The High on LeConte blog. I love it.
I’m so glad you’re here, reading my blog! However, I can’t tell you EVERYTHING about the area — there’s just too much to tell!
So I’m happy to share. Here are 11 pretty great sites for information about the Smoky Mountain area. Some of these are where I go to get information, too. If you follow my links very often, they will look familiar! Enjoy!
1. High on LeConte.
I love, love, love this blog. It’s written by the caretaker at LeConte Lodge, which is way up on Mount LeConte. It really doesn’t have a lot of information, but there are always beautiful photos and updated info about the weather up on the mountains. It’s neat to see how different things can be up there. (And if you’ve never head of the it, you should read this information about the LeConte Lodge. It’s the super-primitive lodge that hikers can access. No vehicles! They bring supplies up on LLAMAS! Neat, huh?)
2. Hiking in the Smokies.
If you are thinking about doing any hiking while you’re in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, visit this site. It has information about each and every hike in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It will give you detailed instructions on how to find the trailhead, lots of info about what to expect on the hike, and a rating of how difficult the hike is. I strongly, strongly recommend checking out any hike you’re planning to attempt on this site first.
3. PigeonForge.com.
If you’re looking for information about attractions and upcoming events, this is a great stop for you. There are a TON of blogs written about this area, but many, many of them are not kept up-to-date at all. This is one of the good ones. Read it!
4. GoSmokies.com.
This is basically a social media site dedicated completely to the Great Smoky Mountains. It’s sponsored by The Knoxville News. You can become a member, or just read what other members write. I love to find first-hand stories on this site! Great for browsing.
5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Podcasts & Blog.
Do not expect this one to be updated often — it just plain isn’t. But there are occasionally some really neat things on here. Some of my favorites have been videos of the changing seasons set to music. But you’ll find all kinds of things. And there is an extensive amount of info available when you browse the categories.
6. The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog.
This is definitely the best blog I read regularly. This guy is just ON TOP of things. I’m always finding things I missed on his blog. He sometimes updates several times a day! So impressive. Check it out, or add it to your RSS reader, to keep on top of anything happening in the Great Smokies.
7. Cabin Fever Blog.
This is one of the few good commercial blogs. Yes, they are trying to rent cabins. So keep that in mind. But they also have some good information about area attractions and events. Check it out.
8. Friends of the Smokies.
This is a neat website. Not only is it used to raise money to help preserve the Great Smoky Mountains, they also organize volunteer events, so you can help maintain trails, etc. This is a neat place to look if you want to spend a few hours giving back on your next Smoky Mountain trip.
9. Gatlinburg website.
This is the official Chamber of Commerce website. (Sometimes it’s difficult to figure out which one is the official one…) Here, you can find info about Gatlinburg attractions, restaurants, lodging, and more. Plus, there’s a great calendar, with info about upcoming events.
10. Pigeon Forge website.
Again, this is the official one. Basically, similar theme to the Gatlinburg site, but with Pigeon Forge info.
11. MyPigeonForge.com.
And this is the official “touristy” website. Really, you’ll find more info here than on the Chamber website. Keep an eye out — this site is known for putting on contests!
What about you? What sites do you visit for info on the Smokies? (Other than CabinConnection, of course!)