Bluegreen Colorful Places

For those with an enthusiasm for the wild places on Earth, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the ideal playground for a Bluegreen vacation. And two of the best ways to enjoy the splendor of this great outdoors experience is by hiking the scenic trails, or rafting down one of the rivers.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, even though some of the more remote roads and passes are closed during the winter months. It is a hiker's paradise with more than 150 trails that, combined, are close to 800 miles of perfect scenic hikes through valleys, across rivers, ending with spectacular scenic overlooks that make the park the most visited national park in the country.

Bluegreen hiking experiences in the Smoky Mountains range from easy, short strolls to expert-level treks that may require backcountry camping. While hiking is great year-round, the winter months present the challenges of swollen streams, bridge washouts, downed trees, and trail erosion. But should you accept the challenges of a winter trail during a Bluegreen vacation, the payoff is well worth it. Views in the winter are especially breathtaking—the lack of deciduous leaves opens up new vistas that reveal the historic buildings, rock formations and other features that dot the park's landscape.

The Smokies offer Bluegreen vacationers amazing experiences in every season of the year. Autumn hikers enjoy the spectacular splashes of color brought by the changing leaves and mildly cool temperatures perfect for longer hikes. Spring hikers are rewarded with a landscape speckled with millions of wildflowers and flowering trees. In the hot summer months, hikes below the thick canopy offer cool respite from the heat, and frigid mountain springs and waterfalls refresh the body and soul.

Selecting which trails to explore may be more difficult than reaching the summits! Beginners should start with roundtrip hikes of no more than five miles, and there are plenty of amazing trails in this range close to the Hwy. 441 park entrance near Gatlinburg.

Easy Smoky Mountains Hikes

Laurel Falls Trail
Arguably one of the most popular hiking trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Laurel Falls trail is an easy hike, just over 2.5 miles roundtrip. It is close to MountainLoft^TM, the Bluegreen resort in Gatlinburg. The trailhead is roughly 6 miles from the Gatlinburg park entrance and parking is limited. The trail leads to the 80-foot-high Laurel Falls, one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the park. The trail is paved and is suitable for strollers. Sugarland "All-Access" Trail This is another popular and easy hike, and is especially ideal for kids, strollers, and wheelchairs. It's a short, fully paved and very interesting hike, as it meanders through various scenic features like historic ruins, creeks and old-growth forest. There are also tactile exhibits along the trail that kids will love. It's just over a mile roundtrip, and the trailhead can be found right on Hwy. 441 after entering the park at the Gatlinburg entrance.

Gatlinburg Trail
Offering a one-way trip of just under 2 miles, this is one of only two walking paths in the park that permits bicycles and pets. It is a very easy hike on a very level trail that runs alongside the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. The trail features great views of the river, with an easy footbridge crossing and a view of some homestead ruins. The trailhead is located right at the Sugarlands Visitor Center just inside the Gatlinburg entrance to the park.

Intermediate Smoky Mountains Hikes

Chimney Tops Trail
This trail is also an extremely popular hike. It's only 4 miles roundtrip, but can be strenuous in spots. The payoff at the summit is a 360-degree view of the valley highlighted by natural stone turrets that look like chimneys, hence the trail's name. The views offer perfect opportunities to take a photo to commemorate a great Bluegreen vacation. The trail has some elevation and the view from the "chimney tops" is not for those who are afraid of heights! The trailhead can be found on Hwy. 441, six miles south of the Sugarlands Visitor Center.

Alum Cave Trail
This trail can be easy or moderate, depending on the route chosen. Hikers can trek 2.5 miles to the "cave"—actually just a giant stone arch that the trail passes underneath—or go the full 5.5 miles out to the Mount Le Conte summit. Voted by hikers as one of the best views in the park, Mount Le Conte has an elevation of 6,593 feet, and the summit is noticeably cooler than the rest of the trail. For the long route, expect to hike four hours up and two hours down—a great day-hike for the experienced. The summit is also home to the only lodging inside the park: Mount Le Conte Lodge, accessible only to those who hike to the top. The trailhead is right on Hwy. 441, south of the Sugarlands Visitor Center, and is marked by a large parking lot, the only one of its kind along that stretch of road.

