 | Mesmerizing fall colors in Great Smoky Mountains National Park | | | | | Stretching across the Tennessee and North Carolina border, the glories of the Great Smoky mountains beckon to lovers of the great outdoors. Finding yourself within this stunning expanse of trees, mountains, rivers, wildflowers and wildlife is tantamount to waking up in a dream so vivid it feels like you're starring in a fairy tale. | To get to know more about this magical place, I spoke with Lonely Planet contributor (and Smoky Mountain expert) Amy Balfour who regaled me with tales of her adventures in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, her deep and abiding love of the landscape and its eclectic surrounding towns. Read on for some insider tips and ideas from Amy – her singular insight and local knowledge will guide you towards an unforgettable visit. | | | | | Director, Newsletter Content | | | | | Inside or outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, find all manner of good times, unique experiences and adrenaline-pumping adventures. | | Try a charcuterie board at Cúrate in Asheville | | | | | | | Get thee to Gatlinburg. This kitschy, gateway hamlet is perfect for family fun: Ripley's Believe It or Not!, tons of pancake houses and a chairlift to a mountain coaster. | | | | | Summit Old Smoky. Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the park (6643 ft) and the observatory resembles a flying saucer. | | | | | Dive into history. The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge has some incredible artifacts. You also get assigned the name of a passenger when you enter, and at the end you find out whether they survived. | | | | | Eat well in Asheville. Incredible chefs, like the great Katie Button, are making this town a bonafide dining destination. Grab a seat at the bar at her restaurant, Cúrate. | | | | | Try a guided tour. The Nantahala Outdoor Center (known as NOC and pronounced "knock") offers guided outdoor trips from ziplining to whitewater rafting to hiking. | | | | | Don't miss Dolly. Visit the attractions at Dollywood or check out Dolly Parton's Stampede, a 4-course dinner and show. You can even stay in Dolly's actual tour bus at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort & Spa (if you've got $10,000 to burn). | | | | Dollywood, wildflowers in the Smokies, Cataloochee Campground | | | | | An amazing budget getaway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free to access. | | The Newfound Gap Road is the main artery for the park's trails and campgrounds. | | Camping is best. Or stay in one of the gateway towns, like Gatlinburg or Asheville. | | Hike the park's section of the Appalachian Trail. See wildflowers and fireflies in June. | | | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | This guidebook is a must for planning your trip, with useful, relevant advice on what to see and what to skip. | | | Meet our friend Amy Balfour, Lonely Planet contributor, passionate hiker and Great Smoky mountains aficionado. | | | | Lonely Planet writer Amy Balfour atop Clingmans Dome | | | | | How long have you been working with Lonely Planet? | I've been writing for Lonely Planet since 2008, and I live in Lexington, Virginia. I'm 12 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway, which runs from Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And I wrote part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park guidebook. | | | What's your favorite thing to do outdoors? | My first love is hiking, so I'm fortunate to be so close to the Blue Ridge Mountains. I've contributed to some of your hiking guides. I just hiked Old Rag for another Lonely Planet book. I also love kayaking and cycling. | | | | | Great Smoky Mountain National Park is crowded most of the time – summer is busiest. Visit in the late spring or early fall. | | | Why do you think Great Smoky Mountains National Park draws so many visitors each year? | I think it's because it's so close to so many cities. It's within a half-day drive of much of the eastern US. You can get there very easily from Atlanta, Nashville, DC and Richmond. | | | When is your favorite time to visit the park? | I like spring, that little window before it gets busy with the school kids and the families in May. The snow's melting, and the weather's good. The waterfalls are at full force, you get a lot of wildflowers and you can access most of the trails. | | | | | "Hike a little ways off the trail, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park feels like a wonderland." | | | What do you recommend for accommodations? | I was in Cades Cove Campground when I was reporting the Great Smoky book, and the people in the tent next door came over with some moonshine. Camping is where it's at because there's this sense of community. Cades Cove can be pretty busy, because you're near one of the most popular driving routes in the park. So if you don't like crowds, you can go to Cataloochee. It is also nice, but smaller, more intimate. | | | What do you think is the most unique experience you can have in the park? | Seeing the synchronous fireflies in June, which is a rare occurrence across the US and in the world. The lightning bugs all light up at once, and it's this really neat thing to see the lightning bugs' lights in sync. | | | | How to plan your first Smokies visit | | Clingmans Dome, Little Pigeon River, Ogle Homestead | | | | | This email was sent to you by: | Lonely Planet Publications Ltd. | 1101 Red Ventures Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707 | | | |
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