Ways to View the Fall Color in Sevierville

Besides getting in my car, what are some different ways to view the fall color in Sevierville?

Fall color is out there, what do we need to do, direct you on how to view it? We do? OK, here goes.

Strap on your boots, pull on a warm shirt and just go for a walk in the woods. That’s obviously one of the easiest ways to take in the beauty of the Smokies. If you weren’t aware, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is made up of over 800 miles of trails and most are well maintained. Whether it’s a quick jaunt over a few creeks and through a couple of fields, or a strenuous climb to the top of Mt. LeConte, the Smokies offer trails for all types of hikers from the hearty to the slow looker. Hike part of the Appalachian Trail if you feel like it – it’s a part of the national park. Visit http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/hiking.htm for a more detailed description of the types of hikes you’ll encounter in the Smokies.

If it’s seeing a wide spectrum of color that’s more to your liking, how about taking one of those scenic Sevierville helicopter tours? You can take a trip over the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, or Gatlinburg (all different rates) and get a spectacular bird’s eye view of the Smokies fall foliage.

Take a horseback ride through the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. Places like Douglas Lake View Stables provide horseback rides ranging from one half hour to four hours around beautiful Douglas Lake. It’s a great way to get back to nature and catch some of the fall colors you just don’t get to see from the road.

One of the newest ways to observe the fall colors is zipping down across the French Broad River and the new Wahoo Adrenaline Park in Sevierville. This zip line attraction offers a unique way to view fall foliage in Sevierville, which are really popping right now. Another local zip line adventure is located at Adventure Park at Five Oaks. Here, guests zip through the canopy of trees to the edge of the famed Parkway in Sevierville and Pigeon Forge. The course is located directly across the street from Tanger Five Oaks Outlet Mall. As mentioned, Wahoo Adrenaline Park is a unique way to enjoy the beauty of fall and an opportunity you find find many places. Marvel at the French Broad River as you zoom across, ride the Jet Boats and step out onto the world’s largest Glass Bottom Sky Bridge with the backdrop of the beautiful Sevierville fall foliage.

Late October Leaf Report

In Sevierville, the leaves are at or slightly past peak at the mid elevations from 3,000-5,000 feet. Impressive they most certainly are. We’re talking about red leaves that haven’t shown this much color in years, especially the North Carolina portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Trees in the highest of elevations are now considered past peak and look accordingly.

In the Smoky Mountains’ lower elevations, the color is there and coming into its own. A week after seeing the first frost of the season usually gets those leaves changing color rather quickly and its done that here. Tree species like the black gum, dogwood, sumac, and sourwood are showing redder than trees. Meanwhile, the tuliptrees, black walnuts, birch, beech, spicebush, and hickories are taking on a more golden hue. Taking in the time of year, the current weather conditions, etc., expect color to stay in area through early November if the weather keeps up its current pace.

While fall colors have past their peak in the high elevations, and many trees have already shed their leaves, the mid-level species are continuing to radiate bright hues and show spectacular fall color. Oak trees are just beginning to come out of their shell, with maple, hickory, and other trees offering up their brightest sides. Green has all but disappeared in the middle elevations. We’re not saying there aren’t a few trees hanging on, but good luck finding many of them.

If you’re wanting to get out and see some of the best fall color in the Smoky Mountains, make sure a trip down Newfound Gap Road is in your travel itinerary, or try the Blue Ridge Parkway traveling east to Asheville, NC, the Foothills Parkway East & West in Blount County, and Heintooga Ridge Road to Balsam Mountain Campground. If hiking is more your flavor, get out to Cades Cove and try the Rich Mountain Road Loop, Chestnut Top Trail, Smokemont Loop, Kanati Fork, and Sutton Ridge Overlook on the Lower Mt. Cammerer Trail.

Fall Weather in Sevierville

What’s the weather like in Sevierville during the popular fall months? Find out by clicking on any of our Sevierville forecast links.

It’s fall, the leaves are changing, the air is cooler and a bit crisper, hay rides and corn mazes are the flavor of the day, and people are pouring into the region to find out if everything they read and see in those beautiful Smoky Mountain pictures really do happen. To put it bluntly, this is THE time to be in the Smokies.

