Located only 22 miles from Gatlinburg, in Townsend, TN, this former logging town offers a tranquil, peaceful setting in which to enjoy the grandeur of the Smokies. Situated away from Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg's hustle and bustle, this Great Smoky Mountains National Park treasure provides many opportunities to immerse yourself in the abundant natural surroundings. With dozens of workshops, camps and activities for adults and kids, this is the place to learn more about the Smokies and embrace the natural teaching environment that is the National Park.

One popular yet still unspoiled area is Tremont. You can learn about nature and get involved in workshops and citizen science projects when you investigate the opportunities offered by Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont .

Check their events calendar and see all the upcoming events they have in store for 2015. Plan your vacation to the Smokies around some of the most intriguing and fun nature-based activities around like the Family Weekend (February 6-8, 2015). Explore Great Smoky Mountains National Park with our guides as the folks from the Institute at Tremont show you some of the most beautiful and enjoyable spots, like waterfalls, the best hiking areas and much more. Here's the tentative schedule for the weekend:

http://www.gsmit.org/downloads/TentativeScheduleFamilyWeekend2014.pdf

The fun part is they do all the cooking for you!

Many people like to build in a volunteering component into their vacations. If you are looking for a fun activity that can help the Institute at Tremont continue to flourish, you might want to join them for one of their volunteer activities. Here is their volunteer page that lists all the activities you can participate in:

http://www.gsmit.org/volunteer.html

Take a look at the beautiful waterfall picture we've posted on this blog. This is the kind of pristine natural wonder you can help preserve with your volunteer efforts. Sign up today and spend part of your vacation caring for nature.

Learn more about the Institute on their Facebook page where you can see photos and videos about the programs and events offered there. Here you'll find local elementary kids enjoying a waterfall at Tremont: http://on.fb.me/1tl6cSN

You won't want to miss their Facebook photo stream that features incredible photography taken in every season and all times of day. These photos offer dramatic views of the mountains, trails, old growth trees, sunrises and sunsets, moonrises, and hundreds of adults and kids with big smiles on their faces.

Ready to plan your trip to the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont? Here's how to get there:

The Institute is located only 26.5 miles from Gatlinburg. Google estimates it will take 53 minutes to get there and offers these directions.

Follow them on Twitter at https://twitter.com/gsmitremont and see some amazing activities they have going on, such as the making of their #SmokiesCool music video!