Day 6 of Winterfest Wilderness Wildlife week in Pigeon Forge

Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge is till going strong and is rolling onto day 6 on Thursday January 15th with an incredible schedule of lectures and hands on classes.

For the hikers the weather has been cold but the hikes have been fantastic except for a mishap where a hiker broke her ankle in 2 places earlier this week on the MT Le Conte hike.

You can still get information about Winterfest Wilderness Wildlife from 7:00 am - 9:30 pm in the lobby of Music Road Hotel Convention Center and at the end of the hall the Photo and Textiles of the Smokies Exhibit are open from 9:00 am - 6:00 pm.

• 8:30 am - 11:30 am Basic Visual Tracking presented by Joe Kelly


• 8:30 am - 12:30 pm Nature Photography Workshop Don McGowan, Kendall Chiles and Les Saucier


• 8:45 am - 9:45 am Introduction to Musical Instruments in Story and Song with Tony Thomas


• 9:30 am - 10:30 am The Art of Dowsing: Do You Have the Art? By Charlie Monday (Pre-registration is required and is limited to 30 participants)


• 9:30 am - 10:30 am Building Professional Grade Slideshows by Dale Knight


• 10:00 am - 11:00 am Six Months of Hummingbirds in Your Yard with Steve Garr


• 11:00 am - Noon The Walker Sisters of Little Greenbrier with Arthur McDade


• 11:00 am - Noon Be Careful Out There with Joe Taft


• 11:15 am - 12:15 pm Tennessee Town and Country Scapes with Jack Carman


• 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Bringing Back a Legend Cougar Recovery in Eastern North America by Jay Tischendorf


• 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm A Studio in a Cooler by Jim Eastin


• 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Where's Mommy? Rehabilitating Wildlife presented by Phyllis Rollins


• 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm The Fontana Project with Jerry Span


• 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm What's in the Camera Bag? Presented by Andrea Shetley


• 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Let's Sketch a Bird - Advanced Drawing with Louise Bales (Pre-registration is required and is limited to 20 participants)


• 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Meet the Knoxville Zoo Bird Show with Nicki Edwards, Erin Gray, Jill Berry and Elisabeth Zafiris


• 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm Creating Sustainable Backyard Habitat for Wildlife with Phyllis Rollins


• 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm Hike Twentymile with Jerry Span


• 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm The Art of Dowsing: Do You have the Gift? Presented Charlie Monday (Pre-registration is required and is limited to 30 participants)


• 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Wood Carving, Butterfly, Flower - PART 2 with Don Taylor Limited to 8 participants: pre-registration is required Participants must bring own carving knife Continued from Tuesday, 2:00 - 5:00 pm


• 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Nature's Magical Moments: Reflection on Nature and Self by Ellen Hitchcock


• 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Digital Photography-Shooting Like a Pro! With Richard Iceland


• 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Mountain Families, Lives and Music performed by the Boogertown Gap Band


• 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Hills-N-Hollows: An Appalachian Sampler with Mike and Kathy Gwinn


• 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm Hiking and Photography with Robert Schuffert


• 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Music and Memories from an Earlier Time Greenbrier the Whaley Family Singers


• 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Young Teddy Roosevelt by Mark Klemestrud


• 6:00 pm Sign ups for Saturday Hikes


• 7:00 pm Slow Jam with Tony Thomas - you can bring Your Own Instrument or simply enjoy and listen


• 7:00 - 7:45 pm The Wood Pickers: Old Time Celtic and Bluegrass Music performed by Jeanie Hilten and Friends


• 7:30 - 9:00 pm Conversations with a Tramp and an Evening with John Muir and Lee Stetson


• 8:30 pm "Lore of the Stars and Moon" with Stuart Carroll and if the Weather permits, the group will go outdoors

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.

What to expect in the Smoky Mountains during January

One of the best times to come to the Smokies is in January. Most people who come to vacation in the Smoky Mountains have been here at least once before and often they are looking to come here and enjoy one of the seasons when they have not been here before and January is one of the favorites of the locals.