Fall in the Smoky Mountains and Sevierville means a lot of things from festivals to events to hiking and camping, and all those require a bit a of information on one singular aspect: weather.

On average, the temperature in Sevierville during the month of October is around 73 degrees, while in November it dips down a bit more to around 62 degrees. Those are some pretty ideal numbers for getting out and about and really enjoying some fall scenery. Meanwhile, lows during the overnight hours can dip to around 45 in October and 35 degrees in November. Just be sure to take that into account if part of your excursion includes camping.

October is also the least rainy month (2.46′) for Sevierville on average before creeping back up to around 3.5 inches for the month of November. Like the fall foliage, it’s a “catch me if you can” type of month for Sevierville.

Here are a few links to some helpful sites for Sevierville weather, especially if you’re planning an upcoming trip to the Smokies this fall or winter:

Check out the Weather Channel’s latest forecast for Sevierville, TN.

Accuweather’s up-to-date Sevierville forecast.

Looking for tips on the best time to catch the fall colors in Sevierville?

Yahoo! also gives viewers the Sevierville forecast and a weather radar map for the Southeast region.

Directions: Sevierville to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

How to get to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Sevierville.

If you’re vacationing in Sevierville likely one of your chosen destinations is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And before you say it’s just too hard to find your way around a new place, the route from Sevierville to the national park is basically a straight line.

So, let’s say you’re in downtown Sevierville. The parkway run parallel to downtown, so if you head west from anywhere downtown, you’ll take a left onto the parkway. From there, it’s a 15 mile drive through Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, keeping right at the fork for 0.7 miles as you leave town. Soon thereafter you’ll make a right onto Park Headquarters Road and travel another 0.4 miles to 107 Park Headquarters Road in Gatlinburg – the official entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Easy as that!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is still recognized as the most visited park system in the country with around 10 million people coming through the half-million acre nature preserve each year. Due partly to the popularity of the national park, towns like Sevierville have grown and developed. Each offer the full range of lodging choices, fine dining and exciting attractions for visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville area. Continue reading “Directions: Sevierville to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park”

Hiking the Smokies – Hen Wallow Falls

The hike to Hen Wallow Falls is moderate but very rewarding at the end. The falls descend 90 feet to a pool below.

Just a short trip east along Interstate 40 is Cosby, TN, where you’ll find the hike to Hen Wallow Falls. It’s a short day trip from Sevierville that takes about a hour to reach the trailhead which is found just past the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the Cosby side. From there it’s a 4.4 mile roundtrip to the the falls but totally worth it if you’re a fan of the Smokies and its natural beauty.

The trail itself can be steep and rugged to start out with but you’ll eventually pass through a growth of hemlock and rhododendron. Rock Creek will eventually come up on your right, and you’ll pass signage for a trail that leads to the Cosby Campground before crossing over Rock Creek.

Continuing on from the trailhead about a mile you’ll reach Messer Gap. Expect you see various other offshoots along the trail but keep on as you’ll eventually come to what was an old rock wall on the left of the trail. Most likely this was at one time a homestead.

A signed side trail at 2.1 miles leads to the base of the 90-foot Hen Wallow Falls by way of steep switchbacks. Hen Wallow Creek, which was only two feet wide at the top of the falls, dramatically transforms into a 20 foot falls at the base. In all, Hen Wallow Falls descends 90 feet from its small creek beginnings.

*Just a note, for some great winter photographs visit the Hen Wallow Falls in January when it freezes into an icy cascade.

Access Trail: Gabes Mountain

Trailhead: Park at the Cosby Picnic Area – near the entrance to Cosby Campground. From there, walk back along the road to the Gabes Mountain Trail.

Etc.: The hike is generally considered moderate in difficulty. It takes about 3-4 hours to hike to the waterfall and back. Hikers continuing on the Gabes Mountain Trail beyond the falls can enjoy an old-growth forest. Pets and bicycles are prohibited on the trail. Hikers are also prohibited from climbing on the rocks around the waterfall. Over the years, several people have died from falling off the rocks and numerous others have suffered serious injuries from climbing on the rocks near the waterfall. Due to mist and algae, the rocks aligning Hen Wallow Falls are extremely slippery. Children should be supervised closely at all times.

