Visiting the Smokies, Spring 2023

2 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023

Yoder’s Country Market Watch For Our Signs!

Truck and Bus Parking Available!

Locally Owned Family Business for 19 Years

We Specialize In Dutch Country Meats & Cheeses | Homemade Breads • Cakes • Pies • Specialty 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 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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We Are Easy To Find Take Exit 23 (Greeneville / Bulls Gap) o of I-81. Go South Towards Bull Gap and we are 11/2 Mile on left 15275 W. Andrew Johnson Highway, Bulls Gap, Tenn. | 423-235-9400

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

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023 5

A.J. Bush and Company general store adjoins the visitor center and cafe at the intersection of Highway 411 and Highway 92 in Chestnut Hill.

From page 4

Thousands of people make their way to the visitor’s center in Chestnut Hill each year where the general store and a diner welcome guests.

The museum and the store is 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.

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 indusTo schedule a tour group for 30 or try. more people at the museum or cafe, The company’s headquarters are now in Knoxville, call (865) 509-3077. but the Chestnut Hill factory has grown. The general store is also in operation, and the Bush family home is For additional information, go online to open during the Christmas holidays for tours. bushbeans.com/en_US/about-us/visitor-center.

Timeless Hospitality Meets Unsurpassed Value

Call Us For

. Meetings . Parties . Events . Receptions

A sign shows the current hours for the Bush’s visitor center, museum, cafe and store.

1015 Cosby Highway - Newport, TN 37821 423-623-8713

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023 7 From page 6

left his mark in every corner of modern music. Tyminski’s voice famously accompanies George Clooney’s performance of the Stanley Brothers’ classicsong, “I’m A Man of Constant Sorrow,” in the film, “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou” and his vocal collaboration with Swedish DJ Avicii on the song “Hey, Brother” was a global smash, having been streamed over 1 billion times to date.

Tyminski has also contributed guitar and/or harmony to projects by Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, Aaron Lewis and Rob Thomas, to name a few. In addition to his highly successful solo career, he has played guitar and mandolin for Alison Krauss and Union Station since 1994. His unmatched instrumental skills and burnished, soulful tenor voice have been key components of the band.

Dan has been honored with 14 Grammy Awards, was named Male Vocalist of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association four time and was recognized as 2004’s Male Vocalist of the Year by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America.

Monroeville Monroeville is named after legendary “Father of BlueContinue to page 8

Eddie Brown Jr., aka Turtleman.

8 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023

Po’ Ramblin’ Boys From page 7

grass,” Bill Monroe, not for his sound, but for his view of music. For Monroeville, that just happens to include a mix of banjos and drums.

Fronted by Newport’s Grammy-nominated Matt Munsey and his wife Brittany, the band also features versatile voices and musicians McCoy Borg, Chevy Watson, Joe Stevens and Kyle Dillow.

The band has logged thousands of shows since 2011 gathering devotees from across borders and musical genres. You can find them performing regularly around their Smoky Mountain home in East Tennessee at such venues as Dollywood, Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery, Anakeesta, Ole Red and in venues all across the country.

The band has recorded and released several albums since 2011 and was the recipient of IBMA’s Momentum Award in 2012.

Po’ Ramblin’ Boys The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys’ passion for bluegrass is as clear as it is contagious. With a heavy touring schedule across the United States and Europe and recent Grammy nomination with Rounder Records, the band appears to be well on their way to becoming the quintessential bluegrass band of their generation.

Material for the group’s freshman Rounder Records album “Toil, Tears & Trouble,” was a combination of original songs and old numbers that honor the

group’s mentors and bluegrass heroes. Two songs on their Rounder album, “Next Train South” and “Hickory, Walnut & Pine,” were nominated for IBMA Song of the Year along with “Next Train South” taking the trophy for SPBGMA same category in 2020. The momentum of “Toil, Tears & Trouble” continued to grow with the band’s first Grammy nomination for best bluegrass album.

The group was named Emerging Artist of the Year at the 2018 IBMA Awards.

