Wilderness Week in Pigeon Forge Tennessee

Wilderness Week kicks off tomorrow Saturday, January 10th in Pigeon Forge. For the 19th year Wilderness week is one of the highlights for many of the Winterfest in the Smoky Mountains celebration.

Whether you enjoy nature, history, photography, music or arts and crafts by actively participating or just watching or listing to one of the experts in a classroom situation, or out in the field - Wilderness Week is for you.

While the guided hikes don't begin until Sunday, classes and registration for hiking trips begin tomorrow morning.

In the lobby of the Music Road Hotel Convention Center you can register for the Sunday guided hikes at 11:30 am and class registration and well as get information on any of the Wilderness Week activities go on all day from 7:00 am up until 10:30 pm. There is also photo exhibit going all day Saturday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The following is a list of Wilderness Week class, demonstrations and hands on activities for Saturday taking place at Music Road Hotel Convention Center:

• 8:00 am - 10:00 am Fishing in the Smokies by Greg Ward


• 8:00 am - 11:00 am Using Map and Compass by Terry and Lavalla Edgington. Class is limited to 50 participants and pre-registration is required.


• 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Nature Photography Workshop by Tom and Pat Cory, Harold Stinnette and Kendall Chiles.


• 9:00 am - 10:00 am Seminar on Photoshop for Nature Photographers by Bart Baldwin, Cesar Palacio and David Hartfield


• 9:00 am - 10:30 am The Art of Photography: An Image Critique for Artistic Enhancement by Ron Plasencia and Pat Gordy


• 10:30 am - 11:30 am Cherokee Stories of the Great Smoky Mountains by Lloyd Arneach


• 10:30 am - 11:30 am Kids Track: Critters 2 You: Live Animal Show with Rick Rakestraw


• Noon - 1:00 pm Margaret Stevenson - A Smokies Trailblazing Icon by Bill and Rosemary Deitzer


• 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Through the Double Lenses: 3-D Travel Adventures with Lee Pratt and Andrea Shetley


• 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Panthers in the Southern Appalachians by Dr. Don Linzey


• 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Early Songs in the Smoky Mountains with Bob and Sharon Brittle


• 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Civil War in the Mountains by Christine Tipton


• 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Seasons of the Smokies with Bob and Gloria Epperson


• 2:45 pm - 3:45 pm Learn to Play Harmonica in the Key of C with Tony Thomas


• 2:45 pm - 3:45 pm Building Professional Grade Slideshows with Dale Knight


• 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Uncle Lem Ownby by F. Carroll McMahan


• 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Kids Track: Animal Olympics with Ann Schlichting


• 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm Fly Casting with Greg Ward


• 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm Close Up and Macro Photography Workshop with Andrea Shetley (pre-registration is required as the class is limited to 15 participants)


• 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Hills-N-Hollows Presents "As For Me and Papaw We Believe" With Mike and Kathy Gwinn


• 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm Photoshop Boot Camp for Nature Photographers with Bart Baldwin, Cesar Palacio and David Hartfield


• 4:15 pm - 5:15 pm Monday Hike Sign Ups


• 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Wild Flowers of the Smokies by Jack Carman


• 5:15 pm - 7:15 pm Beginning Dulcimer 101 with Ginny Cliett, Deby Libby and Linda Smith


• 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Woodslore and Wildwoods Wisdom by Doug Elliott


• 7:00 pm - 7:45 pm Wilderness Wildlife Week Opening Remarks by Terry Maddox, Executive Director of Great Smoky Mountains Association, Jim Hart, Executive Director of Friends of GSMNP, Dale Ditmanson, Superintendent GSMNP and Ken Jenkins - Photographer


• 7:45 am - 8:45 pm The Heartland Series 25th Anniversary Celebration with Bill Landry


• 8:45 pm Amazing Grace Slide Presentation by Don McGowan

We suggest based upon how the weather is iffy this time of year and you could get snowed into your cabin that you consider renting a chalet in the Riverpoint Community way down in the Pigeon Forge Valley less than 3 minutes from the convention center.