Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Sevier County covers 522,427 acres in Tennessee and North Carolina. It provides the largest protected bear habitat in the eastern United States. This makes mountain scenery and wildlife habitat defining natural features of the region. Roundtop Mountain offers a smaller-scale experience: this 237-acre natural area lies in southwestern Sevier County. Together, these places give you a sense of the variety of landscapes you can discover here.
Mountains, Water, and Natural Areas
The Greenbrier Area is known for wildflowers, waterfalls, streams for fishing, and historic structures and cemeteries. Here, nature and traces of human history stand side by side. Several trails in the Sugarlands Area also lead to streams, waterfalls, and historic log cabins. If you’re interested in landscapes and architectural history, you’ll find a variety of sights, from waterways and plants to visible reminders of earlier times.
Cataract Falls offers a straightforward waterfall hike: the round trip from the Sugarlands Visitor Center is 0.7 miles long. The narrow waterfall is 40 feet high and lies near the visitor center. The trail length and starting point give you clear guidance for this outing, without requiring you to make it a longer hike.
Roads Through Landscapes and History
The section of the Foothills Parkway from Walland to Wears Valley is about 14.75 miles long; near Caylor Gap, it climbs to almost 2,500 feet. The 5.5-mile Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail offers a different kind of drive: a narrow, winding loop road through the forest, with historic cabins, grist mills, and other historic buildings. The road also offers views of mountain streams and old-growth forests. In Gatlinburg, you can reach Roaring Fork from the main road at traffic light number 8. The two routes are quite different: the Foothills Parkway is defined by the length of the section and its elevation gain, while Roaring Fork is a loop through a landscape rich in natural and cultural history.
Historic Places and Their Stories
Elkmont was the second-largest town in Sevier County before it became a campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Elkmont Campground occupies the site of the historic town. The Harrisburg Covered Bridge, a Sevier County landmark, was built by Elbert Early in 1875 and spans the East Fork of the Little Pigeon River. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Its construction date and later listing mark two different milestones in its history.
Blowing Cave Mill was completed in 1880 and is an example of the flour and grist mills built in Sevier County during the 19th century. The Battle of Fair Garden also holds a special place in regional history: it was the largest Civil War battle in Sevier County. Its site is part of the Tennessee Civil War Trails. These examples offer different ways to explore the past—from a historic commercial building to a place associated with the Civil War.
Crafts and Unique Experiences
Since 1941, the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community has been recognized as the largest concentration of craftspeople in the United States. At Dollywood, visitors can take part in Make-Your-Own-Craft experiences and make their own crafts. The Handsville Wax Company offers a different kind of hands-on activity: visitors dip their hands in wax to create a detailed cast that also captures jewelry. The experiences differ in what you take away: handmade crafts in one case, and a personal wax model in the other.
Beneath English Mountain lie the Forbidden Caverns. The tour passes glittering formations, natural chimneys, grottos, and a clear stream, bringing these sights together in an entertaining and educational experience. The Bush Brothers Visitors Center in Sevierville includes an interpretive museum, a gift shop, and a café. The options range from a tour through underground formations to a visitor center where exhibits, souvenirs, and a café come together.
Getting Your Bearings Among Places and Attractions
The self-guided North of the River Fall Driving Tour explores the part of Sevier County north of the French Broad River, known as Kodak. For trips between Sevierville, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge, the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg trolleys connect the three towns. Destinations on the Pigeon Forge Fun Time Trolley routes include Dollywood, Dolly’s Splash Country, and Wears Valley. This makes it easier to distinguish different interests and place names when planning your trip, without reducing the nature, culture, and craft experiences to a single type of outing.
Discover more destinations: Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Beech Springs, Seymour, Kodak, Blount County, Hawkins County.
View the broader travel guide: Tennessee.