Also appearing will be Kentucky’s “Turtleman” Ernie Brown Jr., host of the “Call of the Wildman” reality TV show that aired on Animal Planet.

In addition to the musical acts, the event also includes the Jeep Invasion 2023 car show. “We allow Jeeps to come set up and show off,” said Shute. He said there will be three best in show awards presented.

Gates open at noon for the May 13 event with musical acts slated to hit the stage at 1:30 p.m.

General admission tickets are $20, a child ticket (ages 5-12) is $10. VIP tickets are $40 and a family ticket (two adult general admission and two child tickets) is $50. Parking pass is $10.

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to cockecountybluegrassfestival.com.

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023 9

Popcorn Sutton Jam set for June 9-10 NEWPORT - The 13th Annual Popcorn Sutton Jam will be June 9 - 10 at the Cocke County Fairgrounds. Gates open at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 9, and 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 10. The party will end between 10:30 and 11 each evening.

The Popcorn Sutton Jam is named in honor of the late moonshiner, Popcorn Sutton. Born in 1946 in Maggie Valley, NC, Sutton died in Parrottsville on March 16, 2009. A well-known moonshiner, Sutton self-published his autobiography, Me and My Likker.”

There will be vendors offering a variety of items and several food vendors will offer food on site. Several local

Guests for this year’s event include master distiller Brandon Buffington. celebrities will also be in attendance, including Popcorn’s widow, Pam Sutton, and Eric “Digger” Manes and Mark Ramsey from “Moonshiners.”

Dennis Bailey from “Memphis Street Outlaws” as well as master distillers Brad Buffington and Doug Taylor will be on hand to meet fans.

Moonshine collectibles and souvenirs are offered for sale, and a variety of entertainment will take the stage.

Tickets are $15 per person per day and are not available in advance. They must be purchased at the gate with cash only.

To learn more about the event, visit the Popcorn Sutton Jam Facebook page.

There are more than 46,000 people following the page, and many of them post their memories and photos of past events.

Master distiller and Northern Yankee moonshiner Doug Taylor will be in attendance at this year’s Popcorn Sutton Jam.

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023 11 From page 10

Grandchildren: Kylen, C, Kiersten, andKaycen,

Kelly Williamson, the owner of Adventure Distilling, is shown holding a jar of his Moonarita Moonshine and a jar of Sally Jane’s Sin A Shine cinnamon moonshine.

COSBY - A small unincorporated community and census-designated place in Cocke County, Cosby had a population of 807 according to the 2020 census. Cosby’s southern boundary is the northeastern section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Cosby and lands along the northern rim of the Great Smoky Mountains were used by the Cherokee for hunting grounds. In the 1780s, the first European settlers arrived in Cocke County with Samuel Odell believed to be the first to settle in the Cosby Creek Valley and John Gilliland settling near the mouth of the Pigeon River.

During the Civil War, Cosby was divided with both Union Continue to page 12

Danny Ray & Irene Carver Daughters Stacey & Danielle

CALL FOR EXTENDED SUMMER AND FALL HOURS The Applehouse Restaurant overlooks the Smokies including Mt. Leconte.

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12 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023

Adventure Distilling is located off Hooper Highway in Cosby.

From page 11

and Confederate supporters. The mountain community was subjected to raids throughout the war and Confederate marauders were crossing the mountains into Tennessee from North Carolina. Historical records show that a “home camp” was established at the mouth of Indian Camp Creek in Cosby.

Cosby recovered from the Civil War slowly, and with railroad stations at Big Creek and Newport, Cosby benefited.

At the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, a lumber mill was opened in the 1890s in Hartford.

In the early 1900s, most Cosby residents were either working in the lumber mills or tending to farms. During this timeframe, many people in Cosby were supplementing their income by gathering moss, evergreens and ginseng and by making corn liquor.

It was during the first half of the 20th century when Cosby was known throughout East Tennessee as the “Moonshine Capital of the World.”

Cosby’s main crop was corn, and despite corn being able to be grown on steep grades, the hilly areas of Cosby saw the soil grow poorer after each clearing. Because farmers were struggling to break even, they started using the corn to make liquor.

