SMOKIES VISITING THE
• MUSIC
• TRAIL MAPS • FALL FOLIAGE
VISITING THE SMOKIES
DUANE UHLS
Publisher
DAVE RUTHENBERG
Managing Editor
KATHY BARNES
Writer/Photographer
ANGEL DYKES
Account Executive
ABBY SWEARINGEN
Account Executive
PENNY WEBB
Account Executive
ANGIE CAMPISE
Creative Services/Production
Copyright: 2024 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.
WHAT’S INSIDE
is published by The Newport Plain Talk 145 East Broadway | Newport, TN 37821 423-623-6171 4 8 10 11 14 16 17 19 21 24 26
Fall Glows During Dollywood’s Harvest Festival
Wears Valley Fall Fest Oct. 18-20
Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fall Fair
Oct. 3-20
Lakeside of the Smokies Balloonfest
Smoky Mountain Trail Map
Hot Springs Trail Map
Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival Oct. 12
Newport Harvest Street Festival Oct. 5-6
Best Time to See Fall Foliage in the Smokies
The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail in Gatlinburg
Parking in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
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.
By day, celebrate the season of many colors with the return of Dollywood’s Harvest Festival, which runs through Oct. 28. Dozens of talented musicians perform Southern gospel, country and bluegrass melodies, the scents of fall treats waft through the streets and the sounds of thrilling rides like Big Bear Mountain fill the air with adventure.
Great Pumpkin LumiNights
Award-winning Great Pumpkin LumiNights returns to light up the night with thousands of creatively carved pumpkins and larger-than-life pumpkin icons. Back to delight for another year, family favorite Hoot Owl Hollow is the enchanting hideaway of a gigantic, glowing owl and its dozens of friends roosting in the trees, atop buildings and across the hillside. Explore a world of not-sospooky nighttime fun, Great Pumpkin LumiNights is the highlight of Harvest season at Dollywood.
A family favorite since its inception, Great Pumpkin LumiNights grows again this year with 10 ride-themed pumpkin displays, including representations of guest favorite family coaster Big Bear Mountain and the ever-thrilling Wild Eagle.
Pumpkins aren’t only visually present throughout the park; they’re in many new culinary offerings as well. Warm, hearty lunch and dinner options include spiced pumpkin bisque, everything toasted garlic knots with pumpkin cheese sauce, and hickory smoked ribs with pumpkin spiced rub, found at seasonal culinary booths and restaurants.
Other fall flavors are found in various stuffed sweet potatoes,
including the maple brown sugar pecan cinnamon apple stuffed sweet potato and refreshing beverage options like harvest apple lemonade.
Smoky Mountain Splendor
Just like Dolly’s beloved Smoky Mountains, Dollywood transforms every fall into a haven of harvest beauty. Thousands of fabulous fall flowers in traditional hues of red, yellow and orange bring autumn to life, while mountain-fresh touches like white and green gourds, purple blooms and gorgeous greenery add a unique twist to classic seasonal decor.
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Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am to 5:00pm
Feel the rush of a fall breeze when you grab a seat on any of Dollywood’s world-class rides and attractions. Join the expedition on Dollywood’s newest and longest 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 Mountains during a relaxing train ride on the classic Dollywood Express.
Live Music
A tradition deeply rooted in the Great Smoky Mountains, live music is the heart and soul of fall at Dollywood. Be serenaded by the sounds of a Smoky Mountain fall with Southern gospel, bluegrass, Americana and country tunes to tap your toes to.
More than 1,100 live performances will take place during the festival run. A wide range of musical talent — including bluegrass, Southern gospel, jazz, country and points in between — will be on display.
WEARS VALLEY FALL FEST OCT. 18-20
Sixteen acres of family fun including over 240 crafters, interactive activities, entertainment, children’s events and a great variety of food awaits all in attendance at the 11th annual Wears Valley Fall Festival coordinated by Keep Sevier Beautiful.
This year’s event begins on Friday, Oct. 18 and continues through Sunday, Oct. 20. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The festival site is next to Tennessee State Bank off Route 321 in Wears Valley in Sevierville.
The wide array of activities at this year’s event will give families a great way to make memories, experience a variety of fun activities and enjoy the incredible beauty of fall in the Smokies.