Easiest Way to get to Sevierville

Find out the best way to get to downtown Sevierville and the Smoky Mountains.

With so many attractions now opening in Sevierville like the Wilderness Waterpark, various zipline adventures and the like, it’s no wonder people are starting to ask how to get to Sevierville, rather than Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg. That’s not to say people still don’t ask how to get to Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg, but it’s not uncommon to hear just as many people ask for directions to Sevierville.

Most visitors coming into Sevierville come one of three main ways – the first, Interstate 40, being the most used, easiest, and most well known. Coming from Knoxville east, or from Asheville, NC, west, travel along Interstate 40 until you reach exit 407 – Sevierville, Gatlinburg, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Taking that exit, you’ll then travel south along Winfield Dunn Parkway (Hwy. 66) until you reach downtown Sevierville.

The next two routes are used pretty often but not nearly by vacationers coming to Sevierville and the Great Smoky Mountains. From downtown Knoxville, you’ll travel southeast along U.S. 441 – Chapman Highway through Seymour, Tn until it becomes U.S. 411 and you reach downtown Sevierville. This route eventually turns the driver all the way eastbound as it approaches Sevierville.

Traveling north through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Interstate 40 from North Carolina to Tennessee you’ll eventually reach Newport, TN. Take exit 423A to U.S. 411/Hwy 35 traveling west on the Newport Highway. This will eventually turn into the Dolly Parton Parkway once you reach Sevierville.

*Fun fact: Sevierville is located within a day’s drive of over half the United State’s population.

Hwy. 66 Construction – Highway 66 is currently undergoing construction to add additional lanes in order to improve traffic flow into the area. To lessen congestion due to construction, the main parts of the construction are taking place in the evening and overnight hours. Two lanes are also being kept open at all times. Traffic is less congested during the week, so arriving and departing on weekdays will lessen your chances of waiting through construction.

Additional information on Hwy 66 construction can be obtained by calling the Sevierville Visitor Center at 1-888-738-4378. More information about the Hwy 66 Improvement Project can be found at www.improving66.com. Follow the project on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Improving66.


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Hiking the Smoky Mountains

Some tips for a great hike in the Smoky Mountains.

With fall foliage about to reach peak color in the Smokies, it’s about time you tied up those hiking boots one last time this year and hit the trail. Don’t ya think?

Hiking the Smoky Mountains is one of the best reasons to visit Sevierville, TN. Just look up from any spot, and you will see picturesque views of the Great Smoky Mountains enveloping you. Downtown Sevierville itself is just a few short miles away from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, home to more than 800 miles of hiking trails, and plenty of opportunities for you and your family to get closer with nature.

A quick hiking tip: Pick up a hiking guide for the Great Smoky Mountains when you enter town at the Sevierville Visitor Center located at 3099 Winfield Dunn Parkway (1.5 miles from I-40 Exit 407). Best of all, all purchases at this gift shop, which is operated by Great Smoky Mountains Association, benefit the national park.

Most Popular Hiking Trails
Abrams Falls – 5 miles; 340′ climb; moderate: a relatively flat trail leading to the 20′ falls
Arch Rock  – 2.5 miles; 400′ climb; easy; trail leads to an erosion-created tunnel
Chimney Tops – 4 miles; 1,335′ climb; strenuous; winds through a virgin forest to the Chimney Top pinnacles
Hen Wallow Falls – 4 miles; 520′ climb; moderate; good, short day hike to 95′ falls
Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail – 3,000′ loop, paved trail with educational exhibits and communications media Continue reading “Hiking the Smoky Mountains”

October Leaf Report

How are the fall colors progressing one week into October in Sevierville?

To say that fall color has emerged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park would be putting it lightly.  As early reports go, high elevations show warm golds and yellows amongst species like the American beech, yellow birch, mountain ash, pin cherry and mountain maple.

