2020 Visiting Magazine Spring Edition

VISITING THE SMOKIES SPRING EDITION - 2020

Laughing Heart Lodge Hostel Bootleggers Distillery: Honoring a family tradition Smoky Mountain Trail Map Hot Springs Trail Map How To Hike Safely In The Smokies

2 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

FREE ADMISSION!

Museum . Cafe . General Store Open Year Round, Mon-Sat | 3901 U.S. Hwy. 411, Dandridge, TN 865.509.3077 | BushBeans.com

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

VISITING THE SMOKIES Visiting The Smokies is published by The Newport Plain Talk 145 East Broadway | Newport, TN 37821 423-623-6171

MANAGEMENT Duane Uhls Publisher & Editor

CONTRIBUTORS Matt Winter Writer Duay O’ Neil Writer

ADVERTISING Sharon Bryant Marketing Consultant Vickie Mason Marketing Consultant Angie Campise Creative Services/ Production Janene Bradley Creative Services

Copyright: 2020 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.

Features Inside

4 8 10 13 16 18 21 26

Visit Christopher Place Resort Laughing Heart Lodge Hostel Bootleggers Distillery:

Honoring a family tradition

Smokies Species Count Tops 20,000 Milestone Smoky Mountain Trail Map Hot Springs Trail Map How to hike safely in the Smokies Smokies park sets visitation record at 12.5M

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4 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

Photos Submitted Christopher Place bed and breakfast inn offers a place to rest and relax in a tranquil setting. The Smoky Mountain resort offers more activities and amenities than any other bed and breakfast.

Visit Christopher Place Resort

Hidden away on 200 wooded acres overlooking the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Christopher Place bed and breakfast inn offers an east Tennessee vacation away from the churning crowds and rushed routines of everyday life.

You can relax in a Smoky Mountain setting so tranquil, it’s hard to imagine that the busy cities of Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Gatlinburg, Tennessee are in such close vicinity.

Secluded in the scenic Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, you’ll find an incomparable bed and breakfast resort. More than any other Smoky Mountains resort, this award-winning Tennessee

inn was created especially for romantic retreats, unforgettable honeymoons, fine dining, and special events. Welcome to Christopher Place Bed and Breakfast Resort.

Christopher Place is more than just a Tennessee Bed and Breakfast. The Smoky Mountain resort offers more activities and amenities than any other Gatlinburg Bed and Breakfast.

You can swim, play tennis, go hiking, or simply sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Smoky Mountains from your rocking chair on the veranda of our luxury inn.

Continue to page 5

A beautiful suite awaits guests at Christopher Place Resort. At this resort you are surrounded with the natural beauty of the majestic Smoky Mountains, close to all the activities they have to offer.

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020 From page 4

The atmosphere is so tranquil, you may not want to leave the resort during the duration of your Smoky Mountain vacation.

If you do decide to venture from our Tennessee bed and breakfast, you’ll want to visit nearby Cosby, Newport, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and especially the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Even in the nation’s most visited park, the Smokies offer peaceful solitude. The Great Smokies’ wildflowers carpet the hills in bright colors from spring to autumn.

Cool and refreshing in summer or frozen and sparkling in winter, waterfalls adorn the Great Smoky Mountains’ vast forests with their ethereal beauty.

For the outdoor adventurer, the Smokies offer hiking on over 700 miles of trails, ranging from easy to the very most challenging.

Rock climbing, horseback riding, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, bird watching, and sightseeing are available as well. At our Smoky Mountain resort, you are surrounded with the natural beauty of the majestic Smoky Mountains, close to all the activities they have to offer.

After a fun-filled day in Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains, you’ll return to Christopher Place Bed and Breakfast for a quiet evening at our resort. Enjoy a four-course dinner by candlelight with a Smoky Mountain view from our Gatlinburg fine dining restaurant.

Romantic melodies drift through the parlor as the sun sets and the mountains return to their slumber.

Shut out the world in your private room or suite, which could include a whirlpool, fireplace, or panoramic smoky mountain views.

Photo Above: As guests enter Christopher Place Resort they are greeted by a magnificent staircase that guides visitors to the second and third levels of the inn. The brilliant white stairs and wood accents gleam in the natural and artificial light.