Looking for some amazing fall entertainment? The center stage features free live singers including country, southern gospel, old time rock and roll and much more! Check back closer to the Fest dates to see a complete entertainment lineup.
There’s plenty of delicious food to delight anyone’s appetite.
There’s something about southern fall food! Enjoy a barbecued pulled pork sandwich, a steak on a stick, pizza, Greek food, corn dogs, hamburgers, grilled chicken or many more main menu options!
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Not ready for a full meal? Nibble on fried oreos, fried Twinkies, funnel cakes, nachos, kettle korn, cotton candy, ice cream or gourmet candy apples.
Exhibits and vendors include a diverse craft collection that includes both traditional and contemporary artwork. Exhibitors include photography, painting, jewelry, basket making, metal crafts, woodworking and many more!
Live demonstrations are included as part of the festival – be sure to check closer to the festival for the craft demonstration schedule!
Local businesses from the region will also be present, many of which are related to the Great Smoky Mountains.
Want to make crafts of your own? The Fall Fest Kid’s Tent is a free area for kids of all ages to create crafts – mostly from natural and repurposed item
The Wears Valley Fall Fest is NOT your typical Fall Fest! While it features classic autumn elements like talented artisans, pumpkin patches, tractors, and mouth-watering southern cuisine, its primary goal is to promote the mission of Keep Sevier Beautiful –reducing waste, preventing litter, and transforming public spaces into beautiful places!
Throughout the Fest, participants can discover ways to care for our environment both in Sevier County and beyond. From craft vendors creating items from repurposed materials to entertainers using unconventional instruments like spoons and washboards, you’ll learn how to reduce, reuse, and recycle to help make our
world a better place.
This event serves as the largest fundraiser for the local affiliates of Keep America Beautiful and Keep Tennessee Beautiful, specifically Keep Sevier Beautiful. Not only can you learn about reducing your environmental footprint and protecting the beautiful mountains we call home at the Wears Valley Fall Fest, but by participating, you’re supporting community-based programs like recycling drop-off events, community gardens and plantings, educational programs teaching our youth to be good stewards of the community, and vital projects that assist our neighbors in need through initiatives like Project Restore.
GATLINBURG CRAFTSMEN’S
FALL FAIR OCT. 3-20
The Gatlinburg Craftsmen Fall Fair is now in its 49th year of celebrating arts and crafts in the Smokies. Visit over 200 of the finest craftspeople from all over the United States. Watch as they demonstrate their skill, answer questions and offer their unique art for sale. Artisans in nearly 400 fairs voted our Fairs 5th All-Time Favorite Fair in the nation!
Filling the 150,000 square feet of downtown Gatlinburg Convention Center, the Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair hosts artisans and craftsmen from all over the nation. Two hundred booths with unique and one-of-a-kind handmade products are beautifully displayed, as these skilled craftspeople demonstrate their talents. Each participant is subject to a rigorous jury process to ensure the uniqueness and quality of their respective products. All items represented are handmade and of utmost quality and without duplication. Look for exceptional pottery pieces, leather, copper art, local candy makers, and many more unique items.
There is something for everyone at the Fair. The Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair and Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries provide a free Kid’s Corner during our July fair, with a selection of DIY crafts for our youngest visitors to take home with them. Also, be sure to stop by one or all of our daily music shows included with the price of admission. Check out the stage and enjoy contemporary country, bluegrass, and your favorite gospel tunes at noon and at 3 p.m. daily.
Admission is $10 for adults, children 17 and under are free with paid adults.
Concessions are available for sale through the Gatlinburg Convention Center.
The Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair usually takes most of the day to see. If you didn’t quite get through it all, multi-day passes are available at the Craftsmen’s Fair office located at the end of aisle 500.
For more information visit craftsmenfair.com.
Trick or treating starts early in East Tennessee this year with the 2024 Annual Lakeside of the Smokies Balloonfest, set for Oc tober 26-27, the last weekend before Halloween. Photo courtesy Christy Hensley Scott.
LAKESIDE OF THE SMOKIES BALLOONFEST
Trick or treating starts early in East Tennessee this year with the 2024 Annual Lakeside of the Smokies Balloonfest, set for October 26-27, the last weekend before Halloween.