At lower points, trees are still predominantly green but several species are showing hints of color including dogwoods, black walnuts, sumac, and Virginia creeper, Among these, you’ll see yellows and burgundy reds against their green counterparts. The way color is looking so far, peak season looks like it could last anywhere from 7 weeks or more as color moves down the mountainsides from the highest elevations.

The Smokies’ majestic fall beauty usually reaches peak color at middle and lower elevations between mid-October and early November most years. Trees such as sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, and red maple are showing out during this time. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park actually goes more in depth with their comprehensive look at fall color here: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fallcolor.htm

As noted, by October the Smoky Mountain high country is littered with trees that are now showing bright fall colors such as the yellows of the American beech and yellow birch and various reds on trees such as the mountain ash, pin cherry and mountain maple. By now, a few early color changing species such as sourwood and sumac are showing bright red versions in the lower elevations, but can be few and far between. Notice that a few dogwoods and maples are also beginning to turn from green to yellow in some areas as well.

Primarily, the American beech, yellow birch, and yellow buckeye and different shades of reds on mountain ash, pin and black cherry and mountain maple are the predominant color species you’ll see right now.

As for fall wildflowers, fall favorites like the mountain gentian, black cohosh, and goldenrod are very colorful and can be found throughout the park and some blueberry and blackberry shrubs are also in color, as well as the Virginia creeper plant.

The Great Smoky Mountains range in elevation from 875 to 6,643 feet in the Park, and with differing moisture conditions and habitats, many different species of trees will still produce significant color as the Park moves into its peak autumn season. Catch some of the best color in the higher elevations on trails such as the Sugarland Mountain Trail and the Appalachian Trail, accessed at Clingmans Dome or Newfound Gap. 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 some of the best routes for seeing fall color in the Smokies.

Check out color on the Purchase Knob Live Webcam at http://www.nature.nps.gov/air/webcams/parks/grsmpkcam/grsmpkcam.cfm.  Viewers can see color at 5,000 feet from this webcam.

A few suggested hikes for those wanting to get closer to nature while viewing the fall colors: Maddron Bald, Lower Mount Cammerer, Brushy Mountain and Trillium Gap Trails.All of these are high elevation trails so pack accordingly. This time of year, the weather can change at a moments notice. Hiking boots, a backpack, rain jacket, and a change of clothes should be the minimum if you are planning on spending a day in the park.

Catching the Fall Colors in Sevierville

Sevierville’s Autumn Colors in September, October and November.

As far as weather goes, it’s been a fairly cold winter this past year and an extremely hot summer in parts of the Great Smoky Mountains. Still, there is one question that remains the same when the evenings start getting cooler and footballs are seen flying through the air: When do the leaves start changing colors in Sevierville and the surrounding areas?

This summer’s extreme heat was not exactly what everyone was looking for in hoping for an eventual vibrant autumn season. The good news, though, is that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is made up of 100’s of deciduous tree species and each are located in a variety of elevations. So, to say that extreme heat was felt by everyone and everything would be false.

So what does all this mean you ask? It means that there will still be more than enough color for you and everyone else visiting the Great Smoky Mountains this fall… Frankly, there is no such thing as a “bad” or “undesirable” fall in the Smokies! And it’s a great time for hiking in the Smoky Mountains, whether it be a short day trip, or a weekend excursion.

Once the colder weather starts to set in, the leaves will slowly start their autumn transformation. You’ll see the vague hints of this annual event beginning to happen in the Smokies’ higher elevations with a multitude of tree species. Until mid October, if you’re coming through town expect to see mostly golden yellow colors mixed with some orange hues. These oranges and yellows will make their way down the mountains and into the valley as the vibrant reds slowly follow before mixing in. If the cold weather sits in and autumn feels a bit more winter-ish, the colors will peak in the mountains and valley around the final week of October and throughout early November.