Expert Smoky Mountain Hikes

Ramsey Cascades Trail
At over 100 feet, Ramsey Cascades is the tallest waterfall in the park. With an elevation gain of more than 2,000 feet over 4 miles, the 8-mile roundtrip hike is considered very strenuous—for expert, fit hikers only. The trail runs parallel to rivers and streams, and the last 2 miles of it pass through picturesque old-growth forest. If you can manage it, the waterfalls are a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity. The trailhead can be found off Hwy. 321, six miles east of Gatlinburg.

Mount Cammerer Trail
Another popular—and strenuous—Smoky Mountain hike is the route to Mount Cammerer, an 11-mile roundtrip day-hike for experts. The unique feature of this trail is the stone fire tower at the end. This historic tower is one-of-a-kind and looks more like a castle turret than a fire tower. You can climb to the top and see for miles from the catwalk. Plan on hiking three hours out and two hours back. The trail starts at Cosby Campground, just off Hwy. 321 about 20 minutes outside Gatlinburg.

Hikers’ “Taxi” Service
Many trails are one-way stretches instead of loops. These usually require a car at each end, which can be bothersome for Bluegreen vacationers who traveled in one car. The solution is a hiker shuttle or "taxi" service that picks you up and drops you off at the beginning and end trailheads. There are several companies that offer this service. The best way to plan a day-hike, or days of hiking in the Smoky Mountains, is to purchase one of the many guidebooks available, and talk to the park experts.

"The first place a hiker should go is the Sugarlands Visitor Center," says Bob Miller, park spokesperson. "Talk to the staff and ask for recommendations. It's also a good idea to pick up the Hiking Trails of the Smokies, which is available at the Visitor Center or online."

Rafting in the Smoky Mountains

If your idea of fun in the outdoors during a Bluegreen vacation is more the splashing, dunking and floating variety, then grab a tube—or a helmet and life vest—and hit the river! Mild-mannered river explorers should try tubing down the Little Pigeon River with River Romp, a family-owned and family-friendly attraction in its 19th year of business.

Tubing down the Little Pigeon River offers the scenery and peacefulness of a secluded mountain river. Only 45 minutes from Bluegreen's MountainLoft™ and minutes from Laurel Crest™, River Romp is one of the best-kept recreation secrets in the area.

The tube route is about 2.4 miles down the river, and takes between one and two hours—tubers can do the trip as many times as they like in one day. The trip is a smooth, relaxing float, and tubers can bring their own coolers for refreshments. There are five sections of light Class 1 rapids—quite tame and a lot of fun.

River Romp also rents kayaks for those who prefer to paddle down the river. For a wilder ride, try the whitewater-rafting adventure with Rafting in the Smokies. They offer no-experience-necessary trips for ages 3 to 93. Their Upper Pigeon whitewater trip is 5 miles and 1.5 hours of adrenaline-pumping rafting featuring 12 Class III and three Class IV whitewater rapids. All trips are led by professional river guides. The rafting season lasts from March through November and reservations are required. So if you're planning a Bluegreen vacation to the area and this sounds interesting, the sooner you call the better. The minimum age is 8 years, or a minimum weight of 70 lbs.

They also offer a Lower Pigeon River Float trip designed for children too small or young for the Upper River trip. The trip is ideal for children 3 years old and up and for grandparents or folks that would prefer a relaxing float. Trip times can be coordinated for families who wish to do the upper and lower routes at the same time.

If you'd prefer to enjoy the river from the shore, grab a rod and reel and test your fly-fishing skills with The Smoky Mountain Angler, Gatlinburg's oldest fly-fishing outfitter and shop. Trout is abundant in the Smokies, and this expert, authorized fishing guide service can provide all the gear you'll need to catch a few from the mountain streams or local stocked waters.

Any time of year is great for taking a Bluegreen vacation for rafting or hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you and Helen Keller share the view that nature has its own richness, then book your stay at MountainLoft or Laurel Crest and get ready for luxury at its finest! For more information on activities in the area, check out our Bluegreen Smoky Mountains Travel Guide.

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