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All the United States Tennessee Gatlinburg

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Gatlinburg

6 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Updated April 29, 2025

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Unusual Attractions in Gatlinburg

Prepare for one of nature’s most dazzling displays.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Synchronous Fireflies of the Great Smoky Mountains

For two weeks every June, fireflies in the Smoky Mountains perform an astonishing light show.
The old Appalachian Club.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Elkmont Historic District

An abandoned town is hidden in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum

Over 20,000 sets of spice shakers reveal the surprisingly telling history of our most basic spices.
The Avent Studio from beneath the porch.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Mayna Treanor Avent Studio

Visit the art studio of an early 20th-century painter, hidden amid the Great Smoky Mountains.
If you want to stay at this old-timey inn, you’ll have to hike there yourself.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

LeConte Lodge

Supplies are schlepped up by llamas at this century-old inn accessible only by hiking trails in the Great Smokies.
Pack your inflatable tubes.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Greenbrier Area

Waterfalls, rapids, and top-notch swimming spots await in this densely forested corner of the Smokies.
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Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Dolly Parton’s Dream Box and Final Song

This chestnut box will not be opened until the country music legend's 100th birthday in 2046.
7 miles from Gatlinburg

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Gatlinburg

Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum

Over 20,000 sets of spice shakers reveal the surprisingly telling history of our most basic spices.
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

The Explorer's Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park sprawls over more than half a million acres of some of the eastern United States' tallest peaks and wildest lands. Its central location and diversity of life and landscapes make it Appalachia's premier destination. The Smokies tower encompass the North Carolina/Tennessee border, bisected by nearly 72 miles of the Appalachian Trail. The park is home to soaring vistas, hidden hollows, sparkling waterways, the remains of historic settlements, and an abundance of wildlife that includes black bear, elk and other species. Indeed, the Smokies are the easily most visited national park in the U.S. (although it falls behind Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Blue Ridge Parkway for as the National Park Service's most visited site), with more than 12 million visitors in 2024 alone. The park's sheer size and variety of access points allow visitors who plan ahead to find plenty of peace and solitude even during the Smokies' busiest season.

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Explore Gatlinburg, Tennessee

National Parks 3
Hiking 2

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