Located on 40 acres just off Interstate 40 Exit 417 in Dandridge at 295 W. Dumplin Valley Road, this year the festival will include trick or treating for prizes as well as fall and Halloween-themed activities. Children and adults alike are invited to dress up in family-friendly costumes to enjoy the weekend event. Due to safety concerns, full-face Halloween costume masks are not allowed.
The festival features hot air balloons, food trucks, over 50 craft and artisan vendors, a live band, local wine and craft beer gardens, corn hole, antique tractors, balloonist Q&A, local 4-H clubs, a kids’ fair with bounce houses and games, as well as plenty of space to spread out and enjoy the views of the hot air balloons throughout the afternoon as well as each night with the festival’s Balloon Glow Finale. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets for sitting and wear comfortable shoes.
The annual Lakeside of the Smokies Balloonfest is set for Oct. 26-27 in
As the Jefferson County Festival Charities’ (JCFC’s) largest annual fundraising event, this year JCFC has selected the Dandridge-based UT/TSU Extension - Jefferson County office to receive proceeds from the festival. The local 4-H UT/TSU Extension provides research and evidenced-based knowledge about agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, 4-H youth development, and community development. This year’s signature sponsors include Bush’s Beans and Visit Jefferson County.
General admission tickets are available for one or both days of the event, and parking is free. Both days will include a free canvas painting activity for kids 17 and under.
Add-on tickets are available for the Nine Lakes Wine Garden, the Beer Garden, and Morning Ascension Mimosa & Breakfast 7 a.m. each day, and the VIP Elevated Experience. A limited number of
tickets for untethered rides will be available via the website, while tickets for tethered rides can be purchased onsite for $20 first-come, first-serve.
Gates open at 1 p.m. each day, and the festivities run from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. For more details, and to purchase tickets ahead, visit www.lotsballoonfest.com.
Dandridge. Photo courtesy Jalynn Baker Photography.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN TRAIL MAP
SMOKY MOUNTAINS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
OCT.
12
The Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival is Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the beautiful Maggie Valley Festival Grounds in North Carolina during the leaf season. An annual fundraiser, the festival brings all the Haywood County Arts Council’s programs, and artists together for a truly one-of-a-kind experience.
The festival includes award-winning bluegrass bandsBrew Davis, Blue Ridge Girls, Nu-Blu, Appalachian Road Show and Balsam Range - vendors, raffles, artist member demonstrations and artwork, a child and adult playground, and local drinks and food.
. Local food trucks, wine, Boojum beer
. Kids art station
. Lawn games
. Rental chairs available at the gate for $5 each
Tickets are $55 and can only be purchased online at givebutter.com/SMBF24.
For more information, visit the festival’s Facebook page and/or haywoodarts.org/smokymountains-bluegrass-festival/
NEWPORT HARVEST STREET FESTIVAL OCT. 5-6
One of the longer running fall festivals in the Smokies is the Newport Harvest Street Festival. The 38th annual event returns to the streets of downtown Newport the weekend of October 5-6 and brings with it many activities, crafts, music and more.
Sponsored by the Cocke County Partnership and Chamber of Commerce, the festival begins Saturday, Oct. 5 with an opening ceremony honoring military heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice.
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.
The weekend will be filled with entertainment with live performances from popular acts Jigsaw Jane, Southern Addiction
Band and Big Bluegrass performing on Saturday in addition to the high-energy performance of talented kids from Newport Dance & Cheer Academy and Max Movement Dance and Fitness.
Sunday will feature a full afternoon of gospel music from Carson Creek Singers, Glory Bound, Memorial Baptist Praise Team and First Baptist Praise Singers.
There will be plenty of entertainment and activities for kids as well, including the ever-popular Kiwanis train.
What would a festival be without a pageant? The Harvest Queen Pageant is a mainstay of the event with winners being awarded in several age categories on Saturday.
The festival is free to attend.
FALL FOLIAGE IN THE SMOKIES
The notion that peak color season in Great Smoky Mountains National Park happens in mid-October is a misconception.
The marvelous colors of autumn actually light up the Smokies for seven weeks or more as the peak elevations move down the mountainsides from the highest elevations to the foothills.
