Pigeon Forge, TN Hotel Suggestions

[Artfuldodger]

A-lot of good places to stay and really cannot add to the ones already mentioned but one place you do not want to avoid is Cades Cove. If you love the outdoors - make sure ya`ll visit.

When we do a short notice trip and want to stay just out of town away from the traffic with a little view we stay at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort. Got some mountain view, it is just far enough out of town for peace and quiet yet close enough to be right back in the middle of the traffic jam with a 15 minute drive.

I must be the only one that didn't care for Cades Cove. I'm not sure what I was expecting. I thought the area was more scenic and mountainous. I should have known it would have to be mostly flat land since it was all farming. I did like the old Churches and Barns. We hated the long lines of traffic and all the crowds at the Churches, etc.
What we did like was the return trip back, we took the Little River Gorge road by "The Sinks" and had a picnic lunch at Metcalf Bottoms. Then took the uncrowded Wear Cove Gap road out of the park. Took us back to Wears Valley. Wears Valley is where the recent forest fire was located.
Wears Valley is a park entrance the locals use. The Townnsend entrance wasn't very crowded either. We also went to Tuckaleechee Caverns which we all enjoyed. I wouldn't mind staying in that area for a more backwoods adventure.
From Tuckaleechee is an Old Caves Cove road. I wonder if you could get to Cades Cove from there?

 

[flyrod444]

Two places to eat my family love are the the Local Goat, and Old Mill restaurants. They are both great.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Last December we stayed on Lake Douglas near Dandridge. Our cabin on the lake was nice. We mostly went to see Dollywood at Christmas. We had nice weather, not too cold but the drive from our cabin was just too much for our liking.
We'll probably stay closer to Pigeon Forge next time.

 

[Spotlite]

I must be the only one that didn't care for Cades Cove. I'm not sure what I was expecting. I thought the area was more scenic and mountainous. I should have known it would have to be mostly flat land since it was all farming. I did like the old Churches and Barns. We hated the long lines of traffic and all the crowds at the Churches, etc.
What we did like was the return trip back, we took the Little River Gorge road by "The Sinks" and had a picnic lunch at Metcalf Bottoms. Then took the uncrowded Wear Cove Gap road out of the park. Took us back to Wears Valley. Wears Valley is where the recent forest fire was located.
Wears Valley is a park entrance the locals use. The Townnsend entrance wasn't very crowded either. We also went to Tuckaleechee Caverns which we all enjoyed. I wouldn't mind staying in that area for a more backwoods adventure.
From Tuckaleechee is an Old Caves Cove road. I wonder if you could get to Cades Cove from there?

Yea the history, scenery and wildlife are attractive to me. During certain times of the year you’ll see more bucks up close than you would at a zoo. We’ve walked the creek bottom in the middle during the Fall and you can literally be within 20 foot of two bucks squaring off. I can’t find it because it was posted before the forum nose dived but I had a post where we saw over 100 deer up close and pictures of just about all of them.

Outside of gobblers and deer everywhere, I’ve seen a few cow elk and red wolves. The red wolves I wasn’t sure about but that’s what the park ranger told us they were. We usually see bear before you get to the cove but last April we saw bear inside the cove out in the fields.

We typically spend a day there walking the creek and we’ll end up sitting in the field with a bucket of chicken kicked back. One of my wife’s happy places - she’s happy, I’m happy!! But I do love Cades Cove. If nothing else the creek walk is always my favorite walk even I don’t see any wildlife which has never happened.

Not sure on this “Tuckaleechee is an Old Caves Cove road. I wonder if you could get to Cades Cove from there?” I’d have to research that but yeah all of that area is just majestic to me.