Gatlinburg, Great Smokies National park hotel question (Hendersonville, Sevierville: rentals, houses)

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by y8tiger

Thinking outside the box, we have stayed over the mountain in hotels on the Cherokee Reservation in NC.

The advantage is that they are cheaper, less crowed, and you have access to tourist sites and shopping on the Reservation.

The disadvantage is that you have an hour drive on US-441 through the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

All of that depends on where you are going within the park.

National parks are huge. Slugging through the Gatlinburg traffic on the Parkway isn't always going to be the easiest bet.

The national park is 816 sq. mi. - over a 40 mi x 20 mi. area. It's a huge place. Lots of destinations within there.

There are message boards dedicated to GSMNP. That would be where to start if they have precise destinations in mind. I've done a good bit of hiking down there, but nothing to give anyone much information beyond the areas around Gatlinburg.

[wizrap]

We stayed in Pigeon Forge at the Tru by Hilton 2 years ago and it was wonderful. But I don’t know if it’s in your price range.

We thought Gatlinburg, though right in the park, was sooooo crowded. We went in October, also prime tourist season. Lots of people come to watch the leaves change. It is beautiful.

You need to enjoy a meal at The Local Goat in Pigeon Forge. So delicious we ate there twice!

Our friends got us free tickets to Dollywood. Some sections were shut down due to COVID so that was a disappointment. But the tickets were free and we couldn’t argue with the price.

Enjoy your stay! We’re looking forward to returning, perhaps this fall too.

[Lizap]

Originally Posted by y8tiger

Thinking outside the box, we have stayed over the mountain in hotels on the Cherokee Reservation in NC.

The advantage is that they are cheaper, less crowed, and you have access to tourist sites and shopping on the Reservation.

The disadvantage is that you have an hour drive on US-441 through the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

^ this. Gatlinburg is full of tourists and tacky shops. Stay in Cherokee. It is less crowded and much more authentic.

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by Lizap

^ this. Gatlinburg is full of tourists and tacky shops. Stay in Cherokee. It is less crowded and much more authentic.

When I was in Cherokee in 2019, it had a ton of vacant stores, and it definitely had several tacky gift shops and tacky tourist traps. Many of them profiting from the Cherokee Indian history theme.

Plus it has a vibe that is a bit drab and less inviting than the Tennessee tourist cities side. Can't nail what it is, but there has always been sort of a "visible struggle" with residents there.

Cherokee has some unique attractions and is a fascinating place to visit, but there's a reason it has always been a less desirable place to vacation in that Smoky Mountain region.

I'd recommend a pit stop for a couple hours in Cherokee, but in my opinion, it's not worth it.

[Lizap]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

When I was in Cherokee in 2019, it had a ton of vacant stores, and it definitely had several tacky gift shops and tacky tourist traps. Many of them profiting from the Cherokee Indian history theme.

Plus it has a vibe that is a bit drab and less inviting than the Tennessee tourist cities side. Can't nail what it is, but there has always been sort of a "visible struggle" with residents there.

Cherokee has some unique attractions and is a fascinating place to visit, but there's a reason it has always been a less desirable place to vacation in that Smoky Mountain region.

I'd recommend a pit stop for a couple hours in Cherokee, but in my opinion, it's not worth it.

Last time I was in Gatlinburg, I said I would never go back. Traffic was backed up through town for almost a mile. It took us a long time just to get through the center part of town. Crowds on the street were several people deep. Tacky shops galore. Not my idea of a place I would ever want to return to. It’s a shame since this part of the country is beautiful. Cherokee is in an excellent location to visit the park and far less crowded. The Indian shops/culture is an added bonus. Regarding your last statement, if I wanted to visit the mountains, and not just the park, there are more desirable areas in western NC to use as a base, such as Waynesville, Hendersonville, Black Mountain, or Brevard.

[Ted Bear]

Every hotel chain known to mankind can be found in Gatlinburg or next door in (extraordinarily) honky-tonk Sevierville. Run an internet search and you will have a buffet of suggestions and all prices.

Smokey Mountain National Park is extraordinary, but the towns on the Tennessee side are really tourist traps in the truest sense of the word. Traffic, especially at "foliage" season will be very heavy, including busloads of people jamming the streets and sidewalks in Gatlinburg. Just be aware of what you are getting yourself into. Patience will be key.

The good news is that other than the fringes of the park, many people never venture very far into the beautiful park. For a handicapped guest you might like to take the car ride on the loop into Cades Cove. It might be less crowded, and there will be rangers at various locations throughout. I forget exactly, but you can spend at least a couple hours in there--longer if you stop to explore some of the few remaining buildings in there. A ride through the main road going over the mountain to Cherokee is likely to be a bumper-to-bumper crawling experience at that time of year, especially if there is a bear or an elk visible from the road.