January in the Smoky Mountains is unpredictable when it comes to the weather, but you can be guaranteed that you will have a great time, find off season prices everywhere including cabin and chalet rental rates and no crowds!

Stay here long enough in January and you can be pretty well assured you will see snow in the highest elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

The weather in Smoky Mountains during January changes day to day for example last weekend it was almost 70 degrees in Gatlinburg and today we are expecting up to 6 inches of snow!

When it does snow during January in the Smokies, it almost never sticks around for more than a few hours in the lower elevations but the upper elevations in the Great Smoky Mountains national park can see snow stay for days or even weeks.

Of course outdoor water parks in the Smokies are closed during the winter and you will find some other attractions close down as it is so quiet here in January but don't despair - there is still plenty to do!

During January you will find that Winterfest is still going on strong. Winterfest takes place in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville and starts in November as a holiday celebration with events and millions of holiday lights decorating the Smokies and turning the area into a winter wonderland.

During January one of the most popular events of Winterfest takes place called Wilderness Wildlife Week and this year marks the 19th anniversary of Wilderness Wildlife Week.

Wilderness Wildlife Week is based out of Pigeon Forge and has guided hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains national park, wildlife classes and lectures, photography classes and exhibits, historical lectures and demonstrations and musical performances and so much more.

Spending time during January in the Great Smoky Mountains national park is a fantastic time to get away from it all and enjoy the peace and quiet and the beauty of the Smokies.

In January the wildlife in the Smokies can be a little harder to find as snakes, spiders and mosquitoes are not around and active in the cold. The black bears are also in their quiet hibernation mode and almost impossible to see as they are almost never active.

Take a tour of Cades Cove by car or bike and you will see that not only is there almost no traffic, the deer are everywhere and the male deer called bucks are sporting their antlers from the December rut.

In the Cataloochee valley section of the national park you will be able to see our North American Elk that have been reintroduced in the park which are an awesome site to behold.

Look carefully all around the park and you should be able to see coyote in the hour or so after sunrise or before sunset and if you are really lucky, red or grey fox as well.

If there is a dusting of snow on the ground you usually don't have to look too hard or go too far to find tracks of deer, rabbit, squirrel fox and coyote.

What to get away from it all and take a hike in the Smokies and see awesome views. Drive up US 441 to Newfound Gap and park at the Newfound Gap parking area and walk up the Clingmans Dome Road which closes December 1st. Walk a few hundred yards or walk the whole 7 miles up to the Clingmans Dome Observation Tower and look out at the 360 degree view of the Smokies - breathtaking!

Make sure if you walk up Clingmans Dome road to check out the walls of ice that form white and transparent curtains that glistens in the sunlight - a perfect backdrop to the evergreen trees above.

Came back after enjoying a great day outside in the fresh air of the Smoky Mountains to a delicious hot meal in of the hundreds of restaurants in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg for some good southern cooking, delicious steaks are any type of food you can imagine.

January is a great time to enjoy the Smokies and avoid the crowds, enjoy the winter beauty and get great off season rates on cabins and chalets for rent in the Smokies!

How great are the rental rates for an extended stay in the Smokies? How about cabin rentals for less than $100 a night in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee!

Winterfest in the Smokies is still going on strong

Even though Christmas and New Years are over and it reached into the upper 60s today in parts of Gatlinburg, Winterfest is still going on strong in the Smoky Mountains!

Hurry up and come to the Smokies if you want to see fabulous Winterfest holiday decorations and more than 5,000,000 holiday lights spread throughout Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville Tennessee.

A quick tour of the best places to still see the Winterfest lights is along the 66 and the Parkway from Sevierville to Pigeon Forge and on Teaster Lane in Pigeon Forge.

The absolute best display of Winterfest lights in Pigeon Forge is behind the Old Mill at Patriot Park. Here you will find a tribute to all of those who are serving or who have served in the armed forces. Park your car and walk around in the park as there are too many Winterfest Christmas light displays to be seen from the car!

In Gatlinburg the best Winterfest lights are along 441 all the way to the Spur and all along 321 to the end of the city limits by the artist community.