With Prohibition, it became difficult to get the supplies to make liquor. The demand for the corn liquor continued to grow. Because sugar was rationed, those who kept beehives were allowed a government supplement of sugar.

Needless to say, beehives appeared throughout Cosby.

When World War II broke out, the Manhattan Project got underway in Oak Ridge and people came to the area from all around the country. Tennessee laws made it a dry state, but that didn’t stop people from wanting the illegal corn liquor.

The revenuers often made their way to Cosby where there was an ongoing chase between the moonshiners and the revenuers. Moonshiners came up with unique ways to outsmart law enforcement and keep their stills flowing.

Now moonshine is legal, and Cosby is the home of a legal distillery. At Adventure Distilling Co., you can see what has been going on in Cosby for the last century. J.B. Rader’s

103-proof clear pure corn liquor is made at the distillery.

Kelly Williamson partnered with Don Smith, a legal distiller from South Mountain Distillery in Rutherford College, North Carolina, to bring Adventure Distilling to life.

Mark Ramsey and Eric “Digger” Manes from “Moonshiners” also offered some guidance, and Ramsey’s wife, Sally Jane Clark, has her own Sally Jane’s Sin A Shine cinnamon moonshine available at the distillery.

Adventure Distilling is located at 4649 Hooper Highway and is open daily.

Call (423) 623-6844 for the hours.

There are plenty of different options when it comes to moonshine available at Adventure Distilling. Gift items are also available for purchase, such as shirts and caps.

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023 13

Parking passes now in use at Great Smoky Mountains National Park Starting March 1, 2023, Great Smoky Mountains National Park began charging a parking fee to help with the cost of upkeep and facility needs. All proceeds from the purchase of parking passes goes back into the park.

The parking fee structure is $5 daily, $15 for a tag for up to seven days, and $40 for an annual tag. There will be no parking cost for Tribal citizens in the national park. This fee only applies to parking. As always, there is no cost to drive the roads. Short-duration parking of 15 minutes or less will not require a parking pass.

The Great Smoky Mountains parking fees will support an increase in park ranger presence, increased maintenance of facilities and trails, restoration of recreational habitats, as well as an increased focus on the maintenance of the historic structures in the park such as cabins, churches and mills.

Information from smokymountainnationalpark.com.

You can purchase the $40 annual parking tags online at smokiesinformation.org, through Great Smoky Mountains Association at friendsofthesmokies.org or at any of the park’s visitor centers. The $5 daily passes and $15 weekly passes are available for purchase at www.recreation.gov.

Kelley’s Quilt Shop

DJ’S Antiques

DJ’s Antiques and Collectibles has gone from being a local antiques store to an East Tennessee tradition and a popular destination for both locals and tourists alike.

Come See Our New Collection of Fabrics and Notions Machine Quilting Available: Quilt tops, Memory Quilts and Tee-Shirt Quilts

Open 7 Days 10-5

Sewing Socials Scheduled Monthly

“We may look small, but we are 5500 sq. ft. of antiques!”

Call for Sewing Class Schedule

(Except Thanksgiving, Christmas & Easter)

218 US 25E (Scenic 32) White Pine, TN

865-674-7196

STORE HOURS: Tuesday - Saturday 11 AM to 4 PM

118 North Ridge Dr. Parrottsville, TN 37843

423-465-5659

14 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023

Smoky Mountains Trail Map

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023 15

16 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023

Hot Springs Trail Map

Short Drive To Pigeon Forge & P Gatlinburg 141 Lower Bogard Rd. (close to I-40) Newport, TN 37821

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Cell: 865-322-1474 O ffice: 423-430-9012

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18 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023 From page 17

Photo by Matt Winter

At just over 1.3 miles from the trailhead, hikers will eventually reach Arch Rock, the first major landmark along the trail. The arch was formed by freezing and thawing, which eroded the softer rock from underneath the hard rock. The trail goes under the arch and follows steps, which have been etched into the stone path, exiting at the top.

Beyond Arch Rock, the trail ascends in the direction of Alum Cave. Look for Anakeesta Ridge to the left.