Photo Below: When evening comes Christopher Place lights up as if it were day break with the front balcony drawing the eye of visitors as they enter the resort.

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6 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

Mark Your Calendars

“Celebrating Cosby” Every Friday Evening 7-8 P.M. Beginning June 26 at Cosby Campground

Cocke County Partnership CHAMBER OF COMMERCE • ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • TOURISM

www.cockecountypartnership.com Call The Tourism Office For More Information

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Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

7

Yoder’s Country Market Watch For Our Signs!

Truck and Bus Parking Available!

Locally Owned Family Business for 18 Years

We Specialize In Dutch Country Meats & Cheeses | Homemade Breads • Cakes • Pies •THM Baking Supplies Made Fresh Deli Sandwiches (made to order) | Yoder’s Own Sugar Cured Country Ham Hand Rolled Country Butter | Snacks & Candies From The Amish Country Beef Jerky Baking Supplies • Spices • Candleberry Candles | Check Out Our Hemp Products (THC Free) We Also Have A Nice Selection Of Kitchenware and Specialty Toys!

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Hours: Mon. - Wed. 8:30am- 5 pm | Thur. - Fri. 8:30am - 6 pm | Saturday 8:30am - 5 pm | Closed On Sunday

8 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

Located on the Appalachian Trail, Laughing Heart Lodge Hostel offers a cozy and affordable place to stay for hikers as they travel along the trail. The lodge offers a place of respite and rejuvenation with all the amenities of home.

Laughing Heart Lodge Hostel Continue to page 9

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

9

From page 8

Just minutes from downtown Hot Springs, NC, The Hostel at The Laughing Heart Lodge is an affordable, clean and cozy place to stay.

Located on the Appalachian Trail at the southern end of Hot Springs the lodge and hostel are the first buildings hikers encounter as they hike north.

Built in 1974 the hostel is a place of rejuvenation for many hikers on the Appalachian Trail. “It’s peaceful here, the people are great and the price is right,” said James Foster an AT hiker. Accommodations include 8 rooms (and bunk rooms for groups), a common area for socializing, DVD player, Wi-Fi, a kitchen with refrigerator, hot plate, coffee maker, toaster and microwave. Rocking chairs on the lawn offer tranquil repose for tired feet. Since 1903 the property home to the Laughing Heart Lodge has been a place of respite and rejuvenation.

In November 1890, Colonel J. H. Rumbough sold 7 acres of land to Alexander H. Mott and his wife Elizabeth. Alexander and Elizabeth sought the cool mountain air and the healing mineral bathes of the local springs for their ailing daughter.

In 2003, the property was purchased through a trust established for Jenna Nagle following a brain injury.

She and one of her assistants named it “Laughing Heart Lodge.” Karen Nagle, Jenna’s mother, and her friend Karen Moore dreamed of creating a place for healing and hope, for rest and renewal.

When asked how she felt about Laughing Heart Lodge and her involvement in it, Jenna’s reply was, “It makes my heart feel good to know that I am helping people.”

The Hostel at

Laughing Heart Lodge

is located at 289 U.S. 25 Hot Springs, NC. Glenmore Mansion

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10 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

Photos Submitted

Bootleggers Distillery Honoring a family tradition

Bootleggers Distillery, located in Hartford, Tennessee, has been open and in operation since 2013. The distillery stands out against its competitors by providing products that are made in small batches, giving each drink a bit of history in each sip.

The liquor at the distillery is from grain to bottle, made right there by the river.

Moonshining has been in owner and operator Darrell Miller’s family for decades, and he continues this legacy with his current family run organization.

This family dedication extends to the location of the shop as well, because the current store is where his grandfather had a still years ago.

Continue to page 11

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

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From page 10

Their spirits are also sold throughout the state of Tennessee, excluding the Memphis area, but they hope to expand in the coming years by adding more space to their current location.

In regard to expansion, they also only plan to continue selling distilled spirits, rather than branching into wines and beers.

By keeping distilled liquors the only thing on their menu, Bootleggers keeps a tradition of excellence.

Bootleggers hopes to expand their flavor list soon, but as of now the group provides multiple flavors including apple pie, blackberry, cinnamon, peach, and many more.

