Sure, everyone is a fanatic about Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome and the Historic Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. But there are several other, less recognized places that are also mysterious wonders of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. When you book a stay at one of our Gatlinburg cabins, be sure to check out these five amazing spots to visit while you are exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park!
Climbing to the top of the Chimney tops you will feel as if you are on top of the world! You'll be able to access the Chimney Tops from Newfound Gap Road. The trail itself is only 3.8 miles in length, but don't let that fool you! This is a tough trail, but the panoramic views from above are completely worth it.
Charlies Bunion is a beautiful peeking mountain inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The "bunion" of Charlie's Bunion is actually a large boulder-like protrusion just below the summit. The name was given by Charlie Conner, who had a matching bunion on his foot that resembled the formation of the outcropping. The trail runs about eight miles round-trip and has spectacular views of Mt. Kephart, the Jump Off, and Mount Guyot.
The Walker Sisters Place was a hidden homestead that still has surviving structures: the corn crib, the spring house, and the Walker Sisters cabin. The Walker Sisters refused to adapt to modernity and instead persisted in their primitive ways. You can find this hidden treasure off of Little Greenbrier.
Upper Tremont is a wonderful area about which not many know. A lot of people would prefer that it stay that way; Upper Tremont is a hidden area in the park and not many people venture out to it. You will find wonderful fishing opportunities and picnic spots perfect for resting and sandwich-nibbling.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park was once logged by lumber companies long ago. President Roosevelt created an organization called the Civilian Conservation Corps to both help create jobs and to restore the park during the depression. These camps decommissioned during World War II, but you can still see the chimneys and drinking fountains standing, moss covered and mysterious.