Our Christmas in the Smokies

This year we’re planning something different for the holidays, a Christmas in the Smokies. And we’re bringing a lot of our family with us. In addition to our immediate family, more of Becky’s family is coming from Arizona. And together we have a full week planned, including visiting Dollywood for the 1st time. If you’ve thought about a Christmas in the Smokies, then check our highlights of an amazing week!

Planning a Christmas in the Smokies

One of the best things about timeshare ownership, is the ability to vacation with your family. And since last year, we’ve planned to stay in a resort in Sevierville, Tennessee during Christmas week. Sevierville is just minutes from Pigeon Forge, which leads to Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Location wise, it is far enough away from the busy areas, but close enough to everything.

With 14 total family members, one of the things best to plan in advance are meals. And we find a grocery store close to our resort. So our plan is to bring some things we need, then some of us will go shopping after we arrive. The only meal at a restaurant we have planned is a Christmas dinner reservation at the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant. But we also plan to hit a pancake house, a family tradition.

As for activities, we plan to do some last minute Christmas shopping in Gatlinburg. And then spend as much time in the national park as possible before Christmas. We’ll attend a church service in the area, and spend Christmas morning unwrapping presents and having breakfast. And we’ll all get together for Christmas dinner. Our big present to everyone are tickets to Dollywood just minutes away. So, we’ll plan to visit Dollywood the day after Christmas. And on our last day, Becky has scheduled a photographer to do family pictures in Cades Cove in the park.

Downtown Gatlinburg – Our Christmas in the Smokies

After arriving Saturday night and doing some grocery shopping, we are ready to do some shopping in downtown Gatlinburg. But, 1st we decide to eat at a pancake house.

Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg

Our Arizona cousins are meeting some of their family today, which leaves us with Becky’s Uncle Bob. And after a late morning start, we all head to Gatlinburg. Pancake Pantry is right on the main strip, which is packed. And the parking behind the restaurant is full. But we find paid parking down the road for $20. After parking, we all meet in front of the restaurant. There are numerous pancake houses in the area, but Pancake Pantry is the first. You can read more about this restaurant at: Pancake Pantry, Gatlinburg, TN.

By the time I walk up, there’s a line out the door. But Becky already has our name on the waitlist. Since we have a party of 9 it’s an almost a 30-minute wait to get 2 tables together. But after getting seated, we are served right away. And though there are many breakfast and lunch items available, the 2 dozen pancake options are the main draw here.

With so many options, this is a great place to share. You can order a breakfast dish with a side of 3 pancakes. Or you can order specialty pancakes with a side. Either way, you can’t lose. We split their Morning Star which is a scramble of loaded hash browns with eggs and lots of toppings. It also came with pancakes, and we’re able to substitute them for their special buckwheat pancakes at no additional charge. But we also order their wildberry crepes with a side of corned beef hash. It was a lot of food, and tasty. But the crepes were the winner for my sweet tooth.

Shopping in Downtown Gatlinburg

There are 2 tasty treats we want to buy for stocking stuffers: saltwater taffy and MoonPies. And the 1st is literally next door. The Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen has all kinds of candy treats, but it’s the saltwater taffy that we like best. And they make it fresh in the store.

You can actually watch it being made outside or inside the store. And if you’re lucky, they’ll give you a fresh piece to try. You can also make your own box of taffy picking the flavors you want. But they also have plenty of other handmade treats like pralines and fudge. After getting our taffy, we continue walking down the strip.

A few doors down we stop in the Ole Smoky Distillery “The Barrelhouse”. They also have another location that sells moonshine, but here it’s all whiskey. Similar concept, and you can pay to sample different flavors starting at $5. But if you want to find mini bottles, you’ll have to look in the liquor stores. Another stop is Byrd’s Famous Cookies is where we are greeted with cookie samples. These little cookies are great and you can get a commemorative Smoky Mountains tin to put them in. We peruse a few more stores with ornaments and other souvenirs before heading to our car. We still want to get MoonPies, but there’s one place we want to visit first.

Stop at Sugarlands Visitor Center

Once back in the car, we continue on the Gatlinburg Parkway until we leave the town. And a couple miles later, we enter the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We want to stop at the Sugarlands Visitor Center before exploring the park tomorrow. Now you have to buy a parking pass if you plan to park for more than 15 minutes. So, we head inside.