Autumn in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a special time when visitors enjoy leaves as fall colors travel down the mountainsides from the highest elevations to the foothills. The kaleidoscope of fall colors in the Smoky Mountains is magnificent and varied because of the amazing diversity of trees. Some 100 species of native trees live in the Smokies, the vast majority of which are deciduous. The timing of fall color change depends upon so many variables that the exact dates of “peak” season are
impossible to predict in advance.
In the Smoky Mountains, autumn color displays above 4,000 feet start as early as mid-September with the turning of yellow birch, American beech, mountain maple, hobblebush, and pin cherry, clearly visible from such vantage points as Clingmans Dome Road.
The fall color display usually reaches peak at middle and lower elevations between mid-October and early
November. This is the park’s most spectacular display as it includes such colorful trees as sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red maple, and the hickories.
By the beginning of October, trees in the Smoky Mountains high country that are now showing bright fall colors are the yellows of American beech and yellow birch and different shades of reds on mountain ash, pin cherry and mountain maple. In the lower elevations, a few early color changing species such as sourwood and sumac are showing bright reds now, but are scattered. Some dogwoods and maples are beginning to turn different colors in some areas as well. Fall wildflowers such as goldenrod and
22 Visiting The Smokies Fall 2024
asters are colorful throughout the park and some blueberry and blackberry shrubs are also changing color, as well as the Virginia creeper plant.
Bright golds and yellows of American beech, yellow birch, and yellow buckeye and different shades of reds on mountain ash, pin and black cherry and mountain maple are painting the landscape. The big rounded leaves of witch-hobble are showing fine displays of color ranging from yellow to red.
The majority of the deciduous forest at 4,000 feet elevation and below is still predominantly green, but now with splashes of color dotting the slopes. Sourwood and sumac are showing bright reds; some dogwoods and maples are turning different colors in some areas as well. Fall wildflowers such as mountain gentian, black cohosh, and goldenrod are colorful throughout the park and some blueberry and blackberry shrubs are also in color, as well as the Virginia creeper plant.
Because the Great Smoky Mountains provide a range of elevations between 875 and 6,643 feet in the Park with differing moisture conditions and habitats, many trees will still produce significant color as the Park moves into its peak autumn season.
Recommendations: High elevation trails such as Sugarland Mountain Trail and Appalachian Trail, accessed at Clingmans Dome or Newfound Gap, would be good hikes for this time of year. Also, roads leading into the high country, including Newfound Gap Road, Heintooga Ridge Road, Foothills Parkway West and East, and Rich Mountain Road out of Cades Cove, are the best options for seeing fall colors in the Smoky Mountains.
As October begins to fade away up top, autumn colors at midelevations, from 3,000 to 5,000 feet, are at or slightly past peak and are very impressive. Reds are more pronounced now than in recent years, especially on the North Carolina side of the park. Colors at the very highest elevations (above 5,500) are now past peak.
At the lower elevations of the Smoky Mountains, fall colors are quickly developing. The first frost of the season occurred this week
in the low elevations, so the remaining leaves should begin to change color within a few days. Black gum, dogwood, sumacs, and sourwood trees continue to show vivid reds. Golds are present on tuliptree, black walnut, birch, beech, spicebush, and hickories. The peak of color at the lower elevations is still a few days away and will probably spill over into November.
It is not unusual for some autumn color to last through certainly the first week of November in the Smoky Mountains, but if the weather cooperates autumn displays could last through midNovember as well.
THE ROARING FORK MOTOR NATURE TRAIL IN GATLINBURG
An exuberant mountain stream gave this area its unusual name. Roaring Fork is one of the larger and faster flowing mountain streams in the park. Drive this road after a hard rain and the inspiration behind the name will be apparent.
This waterfall is within walking distance of the Ephraim Bales cabin off the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. The water at the base of the waterfall is reportedly eight feet deep.
Ephraim Bales cabin is along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Ephraim and Minerva Bales raised their 9 children in the small cabin. They owned 72 acres, farming 30 of those and leaving the rest wooded. The cabin is one of more than 80 historic building s in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The family lived in the cabin from 1890 until about 1930. Ephraim Bales died in 1926.
