual On Cosby outdoor festival.

Here at the On Cosby festival for the price of parking which goes to the local fire department, you an enjoy live musical shows, dancing, demonstrations, talent shows, events and free games for the kids, antique tractor and car show, story telling and so much more. On Cosby Festival Schedule.

The On Cosby show is a great way to meet and mingle with the locals from the Smoky Mountains and is the best family friendly entertainment value of the year - perfect for everyone whether you are on a budget or not.

You will also see local artwork and handicrafts and there are plenty of booths to shop for bargains and taste some locally made food. Be sure to bring back some of the locally delicacy: sourwood honey!

Further down 321 a short drive past the Foothill Parkway you will find the Carver families Apple groves and their retail store which features more apple varieties than you have ever seen before - most locally grown and tasting is encouraged.

People drive up as far away as Alabama during apple season to buy apples as well as their famous fried apple pies. Be sure to pick up a gallon on fresh pressed apple cider - it delicious and unpasteurized for a full bodied flavor.

On the other end of the Great Smoky Mountains national park 12 miles west of the Townsend entrance and 11 miles east of Maryville the national park service will be holding a open house Autumn Leaf driving tour on the Foothills Parkway.

The Foothills Parkway is a stunning section of roadway that is meant to stretch from the east end of the park to the west on the Tennessee side connecting the Towns of Cosby from I 40, Pigeon Forge Gatlinburg, Wears Valley, Townsend, Walland and ending up on 129.

There is also a section of the Foothills Parkway known as the Spur which connects Gatlinburg with Pigeon Forge and has a short cut via a bypass into the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

The Foothills Parkway has some of the most beautiful scenery in the South Eastern US that can be seen from any roadway and is maintained and patrolled by the national park service.

Even though the construction of this road started in the 1970's, only parts of the Foothills Parkway are finished because of construction problems and budgetary issues.

2 sections of this incomplete road just need to have a so called Missing Link connecting both these sections of the Foothills Parkway finished which is expected to be done by some time in 2009.

Since the fall colors are starting to peak here in the Great Smoky Mountains the national park service will be opening one of these sections to motorists this weekend so they can enjoy the beauty of this road while being enveloped by the beautiful fall colors of the Smokies.

Drivers will be allowed to ride on the Foothills Parkway from 9 am to 3 pm this Saturday and Sunday and the entrance is at the Foothills Parkway interchange off US 321 where you will be directed.

Search for the best cabin rentals by name in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville TN

With so many cabins for rent to choose from in the Great Smoky Mountains cities of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville sometimes you have a particular cabin or chalet for rent you have already seen or rented you wish to rent again.

We have compiled a list of more than 150 of best cabins and chalets for rent in the Great Smoky Mountains on the Cabin rental Search Engine listed below.

click on the arrow to the right to search Cabins by name

3 Bears Lodge
A Bears Den
A Breeze
A Cameron's Mountain View
A Grand View
A Happy Bear
A Hen House
A Hunka Hunka Burning Love
A Knotty Bear
A Love Shack
A Majestic Mountain View
A Nautical Love Nest
A Place To Remember
A Rocky Top Escape
A Rustic Experience
A Smoky Getaway
A Wildflower Retreat
Above It All
Above the Clouds
Angels Abode
Ain't Misbehavin
All About Love
All About Romance
All In The Family
Almost Paradise
Alpen Rose
Alone at Last
Always Misbehavin
Amazing Grace
Amazing Place
Arms Way
Around the Bend
Away From It All

Bareskin Romance
Bear Crossing
Bear Extraordinaire
Bear Hug
Bear Hug II
Bear Naked
Bear Paw Chalet
Bear Paw Trail
Bear Track Inn
Beary Cozy
Berry Delightful

Blue Ridge View
Blue Yonder
Boogie Down
Breathless
Brown Bear Lodge
B's Refuge
Buck's Hideaway
Buck's Lookout

Cabin by the Creek
Cabin Fever
Changes in Attitude
Cherokee Lodge
Cherry Hill
Clear View
Cloud Nine
Country Living
Creekside Oasis
Crooning Pines
Cuddly Bears Lair
Deja View
Dippidi Do Da

Eagles Nest
Elk Ridge Lodge
Evening View
E Z Does It
Finders Keepers
Firefly Ridge
Fox Ridge

Good Times
Grand View
Green Leaf
Gummy Bear
Halfway to Heaven

Halleluia
Heavenly Mountain
Heavenly Vision
Heavens Corner
Heavens View
Heaven's View II
Hibernation
Hidden Romance
Highland Lodge
Honey Bear
Hooked on You
Hook's Haven
Hoot 'n Hollar
Humming Bird Cove

