The views of the Smokies from this lofty bark-covered mountain lodge are unbeatable. Rooms lack TVs and air-con, but rates include breakfast and dinner in the on-site public restaurant (open 8am to 10am and 6pm to 8pm), which serves trout, steak and lamb. The lodge itself closes in winter, as does its restaurant, but the cottage and balcony suites – the only areas with wi-fi reception – remain open.
For nonguests, breakfast in the restaurant costs $10 to $12, while dinner mains are $20 to $31.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
13.19 MILES
The story of the Smoky Mountains began in primordial times when clashing supersized continents created a chain of mountains that are today among the…
22.38 MILES
In Appalachian parlance, a cove means a valley, but Cades Cove is far more than that. One of the most popular destinations in the Tennessee section of…
28.34 MILES
On April 15, 1912, the steamship Titanic sank on her maiden voyage after colliding with an iceberg. The ship's history and the stories of many of her…
15.85 MILES
Mt LeConte (6593ft) is the park’s third-highest peak and one of its most familiar sights, visible from practically every viewpoint. The only way to get to…
8.37 MILES
This remarkable modern museum traces Cherokee history from their Paleo-Indian roots onwards. Its villain is the perfidious Andrew Jackson, who made his…
25.07 MILES
To get bread on the table, early residents of Cades Cove first had to mill their grains and corn. Above all other staples, corn was the most important…
10 MILES
‘On top of Old Smoky’ is Clingmans Dome (elevation 6643ft), the park’s highest peak. At the summit, a steep, half-mile paved trail leads to an observation…
10.1 MILES
One of the park's most picturesque 19th-century buildings, the Mingus Mill is a turbine-powered mill that still grinds wheat and corn much as it has since…
7.98 MILES
The Tsali Recreation Area has been famed among mountain bikers for so long that local riders rather take it for granted. For out-of-state visitors, though…
2. Museum of the Cherokee Indian
8.37 MILES
This remarkable modern museum traces Cherokee history from their Paleo-Indian roots onwards. Its villain is the perfidious Andrew Jackson, who made his…
10 MILES
Adjacent to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, this excellent collection of historic buildings evokes life on a typical farmstead of the late 19th century…
10 MILES
‘On top of Old Smoky’ is Clingmans Dome (elevation 6643ft), the park’s highest peak. At the summit, a steep, half-mile paved trail leads to an observation…
10.1 MILES
One of the park's most picturesque 19th-century buildings, the Mingus Mill is a turbine-powered mill that still grinds wheat and corn much as it has since…
12.92 MILES
This two-tiered stone-walled structure overlooking two states commemorates the $5 million contribution John D Rockefeller Jr made to help make the…
12.92 MILES
The lowest drivable pass through the Smoky Mountains is located here, at 5046ft. After the pass was discovered in 1872, a new road followed suit,…
8. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
13.19 MILES
The story of the Smoky Mountains began in primordial times when clashing supersized continents created a chain of mountains that are today among the…