Smokey Mountains, TN

7/30-8/1:

After weeks of traveling through cities I needed some nature in my life again. Smokey Mountains National Park. Located as part of the southern Appalacha Mountain range in Eastern Tennessee this park is a gorgeous wonderland of green hills and fantastic trails.

I stayed at a campground called Greenbriar which is both secluded and easily accessible to the local towns on the edge of the parks. Filled with fantastic hiking opportunities and peace I highly recommend spending a night or two here.

Along with my time hiking and relaxing around a fire I felt there was something else that I needed to experience about this area. This brings me to a place I thought i’d never see…. Dollywood!

For those of you who have not heard of Dollywood, it is a Theme park built to celebrate the areas music culture and most importantly it’s name sake, the amazing Dolly Parton. It is a silly place with decent park food and average to below average rides, but it seems like a magical place to bring a family. Especially for those who may not be able to ever see parks like Disney, Knotts or Universal. It also is a special place when you consider the amazing work that Dolly Parton has done for the local community with the profits from her park. It makes you feel so much better to pay for the tickets and food and souvenirs knowing it will in part go to good places.

Across the parking lot is the Dollywood Water Park. In July Tennessee is both hot and humid, bringing the temperatures to about 98 degrees of yuck. So after a couple days of hiking, it is a blessing to get to go float on a lazy river or wave pool. I won’t say that the park is the best water park in the world, but for me who had not been in a water park for 20 years it was everything I needed in life.

The Smokey Mountains are a must see filled with outdoor activity and incredible nature. I highly recommend it and if you happen to be there with friends, go to Dollywood, because… why the hell not!