Ideas For Veterans Coming to the Smokies

The Smoky Mountains don’t just feel like a magical place, they really are a mystical destination. The phrase “old as the hills” rings true when you really dive into the old lore of the mountains. When you come to visit, take this otherworldly tour and investigate for yourself. Here are six of the Smokies’ best kept secrets.

1. Elkmont Trollbridge

Escape to a place that really feels like a glimpse into a mythical land. The Elkmont Trollbridge is a true hidden gem that only locals know about. Hike along the Little River Trail until you reach this spot. Covered in moss and mushrooms, the Trollbridge is perfect for capturing pictures or looking for hidden fantastical creatures.

2. House Of The Fairies

This whimsical spot is only a mile from downtown Gatlinburg yet it feels like you’ve been transported into another realm. Map to this magical place, then go out and explore. Here, you’ll find towering trees and moss covered logs and boulders. Then at the end of the trail you’ll see it...an arched doorway, that looks like it’s almost cut into the side of the hill, sits with a wooden ladder leaning against the frame. Step inside and find a cool spring, filled with water that tinkles like bells.

3. Synchronous Fireflies

The synchronized fireflies that come out every year like clockwork might be more science than magic but when you’re sitting among the trees and they begin to spark in unison, flickering in and out of sight, it feels like something otherworldly. This rare phenomenon is only seen in a few places in the world and The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of them.

4. Elkmont Ghost Town

Once a thriving vacation spot for the Knoxville elite, the Elkmont Ghost Town looks like a legend brought back to life. Recently restored, explore inside the homes and hike trails where you will find the remains of homes once occupied by Appalachian locals who would serve, supply and work in the town. This piece of history is frozen in time and feels like stepping back into the past.

There are many magical places in the Smokies and these are only four of them. Don’t stop here, continue to search for more mystical creatures and sprites living in the trees and hollows. To discover more, stay overnight in the mountains in a log cabin. This cabin is even called Magical Moments, which is exactly what you’ll find when you visit the Smoky Mountains.

We get a fair number of veterans, current-serving military personnel and their families that come to spend the occasion in the Smokies and in this article, we wanted to list out some things our area provides for celebration and interest on the subject.

I've said it many times before, I'll say it many times now and the future, and each time I say it, it makes me proud to be in the Smoky Mountains. In East Tennessee, we take military service seriously to heart. We are proud of our men and women that volunteer their time, bodies, minds and sometimes lives to serve our country, provide disaster assistance and fight to keep us free when needed. We are proud of those who served our country's needs whether it was yesterday, 100 years ago or any time in between and this coming November 11th, we will celebrate, as with the rest of the country, Veteran's Day in the Smokies.

Veteran's Day Celebration in Gatlinburg

Traditionally, the city of Gatlinburg is the main source of Veteran's Day recognition and they hold the occasion at the Ripley's Aquarium. From their website:

Join Gatlinburg in saluting America’s veterans of the Armed Forces, featuring stirring musical numbers and words of tribute on Ripley’s Aquarium Plaza.

Every year since 2000, Gatlinburg, Tennessee hosts a very special event on November 11 to honor our nation’s veterans in a fitting and appropriate manner. The title “Gatlinburg Veterans Day Celebration” is an accurate description of the event in that the service and sacrifices made by our veterans are celebrated with the intent to thank those who gave – and continue to give – so much to keep our nation free. The ceremony at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Plaza starts at 11 a.m. and is free to the public."

See more on the Veteran’s Day Celebration at CLICK HERE

Museums of Military Interest

The Tennessee Museum of Aviation

This is a huge museum located on Dolly Parton Parkway near the Sevierville airport - it has to be huge to house all the aircraft listed inside! This museum showcases quite a few military aircraft and provides plenty of information on the history of military aviation and how they helped us during the wars.

According to their website, these are the aircraft they have on display:

2 – Republic P-47D “Thunderbolt”

North American T-28B “Trojan”

Douglas A-1H “Skyraider”

Beech SNB

Canadair T-33 “Silver Star”

North American Rockwell OV-10 “Bronco”

Grumman HU-16E “Albatross”

Beech T-34B “Mentor”

2 – Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21

Sikorsky UH-34G

North American P-51D “Mustang” (Full Scale Replica)

Boeing P-12E (3/4 Scale Replica)

1902 Wright Glider (Full Scale Replica)

Boeing F/A-18 “Hornet” (Cockpit Section)

Douglas A-4 “Skyhawk” (Cockpit Section)

North American B-25 “Mitchell” (Cockpit Section)

Beech-18 (Cockpit Section)

The Museum of Aviation is open daily: Mondays-Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Sunday. See pictures and much more information on them CLICK HERE

Sevierville Heritage Museum

Just down the sidewalk from the famous Sevierville Courthouse (the building with the clock tower on it) is a building that blends into the block very nicely, but inside is a small but eye-opening wealth of local history and treasure. That building is the Sevierville Heritage Museum.

Their website writes:"The Museum is located in the former Sevierville Post Office building. The U. S. Postal Service sold the building to Sevier County, which in turn designated the building as the site for a new museum. The Colonial Revival-style building, erected in 1940 by an African-American construction company, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. The building was one of the last construction projects completed under the federal Works Progress Administration. [...]

The Museum offers more than displays of local artifacts and memorabilia. It hosts lectures and classes, transcribes and indexes historic documents, and performs research services for long-distance genealogists and historians. SCHM also participates in local commemorations of historic events and supports a number of other like-minded organizations, such as the Smoky Mountain Historical Society and the Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains."

In order to visit their website, CLICK HERE

Patriot Park in Pigeon Forge

Not so much a museum, per se, but Patriot Park is highly tied into celebrated the military and the country when the appropriate holidays come up. They have a model rocket encased in a windowed building on the main walkway, 50 flags of all the states on display, flags of the various branches of the armed forces, a structure with names of Sevier County citizens who fought in various wars, a large structure of the liberty bell and, as it would have started by now thanks to the Winterfest season starting a few days before, Winterfest lights that showcase military images shining out in the darkness.

Patriot Park is also the central hub of the Pigeon Forge trolley system. See more on the park here:

We hope this is a good activity start for those of you who are looking forward to Veteran's Day as we are and we hope we get to meet you for the occasion here at Bear Camp Cabins!