Becky gets her passport stamp done before we explore the museum and gift shop. The museum is always nice to walk through, but they also have exhibits on Christmas past. It is interesting to read about the trends during time periods through the 1900’s into the 2000’s. Becky finds some things in the gift shop including some parking passes. They are $5 per day or $15 for the week. Since we plan to visit multiple times, we get the weekly passes.

The other thing we find most helpful is being able to talk to the park rangers about current conditions. We find out that Newfound Gap Road is closed due to snow before we arrived. However, the ranger tells us the best place to see snow is to drive to the Newfound Gap parking lot. And that the road should re-open tomorrow afternoon. I also discuss the researched hikes with her and get good recommendations for tomorrow.

Gatlinburg Parkway Bypass and Overlooks

After we leave the visitor center, we take the Gatlinburg Parkway bypass which takes less time to get back to our resort. Gatlinburg is always busy, so this road is always a good option if you want to save time. And it starts just past the visitor center.

Another thing we like about this bypass is there are 2 pull-outs you can stop at. I missed the 1st one, but we stop at the 2nd. There are a lot of cars already here, but still plenty of parking spaces. When we get out, we realize we can see the whole town of Gatlinburg below. Not to mention, there are more gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains.

Moon Pie General Store in Pigeon Forge

We continue on the bypass until we reach Pigeon Forge. Before we return to our resort, we have one more stop at the MoonPie General Store. If you don’t know what a MoonPie is, it’s like a cookie marshmallow sandwich in different flavors. We love MoonPies, and this store has all kinds of them and related merchandise. And what’s great is you can get a free mini-MoonPie to sample.

Besides the normal chocolate, vanilla and banana flavors, they have coconut, chocolate mint, strawberry and salted caramel. And they even have 2 new flavors we’ve never seen – pumpkin spice and blueberry! The minis are great, especially for stockings, and you can mix and match a dozen. So we get enough for everyone’s stockings, and a box of the double-decker blueberry just because. We also get a cigar box full of minis for a gift for our other son who couldn’t make the trip. After a full day exploring and shopping, we head back to our resort for crockpot pot roast and sleep.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Our Christmas in the Smokies

Many people visit Gatlinburg and the surrounding area without going into the national park. But for us, it’s a must during our Christmas in the Smokies. And after talking to a park ranger we have a good idea of what we want to do. But unfortunately Becky has to work a day, so she stays at the resort the 1st day. But, we gather a group of us to go hiking including our daughter and son Drew. Along with Becky’s brother Kelly and her cousin Samantha and her son, there are 6 of us. Also, Becky’s dad Poppa is along for the ride. But this time we take a longer route through Townsend, which puts us closer to where we are going.

On the way in, we see a park sign and pull over. This is the 1st time in the park for Samantha and the little ones and there’s a small area to pull-off. Afterwards, we turn right at the Townsend Wye and the 1st left onto Tremont Road. Then we turn into the parking lot for the Tremont Institute which provides educational opportunities in the park.

Tremont Institute to Middle Prong Trailhead

After crossing a bridge is the parking lot for the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont Welcome Center. I have never been here, so we all head inside. Similar to a small visitor center, there are restrooms inside which are needed after the long drive. There is also a little shop and people to answer questions.

We find out the Spruce Flats Falls Trail starts here, but the park ranger yesterday said it was not well-maintained. So, we ask about Lynn Camp Falls instead. They advise us we have to go back over the bridge and turn left onto a gravel road. After 3 miles it will end at the trailhead for the Middle Prong Trail, which leads to Lynn Camp Falls.

Back in the car, we find the gravel road and drive slowly. The road also crosses two 1-lane bridges which we have no problem crossing with no other cars seen. And it dead-ends at a dirt lot with some cars and unmarked parking spots. We gear up and head to a bridge for the start of the Middle Prong Trail.

Middle Prong Trail to Lynn Camp Prong Cascades

A prong is simply a branch or tributary of a river.  And the trail starts where the Lynn Camp and Thunderhead Prongs combine to form the Middle Prong of the Little River.  It actually starts at the bridge over the Middle Prong and then follows an old railroad bed once used for logging.  This trail is about 1.4 miles to Lynn Camp Falls and back.

The trail slightly ascends, but it’s wide and an easy walk.  It follows the Middle Prong on our left.  And only after about 15 minutes, we come to a bench with our 1st view of the falls.

The lower section of the waterfall is often called the Lynn Camp Prong Cascades. And you can walk down to the water’s edge here, but we continue up the trail. As we go a little further, we see paths off the main trail to the top of the cascades. So, we head down to the water.

