FALL 2026
VISITING THE
SMOKIES Nothing Short of Magical
The Newport Plain Talk
FREE
VISITING THE SMOKIES is published by The Newport Plain Talk 145 East Broadway | Newport, TN 37821 423-623-6171
SHANON ADAME Editor
KATHY BARNES Assistant Editor
LESLIE MAGALIOS Advertising Director
SARAH GRAYSON MultiMedia Account Executive
DARLA ALLEN Designer
Copyright: 2026 Visiting The Smokies, The Newport Plain Talk. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the newspaper management. Reproduction of advertising and design work is strictly prohibited due to the use of licensed art services and agency agreement.
COVER PHOTO BY KATHY BARNES 2 • VISITING THE SMOKIES • FALL 2026
PHOTO BY KATHY BARNES
Carver’s Orchard and Applehouse Restaurant are located at 3460 Cosby Highway.
PEOPLE TRAVEL FROM ALL OVER to Carver’s Orchard and Applehouse Restaurant
KATHY BARNES | Assistant Editor There are plenty of apples to choose from at Carver’s Orchard and Applehouse Restaurant located at 3460 Cosby Highway (Highway 321) in Cosby. Danny Ray Carver, who has been in the orchard business for his entire life, owns the business. Carver’s Orchard was established by Carver’s father, Kyle Carver, in 1942. The orchard covers 75 acres and offers more than 100 varieties of apples. Carver explained that the early harvest starts in late June and depending on the variety of apples, the harvest will continue through late fall. The last variety that will be harvested will be the Pink Lady variety, and they aren’t harvested until around Thanksgiving. While many locals visit the apple house and restaurant, there are also many customers who live out of state who schedule an annual visit to pick up their apples and other items, such as canned goods. The apple house offers more than just apples. It has homemade fried pies, nuts, and other fruits and vegetables. Hours for the orchard/apple house are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. There is also a seasonal candy store and a restaurant on the premises. The restaurant hours are currently Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. The apple house store is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Stacey’s Sweet Treats is a candy store that offers a
PHOTO BY KATHY BARNES
Apples are shown hanging from the trees at Carver’s Orchard. Apples will be harvested throughout late fall.
variety of old-fashioned candies, including handdipped chocolates, homemade candy apples, fresh salt water taffy and more. The candy store is closed Monday and Tuesday. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The orchard phone number is (423) 487-2419 and the restaurant phone number is (423) 487-2710. www.new por tplaintalk .com
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FALL 2026 • VISITING THE SMOKIES • 3
BUSH’S HISTORY in the Smokies
CHESTNUT HILL - While most people know the name of Bush’s for its canned beans, it has long had a role in the history of the Smoky Mountains. The Bush’s company history started before the plant opened its doors. A.J. Bush was born in Chestnut Hill, located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. He established the A.J. Bush and Company General Store, which offered a place to sell local goods as well as goods from other locations. Because of the need for jobs in the area, Bush decided to open a hosiery factory. As construction got underway, Stokely Brothers Tomato Cannery in Newport approached Bush with an offer. If Bush provided a building and workers, they would supply the equipment for him to open a cannery. The partnership came to fruition, and in 1904 the cannery opened, providing the jobs the community needed. In four short years, Bush bought out the Stokely Brothers partnership interest and formed a business with his sons, Fred and Claude, creating Bush Brothers and Company. The cannery did well, and they worked with distributors in many areas, including Knoxville, as Asheville, North Carolina, and Greenville, South Carolina. As World War I came around, the demand for canned goods increased, but as the war ended, so did the demand for canned goods. The family business was incorporated and management was turned over to A.J. Bush’s sons, while the senior Bush focused on operating the general store. By 1930, the cannery produced and distributed a variety of canned products.
During the Great Depression, the company sought out affordable products to offer the country. Among those goods were hominy, sauerkraut, and pork and beans. When the Tennessee Valley Authority flooded Douglas Lake, a lot of prime farmland was lost and the Oak Grove plant of Bush Brothers was also lost. During 1944, the company bought a cannery in Blytheville, Arkansas, so it could increase production figures again. While various vegetables were being canned, it focused on beans and hominy, which were its top sellers. In 1947, the board of directors chose to go with a new identity, Bush’s Best, and the double B logo that became known nationwide. It was the 1990s when the baked beans market transformed Bush’s into a champion in the canning industry. The company’s headquarters are now in Knoxville, but the Chestnut Hill factory has grown. The general store is also in operation, and the Bush family home is open during the Christmas holidays for tours. Thousands of people make their way to the visitor’s center in Chestnut Hill each year, located at the intersection of Highway 411 and Highway 92 in Chestnut Hill, where the general store and a diner welcome guests. The museum and the store are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. The cafe’s hours are seasonal, open from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. January through March and 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. April through December. Closed Sundays. To schedule a tour group for 30 or more people at the museum or cafe, call (865) 509-3077. For additional information, go to bushbeans.com/ en_US/about-us/visitor-center.