About two miles in, hikers will reach Inspiration Point, a heath bald offering views of Little Duck Hawk Ridge to the west and Myrtle Point to the northeast. The Eye of the Needle, a hole in the rock near the top of Little Duck Hawk Ridge, can also be seen from here.

Walk another fifth of a mile to arrive at Alum Cave, which is more of a concave bluff than a cave. In the warmer months, water drips from the ledges above (in the winter, be aware these form large icicles instead).

The Epsom Salts Manufacturing Company was established at Alum Cave in 1838. Until its sale in 1854, the company mined epsom salt from the cave, which was used by mountain inhabitants to dye homespun clothing a rust color. During the Civil War, the Confederate Army mined saltpeter from this cave, which was used in the manufacture of gunpowder.

Just past Alum Cave is Gracie’s Pulpit, a landmark named after Gracie McNichol who scaled Mt. LeConte more than 240 times, with the final climb taking place on her 92nd birthday. Another two-fifths of a mile in, hikers will find themselves halfway to the LeConte Lodge, where rustic sleep quarters await, complete with breakfast in the morning to get you on your way again. Rates and reservations are available online.

Above Gracie’s Pulpit, the trail continues along a cliff face. Over the next two miles, you will pass narrow rock ledges, with cable handrails to steady you along the way.

Mt. LeConte is the third highest peak in the Smokies,

Photo by Matt Winter

To reach the 6,593-foot summit of Mt. LeConte, hikers will climb 2,763 feet to reach the LeConte Lodge.The lodge offers rustic sleep quarters complete with breakfast in the morning to get you on your way again. Rates and reservations are available online.

At just over 1.3 miles from the trailhead, hikers will reach Arch Rock, the first prominent landmark along the trail. The arch was formed by freezing and thawing, which eroded away the softer rock from underneath the harder rock.

The trail actually goes under the arch and requires a climb of several steps etched into the stone before exiting at the top.

but from its base is considered the tallest mountain in the Eastern US, rising 5,301 feet from its base near Gatlinburg.

Biological diversity Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known to be the most biologically diverse in the entire National Park system. This biodiversity is in part a result of its past as a refuge for animals and plants migrating south away from glaciers. It can also be attributed to its mild, rainy climate. Scientists have identified 20,000 different species of plants and animals in the park and think that as many as 100,000 other species may have yet to be identified.

The vast majority of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is covered with forest—almost 95%. A quarter of that forest is considered old growth, which is a mature, mostly undisturbed forest with trees that are hundreds of years old. There are four different types of forest within the park: Spruce-fir forests, Northern Hardwood forests, Hemlock forests, and Pine-andOak forests. Spruce-fir forests are found at the highest elevations in the park some 4,500 feet above sea level and are a boreal forest. These forests are similar to those that can be found in Maine and Canada.

Northern Hardwood forests are indicated by American beech, birch, and maple trees and grow mostly in the middle to upper elevations of the park. This is the forest type that creates the beautiful fall colors for which the Appalachians are famous.

Hemlock forests grow in shady places often in almost pure stands. They are an ecologically important species, but unfortunately their existence is threatened by the hemlock woolly adelgid, a tiny non-native insect. Pine and oak forests grow best in the drier parts of the park where steep slopes allow the soil to drain quickly. Forest fires are an important of the natural system in this forest type.

Wildlife Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to Continue on page 19

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023 19 From page 18

more than 200 bird species, 67 native fish species, 65 different mammal species, and over 80 species of reptile and amphibians. Probably most notable among those mammal species, and the symbol of the park, is the black bear. There are about 1,500 black bears living in the park. These bears mostly eat berries and nuts with insects and animal carrion constituting a much smaller part of their diet. In the summer male black bears weigh on average about 250 pounds and female bears around 100, but in the fall, when bears are preparing for hibernation, bears over 600 pounds have been documented. Other mammal species of particular interest include elk and North river otters.

Both species were recently reintroduced to the park after being wiped out. Before being reintroduced, elk had last been seen in the Southern Appalachians in the early 1800s.

