Nearby Cherokee, North Carolina

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.

Cherokee North Carolina, A Great Day Trip

As you can tell by our blogosphere here, we love to highlight many different aspects, events, elements and places throughout the Smokies - and one area we feel is often under-represented as a viable component to a Smoky Mountain vacation or a day-trip for those who want to expand out beyond the range of Sevier County is our GSMNP neighbor - Cherokee North Carolina!

Cherokee North Carolina is a relatively small town compared to what we have in East Tennessee on our side of the mountain, but it has quite a lot to its name. Cherokee, North Carolina is, as one might guess, the central headquarters for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Native Americans. The Cherokee spirit is all throughout the city and surrounding area, from the decorations of the gift shops and monuments located here, there and everywhere to the street signs being bilingual in English and Cherokee syllabary. There is a huge museum in the center of town called the "Museum of the Cherokee Indian" and you can find an arts and crafts community of their own in and around there that focuses on Native American culture and Smoky Mountain appalachian culture.

"The culture of the Cherokee people is a rich, deep narrative that yearns to be explored. Delicately, carefully protected by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, Cherokee culture can be seen as a book filled with 11,000 years of artistic invention and intellectual achievement, survival and perseverance, featuring a peace-loving people who proudly dealt with the savagery of war and overcame. But that barely scratches the surface of what makes Cherokee culture a treasure for the curious traveler. Intricately woven like the sturdy yet beautiful baskets of the Cherokee weavers, ones made of river cane once so plentiful in these parts, and carefully dyed with bloodroot, the Cherokee culture beckons." - www.visitcherokeenc.com.

That culture is further expanded upon by touchstones such as the "Unto These Hills" outdoor drama that has been performed in Cherokee each Summer since 1950 at the Mountainside Theater and the Oconaluftee Indian Village that operates an honest-to-reality historical depiction of a working Native American village in centuries past. At both, you will see cultural dances, historical icons you never knew about, works of art and performances you won't soon forget. Another landmark named "Oconaluftee" is the Oconaluftee Visitor's Center right as you cross the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Gatlinburg which offers ranger-led programs and museum exhibits that tell the history of the Smokies from the Native Americans and early European settlers on up, in addition to a "mountain farm museum" that has historic log structures preserved for visitors to study and enjoy.

On the other side of things, no article on Cherokee North Carolina can go without mentioning the huge Harrah's Casino that the town has. It's a huge, sprawling estate complete with slot machines, video poker machines, blackjack, craps, roulette, digital mini baccarito and others. It's more than just a place to gamble, though, as the Visit Cherokee website describes: "Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort houses a new 3,000-seat events center where acts from Hank Williams, Jr. to Lady Antebellum have performed. This unique venue option features amphitheater seating on three levels for a variety of events and programs. The main floor can accommodate everything from a dinner for 800 to a tradeshow with more than 150 booths. The casino can also host groups and meetings ranging from ten to over 3,000 people in a state-of-the-art conference facility. The large meeting space can be broken down into 7 smaller configurations to suit any event or group needs.”

And like Gatlinburg, you have your downtown, roadside attractions as well - minigolf, arcades, old time photos, an animal habitat, gift shops and other smaller things that could become favorites just as well.

A decent assessment of why you should consider Cherokee, NC, as a little day-trip would take a website in and of itself, for more information on Cherokee, NC. Cherokee is only an hour's drive from Gatlinburg on Newfound Gap road.