With planned closures of many popular areas in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park due to much need road repairs, alternate sightseeing destinations will be required. Visitors not minding some time spent hiking may like to visit the home of the Walker Sisters in Little Greenbrier.
The Walkers’ were the children of Civil War veteran John “Hairy John” Walker and Margaret Jane King who moved to Little Greenbrier in the late 1860s or early 1870s. They raised 11 children, four boys and seven girls. Six spinster girls, Margaret Jane, Mary Elizabeth (Polly), Martha Ann, Nancy Melinda, Louisa Susan, and Hettie Rebecca spent the majority of their lives living and farming in a primitive lifestyle at Little Greenbrier, thus the famed “Walker Sisters”.
The Walker house is a three room two-storied log house that was completed around 1859 and this primitive house, with neither plumbing nor electric, was lived in until 1964. The house and land were sold to the U.S. Government in 1941 for $4750 but the sisters were granted a lifetime lease until their deaths. The formation of the National Park and the sale of their property brought many visitors to the sisters, curious of their way of life. They were able to sell hand made items as souvenirs to supplement their incomes as they welcomed travelers onto their land. An article in the Saturday Evening Post in 1947 brought then national publicity. Louisa Susan was the last of the six spinster sisters to pass, as she died in 1964.
The 4.2 mile round trip hike to the cabin is considered an easy to moderate ranking by most hikers. Beginning at Metcalf Bottoms picnic area off the Little River Rd, take the Metcalf Bottoms Trail (approximately 7/10 of a mile) to the Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse. This one room schoolhouse still has blackboard and desks from when it was last used in the 1930s. On the hillside above the school house is a small local cemetery. One may also drive, conditions permitting, to the Little Greenbrier School via a one lane gravel road, cross the bridge at Metcalf Bottoms picnic area and the road will be about ½ mile on your right.
Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse
To continue to the Walker Sisters’ home take the Little Brier Gap Trail from the parking area at the Little Greenbrier School. This is considered a mile hike but is probably closer to a mile and a half.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies announced Thursday an expansion that will include a habitat for about 20 African penguins. The new multimillion dollar exhibit is scheduled to open in mid-March and is located at the site of the former Veranda Restaurant.
The black footed African penguins average about 2 feet in height and weigh around 5 to 9 pounds. The African penguins, with shorter feathers than the Antarctic penguin, are from a warm climate that will allow for them to be displayed in an indoor-outdoor facility.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, located in downtown Gatlinburg, was named the top aquarium in the nation last year by Trip Advisor, the online travel website.
As more and more people spend their Christmas in the Smokies, the number 1 question is: What restaurants will be open Christmas Day? Thanks to our local Chambers of Commerce and The Mountain Press, we have the following list.
Sevierville
· Applewood
· Ball’s Supper Table
· Longhorn Steak House
· Moe’s Southwest Grill Gatlinburg
· Bear Creek Grill (4PM)
· Blaine’s (2PM)
· Eleanor’s Restaurant
· Hard Rock Café
· Howards
· Legends by Max
· Linberger’s
· McDonalds
· Papa John’s
· Park grill
· Park vista
· Peddler
· Ripley’s Aquarium restaurant
· Smoky’s Sports Pub
· The Lodge at Buckberry Creek Pigeon Forge
· Buddy’s Bar-B-Que
· Calhouns
· Corky’s
· Denny’s
· Flapjacks
· Golden Corral
· Happy Days Diner
· Hardee’s
· Kinkaku
· La Carreta
· Louie’s Grill
· Mama’s Farmhouse
· No Way Jose
· Papa John’s
· Shoney’s (Dixie Stampede location)
· Star Buffet Chinese
· TGI Friday’s
· Thai Thani, Oishi
· Wood Grill Buffet
We would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year from The Resort at Governor’s Crossing.
