Smoky Mountain Hiking

Whether you’re just married, renewing your marriage vows or stealing away for a romantic weekend, Honeymoon Hills has the perfect hide-a-way for you. The everyday world will slip away as the two of you settle into your own secluded, private retreat, nestled into 10 private acres in the Great Smoky Mountains. Tastefully decorated and specially appointed for two, your Honeymoon Cabin has all the privacy you’ll want to let you really enjoy your time together.

Visit their website for more information and specials.

Sunflower Vacation Rentals offers one bedroom cabins for couples only. The beautiful cabins are located on a private mountain ridge only four miles from downtown Gatlinburg.

Visit their website for more information and specials.

Imagine yourself swept away into the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains, escaping to a lovely Gatlinburg Cabins and Pigeon Forge Cabins in the woods. Heartland Cabin Rentals can provide just such a vacation for you. Enjoy a relaxing vacation in Gatlinburg, Tennessee or Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Pick your own location from a log cabin on the river, or a log cabin with a beautiful mountain view, or a log cabin nestled in the woods or in private seclusion. We offer discounts to fire fighters, law enforcement officers and military personnel. Gatlinburg, Tennessee features the beautiful scenery of the Smoky Mountains and a romantic atmosphere. If you are looking for family fun, come to Pigeon Forge.

Visit their website to learn more.

Choose from 60 individual rental chalets or log homes all located on naturally beautiful Smoky Mountain terrain. Our vacation chalets are charmingly decorated and spacious, sleeping up to 20 people. They feature jacuzzis, hot tubs, fireplaces, pool tables and more!

Learn more at their website.

Start your Gatlinburg Cabin Rental in Gatlinburg, TN, the “Heart of the Smokies”. Convenient to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Our Gatlinburg Mountain cabins and Smoky Mountain cabin rentals are sure to satisfy your desire for relaxation, comfort & excitement. We also feature beautiful cabin rentals in Pigeon Forge. Whether your plans include a wedding, Gatlinburg honeymoon, anniversary celebration, family reunion or just weekend getaways, we have the perfect mountain rental for a perfect holiday. You will be sure to experience an unforgettable Smoky Mountain cabin rental when you plan your stay with us.

Visit their website for more information.

For your Smoky Mountain Large Group Lodging, we have been specializing ONLY in accommodating big groups for 10 years: Family Reunions, large group meetings, group retreats, corporate groups, seminars, church groups, singles groups, marriage retreats, large youth retreats, wedding parties, anniversaries, birthdays and other family get-togethers, scout meetings, camps, company and association events, conferences, office parties, Christmas parties, Thanksgiving gatherings, and other Holiday parties, school graduation parties, large group encounters, corporate parties. If your big group is coming to Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, we can accommodate up to 64 at one luxury lodge or log cabin in Gatlinburg – from ½ mile to 4 miles from downtown. We know what big groups want and need and we provide it all!!

Learn more at their website, www.abideabovegatlinburg.com.

Gatlinburg cabins, chalets and cottages overlooking Gatlinburg’s all-season river to spectacular Smoky Mountain view settings. All of our cabins have hot tubs, many have Jacuzzis and pool tables while some have pool privileges.

Get more information at Aaron’s website, www.smokymtncabins.net. They also run frequent specials that can be found on their site as well.

So it was our last full day in the Smokies and we were driving the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail just outside of Gatlinburg. We came up on the Grotto Falls trailhead and, even though it was sprinkling very lightly, I convinced my wife that we should hike up to the falls and back. My son was all about it.

So we hopped out of the van, I strapped on my CamelBack and we were on the trail. This trail is very wide and easy aside from a few rocky spots and some places where there are lots of roots. This is the trail that is used once a week to re-supply Leconte Lodge by Llama.

The hike to the falls is only about 1.3 miles, and is a gradual elevation climb of 500 feet or so. It is your typical Smokies trail, following the ridge of the mountain slope, crossing small streams and creeks along the way. As we got closer to the falls, the rain got heavier and by the time we arrived at the falls, it was a steady rain, although it was partially blocked by the canopy.

All in all, it was a great family hike and even though the weather could have been better, we still had a great time. Check out photos from the hike on my Flickr Photostream.

I am not sure how long this has been available, but I just discovered it today. If you are using Google Maps, point it to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and zoom in until the zoom indicator is on the 4th tick mark from the top. Apparently, Google Maps is showing the trails inside the park. Here is a screenshot:

If you zoom in even closer, it will show the actual trail names.

If you take this and get to work on the new My Maps feature in Google Maps, you can create a custom Google Map that shows the trails you have hiked, complete with markers to show certain landmarks.

Hundreds of people have probably used Ed Wrights map of the Alum Cave Trail showing the various landmarks along the way like Dolly Parton Peaks and Bust @ss Rock.

I decided to give it a little bit of Web 2.0 by recreating it using Google’s new My Maps feature.

Here is the Alum Cave Trail Map on Google Maps.