Of course along with the official Winterfest decorations there are many homes and businesses decked to the halls with the wonderment of holiday lights that can take your breath away. The artist community on Glades Road in Gatlinburg and the Christmas Place on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge put on the best private displays.

With so much to see and do in the Smokies, come here as late as February and you can enjoy the Winterfest celebration - we'll leave the lights on for you - all 5 million of them!

While it is great to see so many beautiful Christmas lights and displays all around the Smokies, make your visit to the Smoky Mountains even more exciting and beautiful by staying in a cabin that is all decorated for the season! Decorated cabins have Christmas lights, a least 1 Christmas tree and more!

So light a fire in the fireplace, hang your stockings and enjoy your Christmas season in the Smokies by calling (800)508-6070 and rent a cabin decorated for Christmas in the Smokies!

Gatlinburg Trolley Winterfest City Lights Tour

The Smoky Mountains come to life every fall when Winterfest in the Smokies kicks off in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville Tennessee during which more than 8,000,000 Christmas and holiday lights blaze throughout the night.

Millions flock to the Smoky Mountains to enjoy Winterfest and one of the most popular Winterfest attractions is to see all of the holiday light displays in and around the 3 cities that light up the Smoky Mountains.

Though Winterfest lights are spread out over a large area, the city of Gatlinburg has the prettiest downtown area when it is all lit up with the Winterfest lights and it also has the greatest concentration of Holiday Lights.

Now you don't need to drive around to find the best city lights for Winterfest, you can take the environmentally friendly and comfortable alternative and pay attention to the tour and the lights instead of the traffic.

The tour has a driver who will take you on the journey in a comfortable hybrid propane vehicle and a tour guide dressed in a period or holiday costume. Depending on the traffic the whole tour will take from 45 minutes to about an hour.

After departing you will go up Baskins Road, down Airport Road, down the Parkway, around River Drive than along the Parkway and out 321 past the city limits to the furthest light displays.

The Gatlinburg Trolley Tour guide will give you some history on the Winterfest and particulars on the lights themselves such as the Winterfest Holiday lights are now made locally from environmentally friendly LED's.

You will also get lessons on local Smoky Mountains history during the Trolley Tour of lights and get facts on the Great Smoky Mountains national park, Gatlinburg, local folk lore and a little about Pigeon Forge.

While the ride is very comfortable, the scenery very pretty and the tour is humorous and informative, very young children may not enjoy the Gatlinburg Winterfest Holiday Lights Trolley.

The Gatlinburg Winterfest Holiday Lights Trolley Tour runs 3 times a night starting November 5th and ending January 31st except for December 5th, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Years Eve.

The Gatlinburg Winter Trolley tour departs from the main trolley station in the city of Gatlinburg under the Ripley's Aquarium near Arrowmont at 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 pm.

Tickets are only $5 and they do take credit cards but they sell out fast so it's best you call ahead or stop by the transit office desk upstairs or call (865)436-0535.

Take the Gatlinburg Winterfest Holiday Lights Trolley Tour this season, you will be glad you did!

Cabins for rent in Gatlinburg Tennessee.

Lights, cameras, Smoky Mountains Winterfest action!

The 19th annual Winterfest celebration in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Tennessee has kicked off and in Pigeon Forge alone more than 5,000,000 Christmas lights are creating a nighttime wonderland in the Great Smoky Mountains.

The leaves in the trees have changed into beautiful fall colors which have fallen and blanket the ground and there is now a winter nip in the air and snow on the mountain peaks - winter has come to the Great Smoky Mountains!

There are lots of Winterfest activities in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville Tennessee and sights to see. The Smokies are the prefect family friendly place to bring the whole gang to enjoy Winterfest.

Bring your cameras for the millions of lights and the Christmas displays all around town which are fantastic and of course there is so much to see and do in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

One of the ways to really appreciate Winterfest is to take the Gatlinburg Tennessee Smoky Mountains Winterfest trolley tour of holiday lights.

The Smoky Mountains in winter - you'll never run out of things to see and do!