Local ski resort, Ober Gatlinburg, opened this weekend for this years ski season. With the recent colder weather here in the Great Smoky Mountains, the ski resort has been able to make snow and has five of their eight slopes open with 15-25” bases reported. Ober Gatlinburg is accessible by car or by taking the Aerial Tramway from downtown Gatlinburg. The tramway happens to be one of the largest in the US. Click here for further information on Ober Gatlinburg.
Today’s photos from the Campbell Overlook show the Great Smoky Mountains at peak color in the lower elevations even though these pictures were taken with overcast skies in between rain showers. With the rain expected to move out of the area overnight and with little wind to take the leaves down, the colors should be excellent through the weekend.
When a person sees something everyday, it becomes the norm and many times it is overlooked or taken for granted. Having lived in this area the last eleven years, I can not remember seeing the vivid yellows, oranges and reds we are currently seeing. For many years the park service has said that we need rain through out the year to produce the vibrant colors, and this year has been very wet.
If one has not had the opportunity to view the fall colors in this region, this is an exceptional year to take the time and visit. With the upcoming weekend being one of the slower of the fall season, The Resort at Governors Crossing has great rates for a fall foliage getaway.
This weeks photo from the Campbell Overlook in the Smokies shows color change beginning in the lower elevations and many more reds appearing on higher slopes. With last Saturdays snow in the upper mountains and Sunday nights heavy frost in the valley in Sevier County, color change should come very quickly now.
October is one of the most colorful times to visit the Great Smoky Mountains with all the areas harvest festivals and of course the changing colors of the leaves. Many local businesses have decorated their properties in traditional fall colors so we thought we would include a couple photos.
The leaves show very little color change at this time, but the cooler temperatures should speed the change along. I went up to the Carlos Campbell Overlook which is about a mile south of the Sugarland’s Visitor Center yesterday and the color change was about nil. This is about 12 miles from Newfound Gap and the higher elevations, which should be about 5 or 6 days ahead as far as color change.
We will begin next week posting a weekly photo from near the Campbell Overlook so everyone can gauge the color of the fall foliage. The photo will be taken from the same location each week.
The Knoxville News has been running articles through out the year on The Great Smoky Mountains National Park celebrating its 75th Anniversary. The newest articles feature outdoor activities in the park.
With the recent rains and warmer humid weather both the Mountain Laurel and Flame Azalea are in robust bloom in the Smokies. They can be seen both in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and along back country roads through out the area.
The Mountain Laurel has either white or pink bell shape blossoms and is often found in rocky areas. The Flame Azalea, displaying bright orange flowers, happens to be one the very important parent plants to many of today’s hybrid varieties.
Mountain Laurel along Sevier County back road
Pink Mountain Laurel along the Roaring Fork Motor Trail
Many visitors to the Smoky Mountains have already done their research when planning sightseeing trips. They think about Cades Cove or driving up to Clingman’s Dome and they forget about one of the closest to Sevierville, the Roaring Fork Motor Trail & Historic District in Gatlinburg.
The Roaring Fork Motor Trail begins just past the Rainbow Falls Trailhead on Cherokee Orchard Road. This one-way road will slowly climb Piney Mountain topping out on an overlook of the mountain’s northern slopes at about 3000 feet elevation.
As you begin the decent of the mountain you will pass the Trillium Gap Trailhead before entering the Roaring Fork Hollow. After crossing the bridge over the Roaring Fork (a stream that’s source originates from the northern slopes of Mount LeConte) you will enter the Historic District featuring the Jim Bales Place, older brother’s Ephraim Bales Place, and The Alfred Reagan Farm.
These historic homesteads feature cabin, barns, corn cribs and a “tub” grist mill, many of them being the original buildings. Guest can enjoy a pleasant morning or an afternoon observing these historic buildings of days gone by.
You may reach the Roaring Fork Motor Trail by turning east at either traffic lights 6 or 8 on the Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg and you will exit at traffic light 1A on the East Parkway. Map of the city of Gatlinburg
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- Nestled in the Heart of the Great Smoky Mountains -
The Resort at Governor's Crossing - 225 Collier Drive, Sevierville, Tennessee 37862, Toll Free: 1-800-497-5749