The narrow, winding, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail invites you to slow down and enjoy the forest and historic buildings of the area. The 5.5-mile-long, one-way, loop road is a favorite side trip for many people who frequently visit the Smokies. It offers rushing mountain streams, glimpses of old-growth forest, and a number of well-preserved log cabins, gristmills, and other historic buildings. Please note that the road is closed in winter. Before entering the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, a stop at the Noah “Bud” Ogle self-guiding nature trail offers a walking tour of an authentic mountain farmstead and surrounding hardwood forest. Highlights include a streamside tubmill and the Ogle’s handcrafted wooden flume plumbing system.
Just beyond the Ogle farmstead is the trailhead for Rainbow Falls, one of the park’s most popular waterfalls. The hike to the falls is 5.4 miles roundtrip and is considered moderately strenuous. If you plan to attempt this hike, be sure to wear sturdy hiking shoes or boots and carry plenty of water and snacks. The entrance to the motor nature trail is located a short
distance past the parking areas for Rainbow Falls. Several homes and other buildings have been preserved in this area. The trailhead for Grotto Falls, another of the park’s most popular waterfalls, is located along the route. And a “wet weather” waterfall called Place of a Thousand Drips provides a splendid finale to your journey. An inexpensive booklet available at the beginning of the motor nature trail details landmarks along the route.
Directions
To access Roaring Fork, turn off the main parkway in Gatlinburg, TN at traffic light #8 and follow Historic Nature Trail Road to the Cherokee Orchard entrance to the national park. Just beyond the Rainbow Falls trailhead you have the option of taking the one-way Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail (closed in winter). Please note that buses, trailers, and motor homes are not permitted on the motor nature trail.
The
PARKING IN GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
There are three parking tag durations available for purchase. A daily pass is $5, a weekly pass can be purchased for $15, and an annual parking tag is $40. The prices are the same for all vehicle types and sizes.
Parking tag guidelines
• Physical parking tags must be displayed in the vehicle, and digital tags will not be accepted.
• Each tag is only valid for a single vehicle and it must include the license plate number of the vehicle it is displayed in.
• Parking tags may be purchased online and onsite at locations within the park.
• Parking tags will be required anywhere within the boundaries of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for vehicles parked for more than 15 minutes.
• Parking tags will not be replaceable, refundable, transferable, or upgradeable.
• Annual parking tags must be displayed in the front, lower passenger side windshield.
• Daily and weekly tags must be placed face-up on the lower side of the passenger side dashboard.
How to purchase a parking tag
There will be a variety of options for those who are looking to purchase their parking tags, including:
• Purchasing an annual parking tag through Great Smoky Mountains Association and having it shipped straight to your door.
• Purchasing both daily and weekly parking tags through recreation.gov and printing them off at home. Note that the park will not be able to print your parking tag for you.
• Purchasing all variations of parking tags onsite at welcome and visitor centers across the national park. The locations where you can purchase your parking tag in person include the Gatlinburg Welcome Center, Sugarlands Visitor Center, Townsend Visitor Center, Cades Cove Visitor Center, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont Store, Clingmans Dome Visitor Center, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Swain County Visitor Center, and Visit NC Smokies Visitor Center.
• Daily and weekly parking tags are available for purchase by credit card from automated machines available throughout the park. Guests will be able to access machines year-round, 24 hours a day.
Do parking tags guarantee a parking spot?
No, parking tags will not guarantee a parking spot at a specific location or for a specific time.
What are the consequences of failing to purchase a parking tag?
Failure to comply with the parking tag guidelines may result in a warning, citation, or your vehicle being towed at your expense.
When
do daily and weekly tags expire?
Daily and weekly parking tags will expire at 11:59 pm ET on the date that is listed on the tag.
Hours: Tue. Thurs. Fri. 10 -5 &Sat 10 -4.
Are vehicles with disabled parking placards exempt?
Yes, visitors with valid, state-issued disabled tags are exempt from having to purchase a parking tag.
How are proceeds from the parking tags being used?
All revenue generated from the parking tags is being directly put back into the operational costs for managing and improving services for guests, including trail maintenance, trash removal, and staffing increases.
Will there be a limit on the number of parking tags sold?
No, the park does not limit the number of parking tags sold on any given day or week.