We find a trail that looks easy and climb down to the top of the cascades.  We are able to safely perch on the rocks at the water’s edge.  And there’s room for all of us down here.  We spend about 20 minutes relaxing at the top before climbing over more rocks to another trail back up.  From here we head back not knowing there’s more to the falls farther up the trail. 

On the return hike, we slowly descend back to the bridge making it back in less than 10 minutes. Overall this short hike took us about an hour, though most of that time was relaxing at the top of the cascades.

The Sinks and Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area

Once we leave, we remember to start the GuideAlong app. It’s like having a guide in your car and works on GPS so you don’t need cell reception. And back on the main road, the guide starts telling us interesting history and facts about the park. We’re heading to Metcalf Bottoms, but we make one stop along the way at the Sinks,

Though Poppa stayed in the car during our hike, he gets out here to admire the Sinks. It’s just a short walk from the car to see this cascade under a bridge to a large pool below. He tells us he can remember being here before all the guard rails were installed. And lots of kids used to jump and swim in the pool below. I’m sure there’s a reason for the guardrails today, but it’s still a cool stop.

About 5 minutes up the road, we turn into the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area for lunch. We started late and it’s a late lunch of sandwiches, chips and drinks we packed in our cooler. There are plenty of nice picnic areas with tables and grills on the Little River. But, it is cold today, and our ice cold drinks are not helping. We take turns walking to the restrooms before we head to our car to warm up. But there’s one more hiking trail I want to do from here, if I can find it.

Metcalf Bottoms Trail to the Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse

From the picnic area there is a 1-lane bridge over the Little River. And there’s a lot of cars crossing both ways. So, we wait our turn and eventually park on the other side of the bridge at a small pullout. Across the street is a gate and trail sign that says 0.6 miles to the Little Greenbrier School.

And the trail continues along the river for about 2 minutes before a sign points left. From here the trail ascends to a fenced area that looks like some old waterworks. And this is where the trail gets interesting. The trail goes back down through a tunnel of rhododendron. It’s narrow and has lots of roots and the kids think it’s like being in a jungle.

Once through the tunnel, it opens through the open forest. We see a branch of the river which gets closer as we continue. And the trail crosses over a log bridge to the other side.

The log bridge is easy to cross one at a time. And it’s a little bouncy when we jump on it. After taking turns crossing we continue through the woods another 5 minutes to another log bridge and the school.

It takes us about 25 minutes to get to the 2nd log bridge which leads to the school. But this bridge is bigger and has no problems accommodating all of us. In fact, it makes a great spot for a group photo. Once across the bridge, we make it to the schoolhouse and the door is open.

The Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse

This Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse was built in 1882 for the surrounding communities. And it was used continuously until 1936 before the park officially opened in 1940. Once we make it across the bridge, we find the schoolhouse door is open. Inside are wooden benches leading to front of the class and the blackboard.

The schoolhouse was also used as a church which maintained the cemetery here. It seems very creepy with its crumbling fence and small headstones. And the names appear to be infants and other children that may have attended the school. Most appear to be from the Walker family that lived nearby.

If you walk past the schoolhouse and cemetery you will reach a parking lot. You can actually drive here in summer and fall, but we enjoyed the short hike. From here you get a better view of the front of the schoolhouse. And you can also continue about 1.3 miles to the Walker homestead.

Thomas Walker helped build the school, and he was the father of the Walker Sisters. These 5 sisters continued to live in the park until the last sister died in 1964. It seems like a fascinating place to visit, but it’s getting late so we head back. The total hike was just about an hour with about 15 minutes at the schoolhouse. After 2 short hikes, it is time to get back for dinner. But on the way home we see Newfound Gap Road has opened, and tomorrow we’ll be back in search of snow.

Newfound Gap and Snow

Newfound Gap was named when it was discovered as the newest way through the mountains. And it is the only direct route through the Great Smoky Mountains today. It connects Gatlinburg, Tennessee with Cherokee, North Carolina on the other end. And the Newfound Gap Parking Area marks the highest point at over 5,000 feet. This is also the spot where Franklin Roosevelt officially dedicated the park in 1940.

It’s about 13 miles past the Sugarlands Visitor Center driving on Newfound Gap Road. On the way is a beautiful drive as we pass some shadier sections with snow. It’s late morning when we all arrive and it’s busy, but there’s still plenty of parking spots available. And the 1st thing we see is a large stone monument which has stairs to the top.