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FALL GLOWS
during Dollywood’s Harvest Festival PIGEON FORGE - Fall glows brightest at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, where autumn days burst to life in vivid color and nights glimmer with illuminating surprises. Explore among enchanting Hoot Owl Hollow, hear a mystical melody from Dolly’s giant, glowing guitar, and gaze up at a towering 40-foot pumpkin tree exclusively during Great Pumpkin LumiNights presented by Covenant Health. SMOKY MOUNTAIN SPLENDOR By day, celebrate the season of many colors with the return of Dollywood’s Harvest Just like Dolly’s beloved Smoky Mountains, Dollywood transforms every fall into Festival, which runs through Oct. 31. Dozens of talented musicians perform Southern gospel, country and bluegrass melodies, the scents of fall treats waft through the a haven of harvest beauty. Thousands of fabulous fall flowers in traditional hues of streets and the sounds of thrilling rides like Big Bear Mountain fill the air with red, yellow and orange bring autumn to life, while mountain-fresh touches like white adventure. and green gourds, purple blooms and gorgeous greenery add a unique twist to classic seasonal decor. GREAT PUMPKIN LUMINIGHTS Feel the rush of a fall breeze when you grab a seat on any of Dollywood’s worldAward-winning Great Pumpkin LumiNights returns to light up the night with thousands of creatively carved pumpkins and larger-than-life pumpkin icons. Back to class rides and attractions. Join the expedition on Dollywood’s newest and longest delight for another year, family favorite Hoot Owl Hollow is the enchanting hideaway coaster ever: Big Bear Mountain, traverse the mountainside with a thrilling ride on Mystery Mine as bright fall foliage rushes by, or soak up the splendor of the Smoky of a gigantic, glowing owl and its dozens of friends roosting in the trees, atop Mountains during a relaxing train ride on the classic Dollywood Express. buildings and across the hillside. Explore a world of not-so-spooky nighttime fun, Great Pumpkin LumiNights is the highlight of Harvest season at Dollywood. LIVE MUSIC A family favorite since its inception, Great Pumpkin LumiNights grows again A tradition deeply rooted in the Great Smoky Mountains, live music is the heart this year with 10 ride-themed pumpkin displays, including representations of guest and soul of fall at Dollywood. Be serenaded by the sounds of a Smoky Mountain fall favorite family coaster Big Bear Mountain and the ever-thrilling Wild Eagle. with Southern gospel, bluegrass, Americana and country tunes to tap your toes to. Pumpkins aren’t only visually present throughout the park; they’re in many new There will be dozens of live performances daily — including bluegrass, Southern culinary offerings as well. Warm, hearty lunch and dinner options include spiced gospel and country music. pumpkin bisque, everything toasted garlic knots with pumpkin cheese sauce, and hickory smoked ribs with pumpkin spiced rub, found at seasonal culinary booths and HARVEY’S BOO BASH restaurants. A new exclusive nighttime event with limited capacity, Harvey’s Boo Bash filled Other fall flavors are found in various stuffed sweet potatoes, including the maple with festive surprises around every corner. With playful fun for the whole family, brown sugar pecan cinnamon apple stuffed sweet potato and refreshing beverage Harvey’s Boo Bash is the perfect way to make even more fall memories at Dollywood. options like harvest apple lemonade. For more information about Dollywood’s Harvest Festival, Great Pumpkin LumiNights tickets and other events, visit Dollywood.com or download the Dollywood app.