Bootleggers Distillery is the first stop on the Tennessee Whiskey Trail. Stop They have also rolled out their first line of rum, which includes Gold, Platinum, and Coconut.

All of the flavored shines that Bootleggers provides are made to their standards, so they refuse to sell a product that they would not want to drink themselves.

Though they have stiff competition within

by and enjoy a drink by the river served by Taylor Clay or owner Darrell Miller. The distillery offers free tastings, and also serves Moonshine Slushies, cocktails, whiskey and rum. If you only get one shot, let it be Bootleggers.

the local moonshining business, Bootleggers is confident that they put forth the best product available.

They also hope to grow their business in the immediate community as well, so Bootleggers invites you to come out to Hartford to get a taste, because “if you only get one shot,” they would like it to be Bootleggers Moonshine.

“Come by Tennessee’s first stop on Tennessee Whiskey Trail to enjoy a drink by the river.”

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Smokies Species Count Tops 20,000 Milestone Twenty-one years on the hunt, 20,000 hits to show for it — and still counting.

The latest scorecard for the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory is in, as documented by Discover Life in America.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a fertile place where nature flourishes.

The park has reached a biodiversity milestone with the discovery and documentation of 20,050 species of plants, animals and other organisms currently known to live in the park.

It just adds to the reasons Friends of the Smokies strives to preserve, protect and provide.

“The park is alive at every turn. On every trail is something new to be discovered,” Tim Chandler, executive director and chief operating officer of Friends, said Thursday. “That’s why people return annually.

Visitors find something new every time they visit, and they love it.”

This comes just one year after the October 2018 announcement that the ATBI celebrated another milestone, adding 1,000 new species to science. Current tally: 1,006.

“A living classroom is what it is,” Chandler said.

Scientists from across the world assist the park in an

Courtesy of Tom Howe

The frosted elfin butterfly, a rare butterfly whose caterpillars feed on lupine and indigo, is a species completely new to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and was found through the Discover Life in America inventory project.

effort to catalog all life in the Smokies through the ATBI. “This is a remarkable achievement — cataloging so many species in this relatively small region,” Will Kuhn, director of science and research for DLIA, said in a news release. “But, we think that there are still tens of thousands of species waiting to be

discovered in the park. We’ve still got work to do.”

The ATBI is an ongoing project to study the diversity of life in the Smokies including where the species can be found, how abundant they are and how they interact with one another. The project is managed by DLIA, a nonprofit partner of the park, in cooperation with park staff.

“Reaching this milestone is a testament to the curiosity, tenacity and dedication of the biological community,” Superintendent Cassius Cash said. “Each year, we have scientists who share their time and expertise to help us better describe, understand and protect the wonders of the Smokies.”

Adding up species

Among the newest species recorded in the park are the giant bark aphid (Longistigma caryae), which is the largest aphid in the U.S.; the Blue Ridge threelobed coneflower (Rudbeckia triloba var. rupestris), a wildflower native to Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina; the frosted elfin butterfly (Callophrys irus), a rare butterfly whose caterpillars feed on lupine and indigo; and the yellow passion flower bee (Anthemurgus passiflorae), which exclusively pollinates the small flowers of the yellow passion flower. In addition, the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) was recently documented in the park for the first time.

Park visitors don’t have to be able to pronounce the names to appreciate what they represent. They are evidence that even hikers who venture deep into the Smokies to experience solitude are never alone, not by a long shot.

Even when visitors return to the same trails, their experiences are different because the surroundings with all these living species has changed.

“The biodiversity inside the park is never-ending, with every season bringing a difference. Fall is coming on. It’s the metamorphosis of nature, what happens from fall to winter to spring,” Chandler said.

“It’s just the amazing beauty of the park that is living and breathing, and we can be part of it and see it as it continues being made.”

14 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

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Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

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16 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

Smoky Mountain Trails

Trail

Greenbrier / Cosby Area

Albright Grove

Location Maddron Bald Trailhead

Trail Features Old Growth Forest / Wildflowers / Historical

Brushy Mountain (Greenbrier)

Greenbrier

Views

Grapeyard Trail (Greenbrier)

Greenbrier

Historical / Injun Creek steam engine wreckage

R/T Miles

Elev.

