Gatlinburg & the Great Smoky Mountains —
mountain scenery, Tennessee charm & a brilliant night at the Stampede
This was one of the most varied stops on our road trip: the scenery of the Great Smoky Mountains, the lively mountain-town atmosphere around Gatlinburg and a night at Dolly Parton's Stampede in nearby Pigeon Forge — which we absolutely loved.
From peaceful mountains to absolutely mental Gatlinburg
This was one of the most entertaining contrasts of our entire road trip. The Great Smoky Mountains gave us huge views, forest and mountain scenery — and then we arrived in Gatlinburg, which felt completely bonkers by comparison.
Gatlinburg was packed with bars, entertainment and attractions, with something happening everywhere you looked. After the quieter historic stops and scenic drives earlier in the journey, the sheer energy of the place was a bit of a shock — in a good way.
Our Smokies experience also included a stop in the Cherokee community area, which gave us another perspective on this part of the mountains and was a lovely addition to the journey.
The views were absolutely beautiful and gave us another completely different landscape on the road trip.
A memorable stop in the Cherokee community area added a cultural dimension to our time in the mountains.
Busy, bright and packed with bars and entertainment — definitely not the sleepy mountain town we'd imagined.
We took a taxi out to Pigeon Forge and had one of the most entertaining nights of the whole trip.
Our Tennessee photos
Our own photos from Gatlinburg, the Great Smoky Mountains and Dolly Parton's Stampede.
Amazing views — but where were the bears?!
The scenery was the star here. Driving through the Great Smoky Mountains gave us gorgeous mountain views, forests and that hazy layered landscape the Smokies are famous for.
We'd obviously heard plenty about the park's black bears and kept hoping we'd spot one along the way. No such luck! Not a single bear appeared for us — but the scenery more than made up for it.
A memorable part of our Smokies journey
While travelling through the mountains, we also stopped in the Cherokee community area. It was a lovely experience and gave this section of the trip another dimension beyond the scenery.
It also made sense geographically: the town of Cherokee in North Carolina sits at the southern gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is part of the homeland of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
For us it was one of those stops that added something unexpected to the drive and helped make the Smokies feel like much more than simply a scenic route.
Bars, lights and entertainment everywhere
Then there was Gatlinburg itself. We'd arrived surrounded by mountain scenery and somehow ended up in a town that felt like someone had turned the entertainment dial all the way up.
There were loads of bars and attractions and a constant buzz around the centre. Whether you love that kind of lively atmosphere or simply want to experience it once, Gatlinburg is certainly memorable.
Taxi to Pigeon Forge for a brilliant night out
That evening we got a taxi from Gatlinburg out to Pigeon Forge, near Dollywood, for Dolly Parton's Stampede — and it turned into an amazing night.
The Stampede is a full dinner-show experience with horses, trick riding, music, comedy, special effects and audience participation. It's big, unapologetically theatrical and exactly the sort of thing that works brilliantly on an American road trip.
We were delighted we'd made the trip out from Gatlinburg rather than just staying around the bars. It gave us a completely different evening and became one of our favourite entertainment experiences from the whole journey.
🎬 See the Stampede from our night in Pigeon Forge
Here's a quick look at the action from our own visit to Dolly Parton's Stampede.
Find experiences around the Smokies
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Williamsburg → Virginia → Gatlinburg & Smokies → Nashville
After Williamsburg our route continued through Virginia and Roanoke before reaching Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains. From Tennessee's mountain country we then continued west to Nashville.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Road conditions, seasonal closures and facility hours can change, so check the National Park Service before heading into the park.