If you happen to hike in the winter months, remember to look for LeConte’s Sparrow. The bird is so secretive that it was nearly 100 years after it was first described in 1790 that the first nest was found. It breeds in central Canada and adjoining northern states, and winters in the southern states from South Carolina to Texas.

LeConte’s Sparrow is a beautiful but secretive sparrow that is a regular, but rare seen winter resident in Tennessee. It is found in grassy, weedy fields, espe-

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cially fields with Panicum grass, and when persistently flushed by an observer, it will run along the ground and eventually hop up on an exposed perch for a moment.

The LeConte’s Sparrow is distinct with, as sparrows go, a buffy-orange face and chest, a white crownstripe, chestnut streaks on the back of the neck, and black streaks on the sides, which occasionally across the chest. The male and female look the same.

Although encounters with bears are uncommon, and attacks are especially rare, their shared presence in the park system is worth consideration. Bear spray may be carried by hikers within Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the strict purpose of protection against bodily harm from aggressive wildlife. The spray does not work as a deterrent when applied to tents, foods, packs, or equipment, and only works in the face of a charging animal. Bear pepper spray is a chemical formula of 1% to 2% capsaicin and related capsaicinoids. When purchasing bear pepper spray, or bear mace, remember that it is federally required to be labeled as “Bear Spray,” and will be indicated on the label that it is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Call the Backcountry Information Office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at (865) 436-1297 for information when planning your hiking or backpacking trip.

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023 21

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad follows the route of the former Southern Railway’s Murphy Branch Line, established in 1891, with its 5% grade and many bridges From page 20

Tourist Coach Class cars have ceiling fans and win- AS SEEN IN THE MOVIES … dows that open and close for fresh-air viewing. Ticket The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad has become a price is $94/adult and $77/child (2-12). favorite of film producers over the years. The train wreck scene in the 1993 movie, The Fugitive, starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones, was filmed Open-Air Coach cars are great for picture-taking and along the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. The rail“experiencing” the ride and scenery. Ticket price is road was used in the filming of the 1996 comedy, My $96/adult and $75/child (2-12).

Fellow Americans, starring Jack Lemmon and James Gardner, when they stumble onto a charter train full of UNC-Chapel Hill fans headed for the NCAA Final All classes of excursion tickets include free admission Four. Train scenes in the 1998 movie, Forces of Nato the Smoky Mountain Lionel Train Museum before ture, starring Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock, were boarding the train. The museum boasts a collection also filmed on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. of 7,000 Lionel engines, cars and accessories, and an impressive operating layout and children’s activity Continue on page 22 center.

22 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023 From page 21

TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING Bryson City is a laid-back, non-touristy town of 1,300 with more stop signs than stoplights. It is an easily stroll-able town with local bookstores, arts and crafts galleries with working artisans, a bike shop, two fly fishing shops, a fly-fishing museum, an historical museum, an aquarium, a scenic train, two breweries, and a surprising variety of restaurants. Bryson City is only 10 miles from the famous Cherokee Indian Reservation. [Information on lodging in the Bryson City area is available on your confirmation form .

Schedule for passengers riding motor coach from Kingsport, TN Motor coach departs Kingsport, TN 7:00 a.m.

Train departs Bryson City 12:01 p.m.

Train arrives back in Bryson City 4:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Arrive back in Kingsport, TN 8:00 p.m.

Schedule for passengers riding motor coach from Johnson City, TN Motor coach departs Johnson City, TN 7:30 a.m.

Train departs Bryson City 12:01 p.m.

Train arrives back in Bryson City 4:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Arrive back in Johnson City 7:30 p.m.

Passengers have three options for arrival at the Tickets and pre-purchased meals must be ordered Bryson City Train Depot: They may either ride a char- online by credit card at www.wataugavalleynrhs. tered tour bus out of Kingsport or Johnson City, TN, org/. Click on the EXCURSIONS link or drive directly to Bryson City, NC, if that is more convenient. Please select point of departure location on Questions about the trip? Go to the order form when purchasing tickets. NOTE: Free www.wataugavalleynrhs.org, or email parking is provided both in Kingsport, Johnson City wataugavalley@gmail.com. and Bryson City.