Gain

Difficulty Rating

7

1500

10

11.7

3000

17.7

6

850

7.7

Hen Wallow Falls

Cosby

Waterfalls

4.4

900

6.2

Mt. Cammerer

Cosby

Panoramic Views / Historical

12

2470

16.94

Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte Area

Old Settlers Trail (Maddron Bald)

Maddron Bald Trailhead

Historical / Tyson McCarter Barn

8.8

1650

12.1

Porters Creek Trail

Greenbrier

Waterfalls / Stream / Flowers / Historical / Old Growth Forest

4

699

5.4

Ramsey Cascades

Greenbrier

Waterfalls / Old Growth Forest

8

2375

12.75

Alum Cave

Newfound Gap Rd

Views / Interesting Geological Features

4.4

1125

6.65

Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome Are

Baskins Creek Falls

Roaring Fork Motor Trail

Waterfalls

3

953

4.91

Brushy Mountain (Trillium Gap)

Roaring Fork Motor Trail

Views / Wildflowers / Falls

6.8

1745

10.29

Bullhead Trail

Roaring Fork Motor Trail

Views / Interesting Geological Features

5.9

1607

9.11

Chimney Tops

Newfound Gap Rd

Panoramic Views

4

1350

6.7

Grotto Falls

Roaring Fork Motor Trail

Waterfalls

2.6

585

3.77

Huskey Gap (Newfound Gap Rd)

Newfound Gap Rd

Quiet Forest Hike

4.2

1240

6.68

Mt. LeConte (via Alum Cave)

Newfound Gap Rd

Panoramic Views / Geological

11

2763

16.53

Mt. LeConte (via Bullhead)

Roaring Fork Motor Trail

Panoramic Views

14.4

3993

22.39

Mt. LeConte (Rainbow Falls)

Roaring Fork Motor Trail

Panoramic Views / Waterfalls

13.8

3993

21.79

Mt. LeConte (via Trillium Gap)

Roaring Fork Motor Trail

Panoramic Views / Waterfalls

13.9

3401

20.7

Rainbow Falls

Roaring Fork Motor Trail

Waterfalls

5.4

1685

8.77

Andrews Bald

Clingmans Dome Road

Panoramic Views

3.5

899

5.3

Charlies Bunion

Newfound Gap

Panoramic Views

8.1

1640

11.38

Deep Creek Headwaters

Newfound Gap Road

Stream

5

1480

7.96

Fork Ridge Trail

Clingmans Dome Road

Old Growth Spruce-Fir Forest / Wildflowers

8

1500

11

The Jump Off

Newfound Gap

Panoramic Views

6.5

1275

9.05

Mt. LeConte (Boulevard Trail)

Newfound Gap

Panoramic Views / Old Growth Forest

15.6

3000

21.6

Noland Divide

Clingmans Dome Road

Views / Forest Diversity

7.2

1679

10.56

Silers Bald

Clingmans Dome Road

Panoramic Views

9.3

2152

13.6

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

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18 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

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Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

Newport Dry Goods

19

Tourists search out this bargain destination

D

uring the past five decades thousands of people, many tourists driving through Cocke County, have discovered the unique retail world that is Newport Dry Goods and its creator, Carroll Kyker, who has lost track of the number of times he’s traveled to New York in search of great values for his Newport store.

Carroll Kyker

Legend in Retailing

swimsuit sale. “We just recently received more swimsuits with more to come.” Junior, misses, and plus swim suits sold in dept. stores to $69.99 carry a Dry Goods’ price of $10.99.

After a recent Memorial Day, two different women, one from Alabama and another Local residents already know about the from Georgia, shopped at Newport Dry While many are accustomed to Newport home of “legendary low prices since 1959” Goods and had to get one of Mr. Kyker’s facing the railroad tracks at Main Street Dry Goods, they might take the store for popular T-shirts. And, they asked him and just off Highway 321. Tourists and granted, says Mr. Kyker, who tells the to autograph it. The Alabama woman new arrivals learn of it as if it is a must- story of a Japanese couple who picked remarked: “You’re the rock star of retailing.” visit historic site presenting low prices up a Visiting the Smokies publication at While he is somewhat embarrassed by all every week in a large white-letter-on-black the Hartford I-40 Welcome Center, saw the excitement over him and the store, he the article about the store and stopped advertisement in the Newport Plain Talk. is glad to keep customers satisfied and The 1920s era brick buildings, wood overnight to visit. It was like meeting a signed the shirts. floors, tin ceilings, are packed so tightly celebrity to have a photo made with the People in other towns would like Dry with racks and tables stacked with name Legend of Retail Low Prices.

