Great Smokey Mountains Suggestions
 

We will be camping in July in Pigeon Forge. Have never been to Gr. Smokey Mt. Park and would like suggestions on must see natural and 'commercial' places to see. Four boys 14-6 will be w/ us. Have read July is the rainy season in the Park is that true? <BR>Any and all info very much appreciated. Tx.

July is rainy in the Southeast.

July is rainy in the Southeast? Not in my experience. Summers tend to be quite dry with frequent drought conditions. I live at the foot of the Blue Ridge about 2 hours SE of the Smokeys. I doubt that the weather is substantially diff., but just in case I'm wrong, why don't you look up avg. weather data on weather.com.<BR><BR>What you will likely see are some late afternoon thunderstorms which usually last 1-2 hours.

We went to Gatlinburg last October. One really fun thing to do was &quot;Ober Gatlinburg&quot; which is right on the main drag. They have these alpine &quot;sleds&quot; which run down a mountain on tracks. It wasn't scary for us middle-agers because you can control the speed. The view was spectacular and I would think your boys would LOVE this. You can also take a skyway tram up the mountain even further. Very fun for all ages.

We went to Dollywood and also to her newly opened water park, can't remember the name of it. It is a great place to go if you're a fan of Dolly Parton or not. We are, so it was extra fun!

<BR>Let me second the Dollywood recommendation. I don't like amusement park rides, but I enjoy Dollywood. They have lots of demonstrations of mountain crafts. Some people like Gatlinburg, but others find it too commerical. On the NC side of the mountains, you have the Cherokee Indian Reservation. They have a nice museum, but most people go there for Harrah's Casino.<BR><BR>As for &quot;must see natural&quot; attractions, there are over 800 square miles in the park, so there is a lot to see. &quot;Everyone&quot; goes to Cades Cove. It can become very crowded though. On the NC side, one of my favorite is Cataloochee. It is a smaller version of Cades Cove, but not as crowded. Likewise, both NC and TN, have lots of hiking and rafting.<BR><BR>I don't know of a &quot;rainy season&quot; in the Smokies.<BR><BR>Mike Honeycutt

I love Mike Honeycutt, but I loved Trapper more!

We went to the Smoky Mountains two summers ago in July. We had no rain at all (for 6 days). We took the kids, ages 8-16 white water rafting in the Nantahala (sp ?)river. Also to seea few of the waterfalls in the park and to Biltmore Estate in Ashville. We also visited a trout farm and fished for an afternoon. They loved everything but Biltmore.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone...hoping to hear more!

Dollywood is the most beautiful and cleanest amusement park I've ever been to! Very quiet and peaceful!

ttt

If you want to avoid the congestion and crowds of Gatlingburg/Pigeon Forge you might check out the camping in Townsend, which is just south of Gatlinburg. The entrance to the park is nearby and Cade's Cove is at the southern end. It is best to visit Cade's Cove early in morning or in the evening to avoid crowds and see more animals...deer,maybe bear,etc. Townsend has grown a bit since we last
camped there but it is not near as many people as Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge.
Both are just a short drive up a scenic road in the park if you want to check out the commercial areas.

Get OUT of town and INTO the park. Your boys would love hiking the beautiful trails the park is famous for. and you'll be glad they burned off all that energy.

Check at the Visitor Center at the entrance for appropriate trail suggestions.
It amazes me how many people go to the Smokey N.P. and never get out of the car and off the road.

Don't worry about looking for &quot;commercial&quot; places around Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge...they are numerous and in your face!

Trust me...you'll see what I mean when you get there.