Enjoy your trip. It really is an extraordinary park. Most visited in the USA, and for a reason. If you need a side trip with a less hectic pace, get up on the Blue Ridge Parkway and enjoy views unsurpassed pretty much anywhere in the eastern US. Black Mountain https://www.exploreblackmountain.com/ is a cute town where you night wish to spend an afternoon. Or longer.

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by Lizap

Last time I was in Gatlinburg, I said I would never go back. Traffic was backed up through town for almost a mile. It took us a long time just to get through the center part of town. Crowds on the street were several people deep. Tacky shops galore. Not my idea of a place I would ever want to return to. It’s a shame since this part of the country is beautiful. Cherokee is in an excellent location to visit the park and far less crowded. The Indian shops/culture is an added bonus. Regarding your last statement, if I wanted to visit the mountains, and not just the park, there are more desirable areas in western NC to use as a base, such as Waynesville, Hendersonville, Black Mountain, or Brevard.

The traffic in Gatlinburg is definitely an issue. It's become way, way too popular.

It's just like all major tourist attractions in general--they become too popular and everyone going has to deal with crowds.

As I recall my past recent trips to popular national parks, it was absolutely dreadful dealing with nightmare traffic moving at a snail's pace in the road leading to the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone (ugh the absolute worst) and Maui traffic on the Road to Hanna.

I think high tourist areas are really the issue here--everyone wants to be there!

I love the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area--it's just gorgeous, with tons of cool things to do. There's also a lot of tacky, but that's what Americans do to a place, sell gadgets at whatever cost and whatever brings a profit (Vegas, Niagra Falls, etc)

I don't like Cherokee much at all. It was always a pass by/flyover stop for us growing up. We'd see the tacky indian focused souvenier shops, and that was all that was there. Today there's a casino and a few restaurants, more stores, and areas of town that are in worse shape than they used to be.

Western North Carolina is stunningly gorgeous, but many of those small towns you mentioned get clogged up with traffic themselves in prime seasons.

On the Tennessee side, Townsend is really the best town in the Smokies region for quaintness, quiet and a village feel, without the wall to wall traffic and tons of tackiness in your face all the time.

[creeksitter]

My first reaction was why didn't Liz take the bypass but then remembered you are coming from NC. Might have been worth it to loop around and use the bypass even though it's out of the way.

There are 8 places one can drive into the park on the TN side and only two involve going through Gatlinburg. In addition there are at least 7 locations where one can walk into the park. It's possible to bypass most of Pigeon Forge via Teaster lane and there's a back road to get to teaster ln from Knoxville but best keep that to the locals.

I usually go to the Smokies via Townsend and while it's uncrowded I wouldn't call it quaint or a village feel.

I realize you will likely never return Liz, but for an upscale experience stay at the Buckthorn inn and visit the craft shops in the Glades area. Best to wait until the nearby Greenbrier entrance is open.

[jabogitlu]

If proximity to the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge nexus is not important, there are equally beautiful areas all around the southern Appalachians. The Bald Mountains are my particular favorite range. (Max Patch is a great place to start, but there are many other balds that are stunning.) Similarly, the Unakas (Roan Mountain etc) are top notch and rival anything in the GSMNP.

But, if a trip to the Appalachians means that tourist vibe, you could also check out Boone, Valle Crucis, Grandfather Mountain - that area is set up for casual tourism but doesn't get the throngs of people that Gatlinburg does.

I would say that Gatlinburg/GSMNP is likely to be the MOST accessible area (in terms of disability), just due to the federal government involvement there and the sheer number of people they have to contend with annually.

[y8tiger]

Originally Posted by Lizap

Last time I was in Gatlinburg, I said I would never go back. Traffic was backed up through town for almost a mile. It took us a long time just to get through the center part of town. Crowds on the street were several people deep. Tacky shops galore. Not my idea of a place I would ever want to return to. It’s a shame since this part of the country is beautiful. Cherokee is in an excellent location to visit the park and far less crowded. The Indian shops/culture is an added bonus. Regarding your last statement, if I wanted to visit the mountains, and not just the park, there are more desirable areas in western NC to use as a base, such as Waynesville, Hendersonville, Black Mountain, or Brevard.

^ Concur Completely. Last time I stayed in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg the crowds were overwhelming. Got to make it back during the off season, whenever that is.

We started out of Maryville on the Cherokee Heritage Trail a few years back. I really enjoyed that and driving the US-129 Tail of the Dragon was absolutely gorgeous.

https://tennesseeoverhill.com/cultur...eritage-trail/

I hope to get back to see the "Unto These Hills" outdoor theater show there sometime soon. Have to time the visit right, because the last time I saw it was in the early 80's.

I so wish the Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park in Maggie Valley still existed.

Went back to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) a couple years ago and rafted the Nantahala River. Hadn't done that since the late 90's.

I am comfortable staying on the Cherokee Reservation, but to each his own. I think the GSMNP really does have something for everyone.