Short Drive To Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg
141 Lower Bogard Rd. (close to 1-40) Newport, TN 37821
423-465-3060 www.triplecreekcampground.com www.new por tplaintalk .com
FALL 2026 • VISITING THE SMOKIES • 5
SMOKY MOUNTAIN TRAIL MAP
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HOT SPRINGS TRAIL MAP
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FALL 2026 • VISITING THE SMOKIES • 7
NEWPORT HARVEST STREET FESTIVAL OCTOBER 3-4
One of the longer running fall festivals in the Smokies, the Newport Harvest Street Festival returns for its 39th annual event to the streets of downtown Newport the weekend of October 3-4 and brings with it many activities, crafts, music and more. Among the highlights are the many booths set up by vendors along the downtown streets showcasing arts and crafts, including pottery, quilts, paintings and toys. Several downtown businesses and food establishments will also be open during the festival welcoming festival goers. Saturday’s activities begin with an Opening Ceremony hosted by Newport AMVETS Post 75 at 9:30 a.m. at the entertainment stage tent on the Broadway side of the Courthouse lawn. Local officials and community leaders will help officially kick off the festival weekend. Live entertainment will continue throughout the weekend, including local favorites Sammy Shults and Exit 8 Band, along with performances by Max Movement Dance and Fitness and Newport Dance & Cheer Academy. Sunday morning will begin with a church service by Bridgeport Freewill Baptist
Church, with music and entertainment starting back around 12:30 p.m. There will be plenty for the kids, too! KiddieLand will feature bounce houses and slides, while the Kiwanis of Newport Train, helicopter rides, Teacups & Jeeps, games and other activities will add even more family fun around the Courthouse lawn. The popular Harvest Festival Pageants begin Saturday at 10:30 a.m. on the Broadway side of the Courthouse lawn, with age divisions for children through age 16 and the Miss Newport Harvest Festival competition for ages 16–21. The festival is free to attend.
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Roscoe’s Treasures 255 E. Main Street, Newport, TN 37821 VotedBest Antiques/ Collectibles
8 • VISITING THE SMOKIES • FALL 2026
(in the Former Newport Dry Goods Building)
We have 80+ Vendors!
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Where Vintage Dreams Come True
Home Heating Gas Appliances Sales & Service Professionally-Trained Technicians Propane Sales & Delivery Industrial Sales & Service 24-Hour Emergency Service LP Cylinders Filled (Newport Office Only)
Clean, Dependable Natural Gas
Jefferson-Cocke County Utility District 122 US Highway 25E Newport, TN
(423) 623-3069 www.new por tplaintalk .com
243 E. Broadway Blvd. Jefferson City, TN
(865) 475-7911
Welcome to our locally owned shop where you’ll discover a thoughtfully curated collection of furniture, home decor, antiques and gifts that inspire comfort, joy and create long-lasting memories. Owned and operated by two passionate women who are dedicated to helping you find treasures that reflect your style and bring your vision to life. While visiting, be sure to browse our selection of hand-crafted candles, artisan soaps, local honey, specialty gifts along with many other hand picked local favorites of ours. Whether you’re searching for a statement piece or the perfect gift, you’ll always find a warm welcome here. Come on in and explore…we are so glad you’re here!
Located in historic downtown Newport 146 E. Broadway | 423-608-9562 Hours of Operation: Monday-Saturday 10-5 FALL 2026 • VISITING THE SMOKIES • 9
FALL IN LOVE with TN’s great outdoors this fall Tennessee is a year-round outdoor playground, with countless fresh-air adventures available for visitors. But the destination positively glows during the fall months, offering spectacular foliage, picturesque hiking trails and awe-inspiring waterfalls throughout the state. Below, find out how to fall in love with Tennessee’s great outdoors this autumn.
GATLINBURG’S GOLDEN DAYS
Best time to visit: Early to Mid-October (depending on altitude) Gatlinburg has been nominated as one of the “Best Places to View Fall Foliage” by USA Today, thanks to the kaleidoscope of warm red, gold and orange that blanket the city’s downtown and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Leaf-peeping options abound, including the Gatlinburg Scenic Overlook, Ben Morton’s Overlook and more. Even better, many views are easily accessible from the comfort of your vehicle including such scenic drives as the Cades Cove Loop and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Gatlinburg Fall Tip: Wake up early for a Smoky Mountain Sunrise at Gatlinburg SkyLift Park. Lifted to the SkyDeck, the day starts with an immaculate bird’s eye view of a grand illumination of the Great Smoky Mountains and downtown Gatlinburg.
GREAT SMOKY COLORS
Best time to visit: Early to mid-October (depending on altitude) If finding seasonal scenes on foot is more your style, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s 800 miles of trails offer beautiful panoramas and vistas that show off fall’s colorful tapestry of changing leaves. Guests to the area can also chase some beautiful waterfalls, including such gems such as Rainbow Falls or Grotto Falls – the only waterfall you can walk behind in the Smokies, standing 25 feet tall. For those in
search of a challenge, try the eight-mile scenic roundtrip trek to Indian Flats Falls. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Fall Tip: Fall is one of the best times for wildlife in the Smokies, with chances to see black bears, elk, deer, wild turkey, foxes and barn owls.