King of the Mountain VII
Knotty 'N Nice
Kodiak
Living the Dream
Log Heaven
Lovers Loft
Lovers Point
Lovin Life
Lucky Star

Majestic View
Majestic View II
Misty Mountaintop
Momma Bear
Mountain Dreams
Mountain Laurel Retreat
Mountain Laurel II
Mountain Magic
Mountain Memories
Mountain Music
Mountain Serenity
Mountain View Lodge
Natures Retreat

Oh Whatta View
Oh La La

Our Place

Passion Peaks
Peaches Cream
Perfect Peace
Pigeon River Chalet
Pooh Bear Lair
Restful View
Rippling Waters
River Chase
River Falls Hideaway
River View Chalet

Scenic Serenity
Secret Falls
Sequoyah
She Thinks My Tractors Sexy
Simply Breathtaking
Slippery Rock
Smoky Mountain Memories
Smoky View
Somewhere
Southern Elegance
Suite Temptations
Sweet Dreams

Sweet Seclusion

Tennessee Lodge
The Cats Meow
The Honeymoon Sweet
Timber Wolf
Tranquility
Treetop Oasis
Treetops

Whispering Pines
Whispers
Whoopie Doo
Windsinger

Just click on the arrow and scroll down to the name of the cabin or chalet you wish to rent and then click on the name and our search engine will take you right to a page that has pictures of the cabin and full descriptions of the amenities and a link to rent the cabin or chalet.

Fall Color Report for the Smoky Mountains

The Smoky Mountains have just entered the 2008 fall peak season for leaf color and what can only be described as perfect weather. While the higher elevations in Tennessee and North Carolina have been have been getting more and more colorful for the past 2 weeks, stunning fall colors have now started all around the Smokies.

To enjoy fall colors you just need to step outside or look at of any window in the Smoky Mountains. The depth of the peak autumn leaves can be found in the higher elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains national park along the Appalachian Trail and Mount Le Conte but to see these beautiful fall colors you only need to look up from anywhere in the Smokies.

To see these beautiful colors you can take a drive along Newfound Gap Road (441), the Foothills parkway off I-40, the Foothills Parkway west of Townsend, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and all of the major roads within the national park.

In Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville the views are already wonderful and the views from Bluff Mountain and Wears Valley are also breathtaking.

Hiking in the trails of the Great Smoky Mountains national park offer fantastic fall colors on every twist and turn. Brilliant reds, oranges and yellows glow in the sunlight with a backdrop of light and dark greens.

This picture is of the Bushy Mountain trail yesterday just above the Grotto Falls in the Roaring Fork section of the national park right outside the city of Gatlinburg. While the views of the trees with wonderful fall colors are great, look at the bight colors along the side of the hiking trails as well!

Other great places to see the vistas of the beautiful fall colors of 2008 is at Clingmans Dome at the end of Clingmans Dome Road of Newfound Gap Road and the Newfound Gap parking lot and the various pull offs on Newfound Gap Road.

Less traveled and also a great place to see fall colors in the Smoky Mountains is the Look Rock Tower which is only a short hike from the parking area on the Foothills Parkway west of Townsend.

Did we mention the Cades Cove valley in the Great Smoky Mountains national park? Stunning! The valley has fields that still have some wild flowers blooming and the fall colors are moving up the mountainsides.

The wildlife in Cades Cove is very active right now so you can get some great pictures of the deer frolicking around and maybe even a good picture or two of our local black bear.

For a very special treat in the Great Smoky Mountains the National park service is opening up a section of the Foothills Parkway that is normally closed this Saturday October 18th. To get there go to the Foothills Parkway interchange off U.S. 321 about 11 miles south of Maryville and you will directed by volunteers for this wonderful fall colors auto tour.

People looking to see the best fall colors in the Smoky Mountains can still rent a cabin in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville as there are still a few vacancies left. Rent a cabin within 7 days of check in and get a 10% discount for last minute cabin rentals for the fall color season!

96th Annual Cherokee Indian Fair in the Great Smoky Mountains.

The 96th Annual Cherokee Indian Fair is being held in the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds on Hwy. 441 where visitors will enjoy, music, comedy shows, stomp dancing, and a host of family-friendly competitions such as and baby crawling contests, blowgun, archery and wood chopping competitions and the opportunity to taste foods like bean bread, fried chicken and greens.

Thanks to the Rye Holler Boys a local teenage bluegrass and gospel band, they are donating there performance fee along with all of the proceeds from their CD sales on the night of the fair to help benefit the family of slain State Trooper Shawn Blanton.