On the ride we continued to listen to GuideAlong. And we found out how the funds needed to create the park were raised. One half, or $5 million, was donated by John D. Rockefeller in honor of his mother Laura Spelman Rockefeller. And this stone monument with a plaque was built in their honor. We climb up the stairs and we can see the mountains on the other side of the road. And our daughter finds enough snow up here to make a few snowballs.

To the right of the monument, you can also start on a section of the Appalachian Trail. And there are restrooms on the other side of the trail. Another thing to look for is the North Carolina/Tennessee state line which is commemorated with a sign in the parking lot. Though with little snow here, we decide to drive toward Cherokee to find more.

Finding more Snow

Around the next turn is Kuwohi Road which is closed for the winter. There are park vehicles in front of the road that leads to Clingmans Dome which was recently renamed to Kuwohi. So, we continue to the next pullout, the Luftee Overlook. Here is a decent sized parking lot and on one side the ground is covered in snow.

Once we get out, the kids are ready to play. Snowball fight! Though it’s not very deep, there’s enough snow here to make plenty of snowballs to throw at each other.

The side leads down to a creek where the banks are covered in more snow. It’s a pretty spot. After about 20 minutes here, we brush off the snow and head back to our cars. It’s about noon when we leave and we want to go one other place for a picnic and hike. So, we get in our cars and head back toward Sugarlands to Laurel Falls. But it is so busy, there are no parking spots at the Laurel Falls Trailhead. And multiple cars are waiting for a space to open up. So, I call an audible and tell everyone to meet back at Sugarlands Visitor Center.

Sugarlands Picnic Table

Even busier, we have to circle the parking lot at the visitor center before we can get a spot. Since we haven’t eaten our lunch we packed, I look for a picnic area. Most visitor centers have at least a few picnic tables, but I have a hard time finding any. And then I spot a lonely picnic table behind the restrooms.

I grab our cooler and we eat our sandwiches. Not only was I looking for a picnic spot, but I was also looking for a short easy hike we could do. And if we can’t do Laurel Falls, I remembered there are trails to another waterfall behind the visitor center.

Cataract Falls Trail

The Cataract Falls Trail is a short 0.6 mile trail to a waterfall, though Becky’s uncle Bob and parents don’t want to go. But I convince my mom, Grandma, it’s just a short walk through the woods. Behind the visitor center the paved walkway forks to the right to the park headquarters. But to the left is the Fighting Creek Nature Trail that leads to Cataract Falls.

At the beginning the 2 little kids find a log to walk on. And within minutes you’ll see a small bridge over a branch of Fighting Creek. And once past it, the trail continues through the woods.

About 5 minutes into the walk, we see a stump with an interesting face in it. And just past it, is a much larger bridge over Fighting Creek. At the base of the bridge is a large tree that the kids can hide in. Even the bigger kids can get in it.

Just over the bridge, the Fighting Creek Trail continues to the left. But this is where you make a right turn onto Cove Mountain Trail to Cataract Falls. The trail gets much narrower, but it’s a compact gravel path that follows along the creek.

Grandma keeps asking how far, but we keep going. And once we turn away from the creek, we see another bridge. But this one we go under.

The path leads us under the bridge to the other side where there are steps up to the road. And this is where Grandma decides to rest. The path continues to the right though the woods, and the falls are literally around the corner.

Cataract Falls

We passed people on the trail, but we were in for a shock at the end. It takes us about 20 minutes to get to the falls and there are people everywhere. And unfortunately some of them have to climb up to the waterfall. There’s even one family holding a baby trying to get a picture right in front of the falls.

This isn’t a large waterfall, but would be a nice place on a less crowded day. It also wouldn’t be bad if each group would take turns snapping photos, but some people just take their time.

We eventually just stand in front of the people so at least we can get a picture from a distance. But for a short time everyone is leaving the waterfall, so I take quick picture. After getting the picture, we head back toward Grandma.

Drew and I walk with her back on the road to the park headquarters, while the rest of the group heads back on the trail. We’ meet back at the picnic table around 2:30PM. This hike took us less than 40 minutes which is perfect. We have to get back to our resort and change for church. Some of us are going to church in downtown Gatlinburg, while others are going to a church in Pigeon Forge nearby. There are many options. We make it and get seats at the church in Gatlinburg for their 6:00PM Christmas Eve service. And afterwards, we all head back to the resort for chili for dinner.

Christmas in the Smokies

We had decorated our living room in our resort when we got here. Note the Dolly decor and gift bags we brought with us. And now the stockings are full and there are presents under the tree. Santa came!