Goods to share this success and open in The store name is known across America brand shoes, clothing for men, women their towns too. But that probably will not and children, you can’t walk more than a from California to Florida and tourists’ happen. So, folks will just have to keep stories often refer to Mr. Kyker.

Floridians few feet before finding another low price. driving to Newport and that suits him. More Mr. Kyker says the main reason the store were puzzled when they came across an than a third of his shoppers come from East Tenn. friend who had not shopped is successful and so much different than outside Newport. Tourist shoppers make others is “rarely a day goes by we don’t in Newport Dry Goods. Others reported repeat trips every year to find the latest have a delivery truck with goods arrive for seeing the Dry Goods logo T-shirts in bargains by the railroad tracks. our customers.” If you shop major retailers, California: “Don’t miss a day or you will Sandals, logging boots, overalls, dress the merchandise may be priced from miss a bargain.” You can always find men’s shirts, socks, dresses, ties, belts, even sports coats for $14.99 and it is not unusual $19.95 to $159.95, but at Dry Goods the motor oil, chances are good you will find it for Nashville businessmen to drive three tags most likely carry $1.99 to $29.99. here and cheaper than anywhere else. hours and buy several suits and coats.

“One customer told me he had just Newport Dry Goods is located at 255 East moved to Newport and what he liked about Men’s casual and dress shoes sold in retail Main Street across from the old railroad the store was we had quality merchandise chains at $79.99 sell for just $29.99. depot and open from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 If you chance to meet Mr. Kyker, who likes but at cheap prices.” For example, Dry p.m. Monday through Thursday. Friday Goods has sold thousands of pairs of to walk the floor and greet customers, he hours are 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturday might tell you: “We just got in a shipment of ladies department store brand panties that from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday would list for $10.00 and Dry Goods’ price ladies’ tops, eight different famous brands. from 1-6 p.m. For more information, call We are selling these $4.99 to $6.99” as is $1.99. “New merchandise, name brands, (423) 623-2921. arrive everyday and we sell these 25% to he points to full racks. “One of our most popular sales in spring and summer is the 70% off.”

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20 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

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21

......................................................................................

How to hike safely in the Smokies National parks, like the Great Smoky Mountains, are great places for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy some of their favorite activities. Many such parks allow visitors to camp out after a day spent rafting or kayaking on the water, making these locales the ideal vacation spot for families or groups of friends who share a love of the great outdoors.

Hiking is among the more popular activities in the Smokies.

Hikers of all ages and skill levels can enjoy trails of varying degrees of difficulty, all the while taking in picturesque landscapes that often cannot be found in fully developed urban and suburban areas.

But as much as hiking can be enjoyed even by novice outdoor enthusiasts, this rewarding activity also can be dangerous.

Hikers often find themselves in remote locations where cellular phone signals tend to be weak, which can be troublesome, even when hiking in relatively crowded parks. That’s why it’s important to take the following precautionary measures when hiking. • Never go solo when hiking. Many outdoor enthusiasts enjoy escaping from the daily grind and getting some alone time with Mother Nature. While some outdoor activities can safely be enjoyed alone, others, including hiking, should never be done without a friend in tow. There are numerous benefits to hiking in pairs or groups, not the least of which is having someone there to go for help should anyone suffer an injury on the trails. When hiking with a group or even in a group of two, make sure no one hikes faster than the slowest hiker. This ensures no one will get lost and makes certain that each hiker has someone there to seek help should an accident or injury occur.

Continue to page 22

22 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020 ......................................................................................

From page 21

• Share your itinerary with someone staying behind. Even if you are not hiking alone, it’s best to share your itinerary with someone who is not joining you on your trip. This way someone can alert authorities to you and your fellow hikers’ path if you get lost on a trail and cannot find your way out.

When sharing your itinerary, share your schedule as well, telling friends who are staying behind to alert the authorities if you do not return or make direct contact with them by a given time.