Beside the Rye Holler Boys, visitors to the fair will enjoy being entertained by Native American singer Crystal Schwanda, country singer Sammy Kershaw, the Balsam Range Bluegrass Band and the finale by legendary rock band Foreigner Saturday night along with a fireworks grand finale at 11 pm.

Children under 10 are admitted free and the price for general admission is only $10. For more information visit www.cherokee-nc.com.

Cherokee North Carolina is about an hour from Gatlinburg Tennessee and about an hour and 15 minutes from Pigeon Forge.

Bargains and discounts galore in the Pigeon Forge Great Smoky Mountains

You can't walk down the streets of Gatlinburg or drive to any one of the many shopping centers and outlet malls in Pigeon Forge and Sevierville Tennessee in the heart of the Smoky Mountains without finding great bargains and discounts everywhere.

Retailers are felling the pinch and are rolling out huge discounts for shoppers willing to plunk down their plastic or hand over cash.

The Smoky Mountains are a bargain hunters paradise with hundreds and hundreds of outlet and discount stores drawing shoppers looking for deals from hundreds of miles away.

While retail stores usually wait until Black Friday the day after Thanksgiving to really start slashing prices, this year the slashing has begun early and the discounts are far bigger.

The biggest and best bargains can be found in Pigeon Forge and Sevierville where the bargain stores and outlet malls are up and down the Parkway, State Road 66 and on Teaster Lane.

The most popular outlet malls in the Smoky Mountains are the Belz Factory Outlet World, Tanger Five Oaks Mall, and the Tanger Outlet Center which are all in Pigeon Forge Tennessee.

Gatlinburg Tennessee is better known for its small upscale shops that carry everything from original artwork, exquisite jewelry and handicrafts to high end grandfather clocks. All of these stores are ready to cut deals and if are ready to buy, now is the time to do it!

Gatlinburg also has a thriving artist community spread out throughout the Glades area off 321 East of the city and here you will find everything from stained glass to handmade candles, woodwork, pottery and furniture and so much more. Prices not low enough? Haggle! These store owners are looking to cut deals to make up for a slow summer season and they want your money!

The scenery in the Smokies is great and the bargains are bigger than ever, so pack up car and come here to the Smoky Mountains where you will not only get to relax and enjoy the beautiful fall colors, you can get you holiday shopping done early and save a bundle!

After you shop until you drop, come back home to a great cabin in the Smokies and soak in the hot tub as you take in the views!

Fall and Columbus Day cabin rental specials in the Smoky Mountains.

Fall in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains is a beautiful time to rent a cabin and take a vacation or a quick getaway. The weather is mild, the scenery is beautiful and now you can get a discount on a cabin rental!

While everything us around seems to be going up, gas prices in the Smokies are still below the national average and you can still find some cheap luxury cabins to rent for the fall season.

The trees are already changing colors in the higher elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains national park and all around the Smokies and we are only a week from the start of peak 2008 leaf season which will go into November. Take a drive along the Foothills Parkway or the Blue Ridge Parkway and every twist and turn along the road reveals bight colors mixed in with the dark and lights greens making for spectacular fall colors for the whole family to enjoy.

Fall and harvest decorations are everywhere here in the Smokies adding to the festivities in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Even Dollywood has special fall celebrations going on. Some of the most elaborate decorations are along the parkway in Pigeon Forge leading into the National Park.

Renting a cabin in fall in the Great Smoky Mountains for the leaf season is always a good idea. When you rent a cabin you have your own home away from home away from home for a truly fantastic vacation.

In your cabin or chalet you will have plenty of privacy, no need to hear loud people in a hotel room right next to you. When you want to take a nice quiet romantic dip in a hot tub outside with your special someone, you won't have a bunch of wild kids whose parents aren't watching them splashing in the pool next to you or worse yet jumping in the hot tub with you.

When you have your own cabin, you have a fully equipment kitchen - most with a dishwasher so cooking a simple meal or even a feast for the whole family is not and overwhelming task. This is a great way to save precious time on a vacation as well as money. Why wait in a line to get seated in a restaurant when you can eat breakfast on your PJs out of the deck of your own cabin watching the sunrise?

Book any cabin that is still available for check in within 7 days of check in and get a 10% discount off of the already discounted cabin rental rates! This discount is only for new reservations.

Special discount for cabin rentals for the 2008 Columbus Day:

We know it's been tough year on everyone and we want to help so this year we are not the higher holiday rates for Columbus Day! Save money on a great cabin in the Smoky Mountains! Here are the best Cabins for rent in the Smoky Mountains.