After we get dressed in our matching Christmas pajamas and get coffee, we check out our stockings first. Loaded with mini-MoonPies and saltwater taffy, just adds to our Christmas in the Smokies. And then it’s on to the presents.

All the rage this year are axolotls. They are an endangered Mexican salamander that remains aquatic throughout its life. And our daughter is obsessed with them. It’s amazing how many things you can find with axolotls this year. But it’s also a Holly Dolly Christmas this year. And our big present to everyone are Dollywood tickets for tomorrow! We enjoy the rest of our morning drinking coffee and eating breakfast casserole. It’s a perfect Christmas morning in the Smokies, but after a while I decide I need beer.

Smoky Mountain Brewery

I’ve been wanting to visit a brewery during our Christmas in the Smokies, but haven’t had the chance yet. But I find out the Smoky Mountain Brewery has a location close by that is open today. And I need to get some beer for my annual beer exchange with my buddy Neil. So Becky, Drew and I decide to head to the brewery restaurant early afternoon.

We’ve been to the Smoky Mountain Brewery in Gatlinburg, but it gets very busy. So, we are glad to find this location which is less crowded. And when we walk in, there is also a cooler of beer. I ask if they still have their winter sampler pack which I saw advertised. They have 1 left, and it’s mine! We can get it when we leave, but we get seated first. We want to try some beers.

You can order flights of beer with as many of their beers you would like to try. So we order 9 of them for only $10.50. There are also many cocktail options for those that don’t like beer, and a full restaurant menu. We know we have a big dinner planned, so we just order some apps. We get the pretzels with beer cheese sauce and fried pickles. Both are great, and perfect to share. And I like their seasonal Christmas Ale the best, so I order a pint. But we don’t stay too long, because our reservation for dinner is at 4:45PM.

Christmas Dinner at Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant

I made a reservation in advance for Christmas dinner at the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant in Pigeon Forge. And though it’s an early dinner reservation, there’s already a lot of people here.  After checking in, they put us on the waitlist.  So we walk outside to find some seating and find Santa.

Santa and Mrs. Claus are out front greeting and taking pictures with the waiting customers. It helps, because it’s about 45 minutes before they seat us. There’s 14 of us total, so they have to put two tables together. And when finally seated, we’re ready to eat.

They get our drink orders first, but also bring everyone an apple julep. It’s a small glass of a non-alcoholic apple cider cocktail. And then the food comes starting with their signature apple fritters with apple butter. These are delicious and they bring multiple baskets for everyone to have a few. This is followed by a cup of vegetable soup. And then the entrees come.

They bring a platter of over-roasted turkey, another with country ham and another with prime rib. They also bring all the fixings including gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, stuffing, sweet potato casserole and rolls. My plate is stacked and everyone can eat as much as they want. Though we don’t come close.

We actually have a lot of food leftover to fill up more than 3 boxes. Oh, and we forgot about dessert! Our server packs our choice of coconut or red velvet cake to go. It’s almost 7:00PM by the time we leave, but we are full and happy. Afterwards, some of us go to the resort hot tub and pool with the kids.

Dollywood – Our Christmas in the Smokies

There is a separate post, Dollywood at Christmas, with all the details. But here are the highlights of our 1st visit for all of us… We pull in to Dollywood an hour before opening to ensure we can get an electric scooter for Becky’s mom. We stop for a photo before we head in.

Once we get in the park, we stop for another photo in front of the Dollywood sign. Though Drew is hungry and goes to the bakery. He brings back multiples things including their famous Cinnamon Bread. After a quick bite, we head to Timber Canyon for rollercoasters. The 1st is Thunderhead, a wooden coaster, which is showing an hour wait. So while in line we buy the Timesaver Passes for the next rides. Thunderhead is fun and the 2nd is Mystery Mine which has a surprise drop. So far both coasters are awesome, so we head to Wildwood Grove.

This newer section of the park has both Big Bear Mountain and Dragonflier coasters. Though the wait for Big Bear is almost an hour and is my least favorite ride. However the Dragonflier is good, just short. Afterwards, we head to Wilderness Pass but stop at the Dog House for lunch. Unfortunately this quick service restaurant took forever and the food was messy. But the next coaster is FireChaser Express which shoots forward and backward. By this time, our parents leave us for shows. Then we get on Wild Eagle which takes a while, and it gets dark by the time we fly through the air.

Dollywood at Night

We continue on to our 7th rollercoaster in the dark, Tennessee Tornado. It does a few loops which everyone enjoys except Becky. But the line is short, so we all ride it a 2nd time without her. The ride photos are great on this one.