• Start early. Starting a hike early is beneficial in a variety of ways. Nature is beautiful at all times of the day, but part of the joy of hiking is taking in all of the beautiful landscapes, which are easier to see during daylight hours than at night. But hiking during the day is also safer, as it’s easier for hikers to make their way on trails when they can see where they’re going than at night, when many hiking trails are cloaked in a thick coat of darkness.

Finally, hiking also is legal during daylight hours, whereas many parks ban hiking once the sun goes down.

• Know the weather forecast. When planning a hiking trip, know the weather forecast for the day or days you plan to hike. Expect cooler temperatures, even if the forecast is calling for a beautiful warm day. Hiking trails are often surrounded by tall trees, which makes it difficult for warm sunlight to illuminate trails and warm up hikers. So pack an extra jacket or coat, ideally a rain coat that can serve double duty should it start to rain.

• Carry water and snacks. Staying hydrated can make a long or challenging hike easier on your muscles, so be sure to bring plenty of water, which also can quench your thirst throughout your hike.

Bring some snacks along as well. Snacks should provide you with energy to continue your hike, so leave behind snacks like potato chips or pretzels in favor of fresh fruit, granola, protein bars, or trail mix.

Hiking is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors. But even veteran hikers must take safety precautions to ensure their trips are as safe as they are enjoyable.

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

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OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY 10AM - 6PM • CLOSED SUNDAYS SEASON BEGINS APRIL 1 - NOVEMBER 30. CLOSED THANKSGIVING DAY CLOSED DECEMBER - JANUARY - FEBRUARY - MARCH

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Open 7 Days A Week

4 2 3 - 4 8 7- 4 5 6 5

24 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

State-of-ar t newly renovated rooms

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Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

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26 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

PHOTO BY ROBERT BERLIN Cars exit the Wears Valley end of the Foothills Parkway that opened in November 2018 for the first time after the completion of bridges that eliminated the “missing link.”

Smokies park sets visitation record at 12.5M Great Smoky Mountains National Park can now put a number on the record visitation last year — 12,547,743

The park already knew when the November 2019 stats came in that the Smokies had set an annual visitation record by topping the 1,126,540 total for 2018 even without the December numbers. Recent data gave it the official stamp.

Superintendent Cassius Cash said he was proud of park employees and volunteers who helped enhance visitor experiences while protecting the park’s resources during this period of growth.

“With growing visitation, this has become more challenging. In 2020, we’ll be inviting people to help us thoughtfully look at how we can improve access and continue caring for this very special place,” he said.

As noted by park officials, finishing construction of the bridges that filled in the “missing link” of the parkway allows visitors to experience more mountain views with less congestion. The higher numbers were no surprise.

Continue to page 27

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

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Scenic View of Gatlinburg To broaden the comparison, 1.5 million visitors on Monthly visitation records were set during January, the Foothills Parkway brings the total to about half March, April, May, June and December. In both April the of the number of visitors in 2018 to Olympic Naand May, about 1 million people visited. Before 2015, tional Park. park visitation had not exceeded 1 million visitors per month until the summer and fall months.

From page 26

“All of the park entrances had increased visitation.

That includes the Townsend entrance, the Gatlinburg entrance and the Oconaluftee entrance. For the interior of the park, those main entrances, visitation was up roughly 5%,” Dana Soehn, Smokies spokeswoman, said Monday.

“Then when you couple in all of the outlying areas, including that new section of Foothills Parkway West, we saw a 20 percent increase for all of the outlier areas. And most of that was because of the increase in visitation on the Foothills Parkway.”

The result: In 2019 on Foothills Parkway West from Chilhowee to Wears Valley, the park saw 1.5 million visitors, up from 623,814 in 2017.

“Typically, to give some comparison before the new section was finished, if we just looked at visitation along that section from Chilhowee to Walland, in 2017 that number for total visitation was just over 600,000,” Soehn said.“So the visitation on the Foothills Parkway has more than doubled with the opening of the new section.”

Abrams Falls

28 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2020

WELCOME TO THE ADVENTURE SIDE OF THE SMOKIES Cocke County, Tennessee

WWW.YALLVISITTHESMOKIES.COM 423-625-9675