Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in America and welcomes double the number of visitors of the Grand Canyon, the second most visited park, every year. With over 11 million people roaming the roads and trails of the Smokies, it can seem as if experiencing the beauty and wilderness of the area could be more hectic than peaceful, but that’s certainly not true. While it is true more people tend to visit in the spring, summer, and fall, the winter months provides a completely different experience. We wanted to share 3 things you’ll love about visiting the Smokies during winter!

Cades Cove is the most popular destination in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. People come from all over the world to see this incredible valley surrounded by mountains, because there’s no other place quite like it! You’ll be able to drive around an 11-mile paved loop road, and there are several places where you can get out and explore. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountains:

If you are just starting to get into hiking, you probably want to know what hikes you should try when you visit the Smokies! There are several easy hikes that are perfect for beginners in the national park, and you can see all kinds of different natural features along these trails! Here are 6 of the best hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains for beginners:

When you’re visiting the Smokies, you have to stop by the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) to learn more about their amazing white water rafting trips! With more than 40 years of providing families with adventures on the river, you won’t find a better company to raft with. Here are 4 perks of white water rafting in the Smoky Mountains with NOC:

If you’ve ever been to the Great Smoky Mountains then you know that every corner of the most visited national park has something special about it that captures the attention of guests time after time. However, there is one certain valley that is tucked away in the heart of the hills that seems to pull folks in like no other. Cades Cove is a destination that you can visit once and have it capture your heart for a lifetime. Here are 3 reasons why you should visit Cades Cove on your next trip to Gatlinburg, TN.

Summer vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains has been a long time standing tradition for many folks from all over the country. Maybe you’re visiting for the first time this summer or possibly for the 20th. Regardless of where you stand on the number of times you’ve been to Gatlinburg, there is always something new to do. Below are 3 top things to do this summer but the possibilities are certainly endless. Check them out, book your trip, and get ready for a summer adventure that you’ll never forget.

Winter hiking in the Smoky Mountains comes with great perks and challenges that will help you grow as a hiker. Exploring our beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the wintertime is a great way to enjoy more solitude, views that are revealed only during the colder months, and if you’re lucky the peacefulness of taking a walk in the woods on a snowy day. We have put together a group of hikes for you that include a variety of trails and some of the best in the park. Read over each description, find the trails for you, book your trip, and start hiking the Smokies!

Fall is just around the corner and the Smoky Mountains will be exploding with color and beauty soon! Below are 3 of the best hikes for the season to help get you started on planning your fall trip to Gatlinburg this year.

Dreaming of hiking on America’s favorite footpath? You’re not the only one! Around 3 million people hike a portion of the Appalachian Trail every year. Most take day hikes, many spend a few nights backpacking and others thru-hike and experience every mile of the trail. We’re blessed here in Tennessee to 94 miles of the trail running through the Volunteer State. An extra 160 miles runs along the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. Close to 70 miles can be found along the spine of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with access to the trail being 30 minutes away from our Gatlinburg hotel. Time on the Appalachian Trail is truly indescribable and something that needs to be a first-hand experience. We’ve put together 8 things that you can expect along the Appalachian Trail in Tennessee with a special on the Smokies section. Take a minute to read over them and then start planning your adventure on the A.T. today!

Are you heading to the Smoky Mountains this summer with the hopes of experiencing some of the best hikes in the park? If so, then you’ll love the 4 that we’ve put together for you! From swimming holes to beautiful views and waterfalls too, you can’t go wrong with whichever hike you choose!

Spending your vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains is a way to guarantee that both parents and kids have an experience that they’ll never forget! Here are 4 things that kids love about visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known for stunning vistas, but it’s also filled with smaller slivers of beauty that are tucked away in every corner of it’s 520,000 acres. The first of March brings new life to the mountains every year and in the weeks before the calendar turns to the first day of the spring and lasting until the days when shades of autumn begin to take over the canopy of the forest, wildflowers can be found throughout the park. The abundance of blooms and the incredible variety of wildflowers on display bring folks back to the Smokies year after year in search of their favorite petaled gems. To get you started on your own wildflower adventure, we’ve put together information on 5 of the best wildflower hikes in the Smoky Mountains. Take a minute to read over them and then work on planning your next vacation to the Smokies!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a photographer’s paradise! Everyone from beginner level photographers to the pros will find plenty of opportunities to capture endless beauty in the Smokies year-round. It’s also a wonderful place to photograph your vacation and capture moments with your family and friends that will be treasured for years to come. Here are 5 of the top spots for photos in the park and a few tips to help you have a great experience in the Smokies!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the top waterfall chasing destinations in Tennessee and we wanted to help you out with finding 3 of the waterfall hikes that you have to try the next time you’re staying with us in Gatlinburg. We also wanted to add a few bonus waterfalls at the end of this blog entry to help those of you that are not able to hike also enjoy a few of the waterfalls of the Smokies as well!

The Appy Lodge was not only created as a place to pay homage to the Appalachian Trail but also with a hope to encourage guests to fall in love with the great outdoors. We want your family to have a great experience in Gatlinburg and leave with unforgettable memories of your time in our beautiful Smoky Mountains. Our Happy family would love to see your children year after year and have the opportunity to watch them grow into great stewards of the mountains. That’s why we have put together a few of our favorite things to do as a family in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We know that if your children spend time in the mountains as they grow up that they will not only have lifelong memories of time with you, but they will also pass on their love for park to their children. A cycle that we hope will continue for many generations to come!