Schedule for passengers driving directly to Bryson City, NC Train departs Bryson City 12:01 p.m.

Train arrives back in Bryson City 4:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

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24 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023 From page 24

sic rock, and originals band out of Haywood County, North Carolina. They have an award for Songwriter of the Year for New Country through NACMAI and are up for three more awards. They are a five-piece band.

Members include Mike Holt, lead singer and guitar, Gerald Scott, harmonies and guitar, Rickie Hudson lead guitar, Nick Gebbia, bass guitar and vocals and Chad Gates, drums. Susan Scott as band manager.

Ending this year’s concert series, we will be a local favorite for many. River Town will take the stage on July 27. They are a bluegrass band from East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Artists such as Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Tony Rice and JD Crowe have influRiver Town closes out the concert series with a performance on July 27. enced their sound. Their hard-driving style is always a crowd pleaser. Band members are Robin Crowder – to the surrounding areas to create a strong and loymandolin, dobro and vocals, Jason Bales – banjo and al following of fans. Their high energy stage shows, vocals, Chase Nicely – guitar and vocals, and Bryne and fan friendly approach, has created a fan base that Hill – upright bass and vocals. keeps coming back for more night after night.

Next taking the stage June 15 is fan favorite Jigsaw Jane as they bring their fun exciting energy fourpiece band to the stage playing everything from classic rock, Southern rock and alternative rock to driving, old school, new age country music as well as original music. Jigsaw Jane is a regional band that originates in Northeast Tennessee / Southwest Virginia. The band has been together for four years and has played shows in multiple states.

What could be better than bluegrass, mountains, and the City of Newport’s beautiful Riverwalk?

The entertainment starts at 7 p.m. Come on down, find your spot and relax before the concert starts if you like. There will be food and games set up by 6:30 pm. And as an extra treat, local nonprofits that work with children will be at the concert to do activities with the little ones this year.

Helping kick off a long holiday weekend June 29 is Grits from Dumplin Valley, who have become a welcomed tradition at ROR. They have been making events memorable since 2006 and are known for being the most versatile band in the area, playing everything from southern rock, classic rock, classic country blues and dance. Truly life is better with a side of Grits. You will not want to miss them!

July 13 welcomes another new band to ROR, Outlaw Whiskey Band. They are a country, Southern rock, clas-

Grits kicks off the long holiday weekend with its debut performance at Rhythm on the River on June 29.

Outlaw Whiskey Band, out of Haywood County, N.C., performs July 13 at Rhythm on the River.

Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023 25

Rip Roaring Adventures again rated among ‘Best of the Best’ The Pigeon River floated over 200,000 commercial guests through the Great Smoky Mountains in 2020, officially gaining the title of “Most Rafted River In America”. That number increased by over 25% in 2021 — with more than 305,000 guests floating down the mighty Pigeon River. Eleven outfitters were registered to offer whitewater rafting trips on the Upper and Lower Pigeon River, but one Hartford, TN operation really made a splash with tourists in 2021.

Rip Roaring Adventures once again received multiple Travelers’ Choice — Best Of The Best awards from the international tourism ratings aggregate TripAdvisor in 2022. Rip Roaring Adventures was rated the No. 2 Top Snorkeling & Water Sports experience in the US, and No. 7 Top Snorkeling & Water Sports experience in the world. In addition to topping the Travelers’ Choice spots, Rip Roaring Adventures was also named the No.13 Overall Experience in America and the only rafting company on that list.

Family owned and operated, Rip Roaring Adventures attributes its success to a focus on customer experience built on a true passion for whitewater rafting.

Owner Joe Novotny is a professional raft guide with 21 years’ experience and a Level 5 ACA Swift Water Rescue Instructor. Co-owner, and Joe’s wife, Crystal Novotny, believes their personal approach helps their guests feel like a member of the family: “When you

call us you talk to me, and Joe will guide you down the river. We have a really great staff and our guests appreciate our hands on approach and experience.”