One suggestion I’d highly recommend, keep track of the official Great Smoky Mountains National Park website which follows the revolving colors of the fall foliage. They even have a page dedicated solely to fall foliage at: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fallcolor.htm. Also, take a look at their webcams:

http://www2.nature.nps.gov/air/WebCams/parks/grsmcam/grsmcam.cfm

http://www2.nature.nps.gov/air/WebCams/parks/grsmpkcam/grsmpkcam.cfm

Finally, be sure to check out the Park’s tips for fall hiking and scenic drives: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fall-suggestions.htm

Once again, the best time to see the fall colors is the last week of October and throughout early November. It’s our favorite time of the year in the Great Smoky Mountains… I hope you enjoy it as much as the locals do!

Enjoy the Sevierville summer – cool off at a nearby waterfall.

Check out these four local waterfalls that are sure to give your Sevierville summer some needed relief.

During the summer months the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known for such natural occurrences as its abundant wildlife and numerous wildflower species. And while that’s all well and good, and brings in people from all over the world, for us locals finding ways to cool off during those hot summer months is usually first and foremost. The national park is just as great of a place to cool off due to its 2,100 miles of streams – each one with a waterfall at some point along the way.

These waterfalls are a great relief for hikers and people wanting to get away from the city, and they each offer a more natural way to keep cool. There are a number within a quick drive from Sevierville, TN including the following:

Hen Wallow Falls in the Great Smoky Mountains just outside of Sevierville in Cosby, TN.

Laurel Falls

Laurel Falls, cascading down 80 feet, takes its name from the mountain laurel which blooms every May in the Smoky Mountains. The paved trail to the falls is a 2.6 mile round trip hike that is considered a fairly mild hike. One other bit of information, parking, due to the popularity of Laurel Falls,  is very limited. The availability of parking at the trailhead is especially hard to come by in the summer and on weekends throughout the year.

Access trail: Laurel Falls Trail

Trailhead: At Sugarlands Visitor Center, take the turn to Cades Cove on Little River Road and travel 3.9 miles to the Laurel Falls trailhead. Parking will be available on both sides of the road.

Hen Wallow Falls

You’ll enjoy a picturesque walk through a hemlock and rhododendron forest on your way to Hen Wallow Falls. Switchbacks lead to the base of the falls so be prepared and wear the proper types of shoes. From there, enjoy the view – cascades 90 feet up. It’s a roundtrip 4.4 miles to Hen Wallow Falls and also considered a rather moderate hike.

Access Trail: Gabes Mountain

Trailhead: A hiker parking area can be found at the Cosby Picnic Area (near the entrance to Cosby Campground) in Cosby, Tn not far from Gatlinburg. Park there then backtrack approximately 100 yards along the road to the start of the Gabes Mountain Trail. Signs are posted so that you won’t miss it.

Rainbow Falls

This 80-foot high waterfall is well known for the rainbow produced by its mist on sunny Smoky Mou.ntain afternoons. Rainbow Falls is also known to freeze into a hourglass shape during extended winter cold snaps – a wonderful natural sight if you’re able to catch it. You’ll rise up about 1,500 feet in elevation between trailhead and when you reach the falls. It’s another moderately rated hike that runs 5.4 miles roundtrip.

Access Trail: Rainbow Falls Trail

Trailhead: Traveling from the parkway in Gatlinburg, turn at traffic light No. 8 and follow Historic Nature Trail into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You’ll pass the Noah “Bud” Ogle home site before coming to the Rainbow Falls parking area, which will be marked.

Ramsey Cascades

Talk about being swept off your feet, Ramsey Cascades is one of the most spectacular falls in the national park as well as the tallest. It’s a 100 foot cascade over rock outcroppings and that ends in a small pool. And if you love little creatures, you’re sure to find numerous well camouflaged salamanders sliding in and out of the rocks. Hikers rise over 2,000 feet in elevation along the trail to the cascades. Its a strenuous 8-mile roundtrip hike so be prepared for the most challenging trek as well. But it’s a scenic trip as hikers pass next to rushing rivers and streams for much of the journey. Keep an eye out for large tulip trees, silverbells, and yellow birches as you near the cascades.

Access Trail: Ramsey Cascades Trail

Trailhead: Take Highway 321 east of Gatlinburg and turn at the Greenbrier entrance to the park. Follow the signs 4.7 miles to the trailhead.