10 THINGS TO CHECK OUT IN THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS THIS FALL 2010

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ClingMan's Dome

10 things to check out in the Smoky Mountains this Fall:

1.  Dinner at Buckberry Lodge

2.  Sunset/Dawn at Cades Cove

3.  Hike the Chimneys

4.  Lunch at Old Mill

5.  Thunderhead Wooden Rollercoaster at Dollywood

6.  Outlet Shopping at Five Oaks

7.  Ziplines throughout the Area

8.  Luxury Log Cabins at Aunt Bug's

9.  View Gatlinburg from atop the Space Needle

10. View Multiple States from Clingman's Dome/Visit GSM National Park

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Old Mill Restaurant--Historical Landmark



Wiley Oakley: A Pioneer of the Smokies

Wiley Oakley















He was a man whose name became an icon in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Many described him as a simple, hard-working, and good-natured individual who was quick to help anyone who found themselves in need and at his doorway.



It was this simple man, however, whose intimate knowledge of the forbidding and dangerously isolated region of the Smokies would open up what many Americans thought was a place better left to the few hardy natives who called it home. His efforts as a guide in the region would set new standards for those who followed in his footsteps and there were many, but, as long as he lived, there was none better than he and such reputations don’t come easy.



When the nation finally exerted its efforts to harness the power and resources of the mountain range, he began a second career of sorts that would not only make his name a household word in the small city of Gatlinburg, but become one that would echo throughout the nation as the unofficial ambassador of the Great Smoky Mountains. Wiley Oakley was born on Sept. 12, 1885 to Henry Coleman and Elmina Conner Oakley at the base of Mount LeConte. He was one of nine children born to the mountain family and they made their home in a simple cabin farm.

Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals: Chicken Noodle Soup - Crockpot Chicken Soup Recipes

Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals: Chicken Noodle Soup - Crockpot Chicken Soup Recipes

There's Moonshine in the Smokies

GATLINBURG, TENNESSEE - Tennessee Moonshine will be available legally for the first time when Ole Smoky Distillery opens for business in Ole Smoky Holler at 903 Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg. The distillery will have a grand opening celebration on Friday, July 2 and will offer free tours, free samples of moonshine to adults over 21, and moonshine for sale.

Ole Smoky will offer a number of moonshine products: original unaged corn whiskey moonshine, apple pie moonshine, sweet tea moonshine, and peach moonshine. Moonshine cherries will be available for purchase during the holiday season. The Ole Smoky recipes are the product of the hard work and experience of local families who have made moonshine in the mountains for over a century. Dave Pickerell, who served as the Master Distiller for Maker's Mark for over 15 years, assisted with the refinement of the recipes in order to ensure a superior mountain - made moonshine.

A highlight of the facility is the authentic working moonshine still where visitors will learn the science of the distilling process as well as the history and lore of moonshining in East Tennessee. Ole Smoky is the only distillery in the state dedicated to moonshine products. Proprietors Joe Baker, Tony Breeden and Cory Cottongim place a particular emphasis on celebrating their mountain heritage as well as the historical significance of the moonshine craft in sustaining families during hard economic times of the early 20th century.

"Moonshine played an integral role in the daily lives of families in this region," said Baker. "Too often, people rely on the stereotype of a backwards old man making a cheap, dangerous product. In truth, a lot of good people made and sold moonshine in order to feed and clothe their families. Without moonshine, many mountain families would not have survived."

Ole Smoky is the first federally licensed distillery in the history of East Tennessee, and is currently one of only four distilleries operating in the state. Jack Daniel's and George Dickel received their licenses before Prohibition, and Prichards Rum opened their Tennessee facility in 1999.

Entertainment in the Smoky Mountains

Luxury lodges, log cabins, chalets, and condominiums are located throughout the valleys and mountains of Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville, provide accommodations ranging from rustic to lavishly elegant. The Smokies supply an endless array of recreational activities. Visitors come to hike through the vast forests, fish in the beautiful creeks, whitewater raft, camp in the backcountry, horseback ride, and photograph the beautiful, scenic views.

Just outside the Park are the towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville featuring an unlimited supply of incredible shopping, dining, amusements, events and entertainment.

Visit the largest collection of Titanic memorabilia in the World, take an aerial tram to the top of the mountain, learn to horseback ride & zipline, shop for handmade mountain crafts or take the family to the Minor League Baseball ballpark. Everything your imagination can think to do is located in the valleys of the Smoky Mountains.

Trolleys operate throughout Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg offering affordable, air-conditioned transportation to hundreds of locations. They run throughout Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge. You can park & ride, so don't worry about parking or walking to each place.

Come to the Smoky Mountains on vacation! Your family will have more than enough to do for fun and entertainment. The Smokies will provide you with endless memories!

Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals: Improve your relationship with an Escape to the Mountains

Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals: Improve your relationship with an Escape to the Mountains

Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals: Gatlinburg: A family tradition

Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals: Gatlinburg: A family tradition