Gatlinburg, TN… what can you really say about it? It’s a little slice of America, and a stark contrast to life on the trail.
It’s one of those towns that you’re sure no one actually lives in, since everything seems to cater to tourists. And that’s really what Gatlinburg is… a tourist mecca… like a Jersey Shore boardwalk plopped right next to the smokey mountains. The town has every hotel chain you can think of, along with countless off- brand motels. There’s every type of restaurant, from sit down chains to little grab-and-go corn dog stands attached to noisy arcades. And if you’re into shopping… that’s good, because there’s no shortage of wacky, tacky souvenir shops, and over-priced specialty stores. I’d say it’s more of a town to do some window shopping in. As for other activities, there’s the obligatory Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Guinness Worlds Records museum, several 3D, 4D, 5D, and even 7D (oh yes… 7 dimensions) attractions, mini golf, laser tag, chairlifts, and right in the center of town is the Ripley’s Aquarium… that’s right… an aquarium in the middle of the Smokey mountains. It’s amazing. Oh, and just one town over in Pigeon Forge, TN is Dollywood! The theme park owned by county music star Dolly Parton.
I think the star attraction of the town has got to be the tourists. We grabbed some ice cream in the afternoon and just sat on a bench and watched the hoards of people walk by… they did not disappoint. We really tried to not judge anyone too harshly… I mean most of these folks are on their vacations, so it’s easy to understand how they’re all in their own little worlds. I’ll just put it this way… being around this many people made us understand why we are on the trail in the first place. Even though the trail is “crowded”, most of the hikers we’ve met want other hikers to be part of their world… rather than just walking along, not interacting with anyone. There are a few people like that, but they seem to be the minority on the trail.
I don’t want it to sound like we didn’t enjoy our time in Gatlinburg… we really did. I would recommend the experience for a first time thru-hiker with a little extra cash. It’s just a delightfully tacky place that will help remind you why you enjoy being out in the woods so much. I wouldn’t recommend any more than one zero day.
We did get to visit the Smokey Mountain Brewery while we were in town, and it was excellent. It is a local chain brewery with a few locations, but they do brew on site. We sat at the bar which is upstairs. It was a bit busy, so I felt a little bad when I ordered a flight, since I know from experience that they’re not fun to pour when it’s busy. But the bartender obliged graciously, and made me feel better. The samples are generous, and you get all 9 beers that they have for 10 bucks. They make some nice lighter styles, but I really enjoyed their pale ale. We also got an order of pretzels with beer cheese… I’d definitely recommend it. Plenty of food for two of us, and would be a good appetizer for a group. We ended up chatting with a few locals who had actually just been hiking and had met a bunch of the thru-hikers that we know! It was a good brewery visit, and anyone going to Gatlinburg should stop by.