Rip Roaring Adventures guided over 17,000 visitors down the Pigeon River this past year, and Joe Novotny attributes much of his company’s continued success to the incredible feedback rafters have left on TripAdvisor. “TripAdvisor really works in an amazing way because our guests actually know our guides before they even get here,” Novotny said. “We have requests for certain guides even if they have never been rafting with us before. They read on TripAdvisor how much fun other guests have had and they want the same experience.”

Rip Roaring Adventures still partners with local tourism, lodging and adventure destinations in the region to ensure guests a truly authentic Tennessee experience. The family’s passion for whitewater rafting, and commitment to showing visitors the best of what our region has to offer has helped propel Rip Roaring Adventures to the top rankings worldwide, year after year.

For more information, visit Rip Roaring Adventures’ website at raftingtennessee.com.

26 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023

Great Smokies Eco-Adventure 2023 offers glamping, exploring and hiking adventure Mark your calendar for an immersive Smokies experience like none other. Spend your days exploring the wilds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and your nights glamorously camping off the grid. DLiA and partner A Walk in the Woods brings you an exclusive 3-day, 2-night adventure from April 30-May 2, with expert-led nature hikes, camping in a luxurious off-grid setting, mouth-watering, local food and drink, and much more. All proceeds from this fundraising event will help DLiA discover and conserve the rich biodiversity of the Smokies.

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is being co-hosted by Discover Life in America and A Walk in the Woods. An award-winning, locally owned and operated tour guide company, A Walk in the Woods has been helping people get the most out of their Smoky Painted Trillium. Photo by Jaimie Matzko Mountains experience for over 23 years, serving over 100,000 visitors along the way.

A Walk in the Woods has generously provided access to Camp Atagahi, their staff, and their Smokies expertise to make this event really shine!

DLiA’s Will, Jaimie and Todd will be your guides for the duration of the Eco-Adventure and will share their expert knowledge of the natural and cultural history of the Smokies.

Camp Atagahi is A Walk in the Woods’ premiere offgrid camping facility located in a small valley just north of the National Park boundary between Pitman Center and Cosby, Tennessee. It features a wellstocked off-grid commercial kitchen and excellent bathroom facility with running water, flush toilets, and hot showers. Guests are lulled to sleep at night by the babbling creek that flows through camp. Tents are spacious, mounted on wooden platforms, and feature a covered “front porch” area where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine, listening to the sounds of nature.

The Eco-Adventure features guided nature hikes through prime wildflower habitat in the National Park (a short drive from Camp Atagahi). We’ll keep it slow and easy-going, with lots of stops to admire and talk about the Smokies’ famous wildflowers, native trees, Camp Atagahi Tent. Photo by Jaimie Matzko

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pollinating insects, birds, and more. We’ll also share our expert knowledge of the cultural history of the landscape.

The one-of-a-kind hikes will leave you with a new appreciation for the incredible variety of life in the Smokies region and they’re really fun, too!

Tickets are $950 per person, which includes accommodations, food and alcohol, as well as expert-guided nature hikes. All meals are included with your

Michael Eckenfels and Linda Walker at Fern Branch Falls at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Photo by Will Kuhn

Linda Walker and Sabine Ehlers look at an oil beetle in collection jar on Porter’s Creek Trail at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo by Will Kuhn

ticket price, prepared on site with local produce, cheeses, and other ingredients. Vegan and vegetarian options are available. Beer and wine are also provided as well as soft drinks of your choice. (They will inquire about your dietary restrictions and beverage choices close to the event.)

Pricing is based on double occupancy of tents, so singletons may be assigned to a tent with another guest of the same gender. Registration closes April 10. To purchase tickets and additional information, go to dlia.org.

Welcome To Newpor t l

City of Newport 300 East Main Street, Newport, TN 37821 | 423-623-7323 Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am to 5:00pm

Most Roadside Services Accepted 860 W. Hwy 25/70 • Newport, TN

423-623-0008 WWW.EVANSAUTOMOTIVE.NET

28 Visiting The Smokies Spring 2023

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

WWW.YALLVISITTHESMOKIES.COM 423-625-9675