We hit some food trucks for a handmade pretzel and hot chocolate. Then we head toward the train. By this time the park is lit up beautifully. And on the way Becky wants to stop in some of the shops. Spending too much time in the stores, we miss the next train. So, we head to meet our parents at the Christmas in the Smokies show.

In the Celebrity Theater at the front of the park, we make the last show at 7:15PM. There’s plenty of open seating for the 50 minute show. It’s a good break from the cold and our daughter takes a nap. After the show, we find Red’s Drive-In for some food. And right across from it is the last rollercoaster, Lightning Rod. The same 4 of us head to our final coaster while the rest stay and eat. As we are ascending on Lightning Rod, the fireworks are going off behind us. And once we start down, the wooden coaster turns sideways where I almost lose my keys. Afterwards, we meet back up at Red’s before leaving the park after the 9:00 closing. It was a full day at Dollywood, but we’re heading back to the national park tomorrow.

Family Pictures in Cades Cove – Our Christmas in the Smokies

Early on, Becky wanted to take family photos of all us during our Christmas in the Smokies. She scouted out local photographers and found Anna Leonidov from Gatlinburg. And on our last day, we head to the Townsend Wye to meet her at 11:00AM.  Also known as just the “Y”, it is just a mile from the Townsend entrance to the national park.  And there’s a good-sized parking lot here. It is here we meet Anna, along with her daughter and dog Zoey. From the Y, we still have to drive over 7 miles to Cades Cove where we picked to take pictures.

Since it’s been a lot of driving so far, we stop at the Cades Cove Picnic Area first to use the restrooms. But afterwards our 3 cars follow Anna’s as we make our 1st stop shortly after entering the loop. We park just past the John Oliver Cabin, and walk across the street to an open field for pictures. It is really windy, though we’re able to take lots of photos of our family. However, I recommend taking additional pictures at the old grist mill by the Cades Cove Visitor Center. It should be less windy there.

The Cades Cove Loop Road is very slow, and it’s stop and go traffic before the visitor center. And though it’s very busy, we all find parking spots and assemble by the old grist mill. The mill is a popular location, too. But it’s a beautiful backdrop for the photos and it is less windy here. Anna is wonderful and great with the kids. We would definitely recommend her for family photos in the Smokies.

The Rest of the Cades Cove Loop

After we say goodbye to Anna, her daughter and Zoey, we continue on the loop drive. We still have the GuideAlong app to point out interesting stops on the way. But our 1st stop is a wildlife spotting.

We normally see lots of deer in Cades Cove, but it’s 2 wild turkeys just off the road. They don’t mind us as we watch them grazing in the grass. A little further down the road, GuideAlong recommends a stop at the Tipton Place.

The Tipton Place homestead was originally settled in the 1820s. There are multiple buildings here including a 2-story cabin built in the early 1870s. You can even walk upstairs to the 2nd story. But the most interesting looking building here is the cantilever barn. Though it’s a replica of the original, this type of barn was common in the 1800s. After about 10 minutes exploring the homestead, we return to our car.

The road meanders through wooded areas, and past open fields. We find some parking spaces near an open field. And I get out with our daughter to check it out. It’s a pretty spot, but surprisingly no deer around. Back in the car, we eventually see a lone deer near the edge of another field before finishing the loop. At the entrance, we see park rangers and cars backed up at entrance. We find out later they closed the loop and other roads due to the windy conditions. And the drive back to the resort takes hours due to the traffic. But we make it back in time for dinner of all the leftovers we had from the week. A fitting end to our Christmas in the Smokies.

Summary of Our Christmas in the Smokies

Christmastime is special in the Smokies and we had a wonderful week. During our Christmas in the Smokies, we ate at a pancake house and explored downtown Gatlinburg. But most of our time was exploring the national park and finding snow. We even had family pictures taken in Cades Cove, albeit a windy day. Though the highlight for everyone was visiting Dollywood for the 1st time. It truly is a wonderful park, and the rollercoasters were lots of fun. We would definitely love to go again. But the best part was spending time with most of our family.

We missed our son Matt, but glad that Drew was able to make it from Washington state. And we are grateful that our parents and Becky’s brother Kelly were able to make the trip. It was a bonus getting to see Uncle Bob, cousins Chris and Samantha and their 3 kids from Arizona. It’s been over 4 years since we’ve seen them. It takes a lot of planning and coordination with this many family members, especially during Christmas. But, we’ll never forget our Christmas in the Smokies.

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