AN APPALACHIAN AUTUMN
Best time to visit: Early to Mid-October Nestled in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains and surrounded by Cherokee National Forest, Unicoi County offers autumn outdoor adventurers more than 50 miles of Appalachian Trail, eight waterfalls, Rocky Fork State Park (Tennessee’s newest state park), and dozens of walking and hiking trails. No matter where you are, you’re sure to see stunning fall foliage. A few favorite spots for leaf peeping include the aptly named Beauty Spot (crowned as a “best sunset hike” by Travel and Leisure) Pinnacle Mountain Fire Tower and Nolichucky Ridge Cliff. Unicoi County Fall Tip: Viewing the vibrant colors of fall is accessible for even more travelers and residents in Unicoi County since one of the state’s colorblind
Timeless Hospitality Meets Unsurpassed Value
Most Roadside Services Accepted 860 W. Hwy 25/70 Newport, TN
423-623-0008 10 • VISITING THE SMOKIES • FALL 2026
Call Us For
. Meetings . Parties . Events . Receptions 1015 Cosby Hwy., Newport, TN 37821
423-623-8713
Newport N wpo t is pproud oud of a long Southernn tradition South t adition of genuine nuinee hospitality... Noo wonder N wond r people p oplee are ae happyy livingg in Newport. hap N wpo t.
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Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am to 5:00pm www.new por tplaintalk .com
viewfinders is located at the I-26 Westbound Scenic Overlook. From this viewfinder, you’ll see views of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina’s stunning hills and valleys.
REAL FALL BEAUTY AT REELFOOT LAKE
Best time to visit: Late-October to early-November Located in the Northwest corner of Tennessee, Reelfoot Lake State Park is a beautiful place for fall outdoor activities. Fall color pontoon cruises take place on the weekends during October and November at Reelfoot Lake. See the changing leaves and water birds on a two-hour tour with an experienced naturalist. Tour guides will share their knowledge of the area’s history and ecology while helping you find the best photo ops for fall foliage. Reelfoot Lake State Park Fall Tip: Large groups of eagles and ducks migrate to Reelfoot Lake for the winter, arriving just as autumnal colors reach their peak,
adding to the natural wonder.
A TRACE OF TENNESSEE COLOR
Best time to visit: Late-October to early-November Spanning more than 48,000 pristine acres in Middle Tennessee, Natchez Trace State Park has some of the best scenic locations in the state, with endless trails to explore and snap some photos. For an on-the-water adventure, rent a kayak to take out on Pin Oak Lake to see a stunning display of autumnal colors reflecting off the water. Mountain biking is also a great way to experience this state park during fall, with more than 50 miles of multi-use fire trails that take riders through colorful forests and meadows. Natchez Trace State Park Fall Tip: Pin Oak Lake is also a favorite for anglers, with waters that are filled with largemouth bass, bluegill and catfish.
NASHVILLE’S ACCESSIBLE OUTDOORS Best time to visit: Mid- to late-
October Discover the first ADA accessible colorblind viewfinder at Nashville’s Radnor Lake State Park. Outfitted with innovative EnChroma® lenses, the viewfinder has been designed to alleviate red-green colorblindness. Special lens technology enables those with colorblindness to see a broader range of clear, vibrant colors. Additionally, the
park’s Lake Trail is accessible to people with all-terrain wheelchairs. Nashville Fall Travel Tip: Urban leaf-peepers should pay a visit to the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, where the main lawn is lined with a variety of trees that come alive with color in October. For more information on fall color in Tennessee, visit tnvacation.com
Where the Appalachian Trail Meets the French Broad River • Mineral-Rich Hot Springs • Shopping & Dining • Live Music & Events • Welcome Center & Museum • Cozy Cabins & Suites Hot Springs Welcome Center 106 Bridge Street | (828) 622-9932 | www.hotspringsnc.org
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FALL 2026 • VISITING THE SMOKIES • 11
COCKE COUNTY ADVENTURE N the h Smokies
Where MOUNTAINS REIGN and RIVERS ROAR
115 Mulberry St. Newport, TN 37821 423-720-9676 YallVisitTheSmokies.com