America’s First Indoor Snow Tubing Park Headlines New Pigeon Forge Attractions!

America’s First Indoor Snow Tubing Park Headlines New Pigeon Forge Attractions!

Pigeon Forge, located in The Great Smoky Mountains, announces an exciting array of new adventures for 2018 that includes year-round snow-tubing at Pigeon Forge Snow, the first indoor snow facility of its kind in the U.S., slated to open this year. What better way to end a sultry, summer day of hiking, shopping or rafting than to step into the 35,000 sq. foot winter wonderland complete with 15 lanes of snow-tubing fun on a fresh powder of real snow. Play areas will accommodate guests who want to build a snowman or participate in a friendly snowball fight. Snow on the slopes does not mean frostbite in this attraction where the indoor climate will remain between 60 and 70 degrees year-round.

Construction is also underway on a 200-foot-tall Mountain Monster which features three separate rides. A drop ride, dive ride and swing will all be part of the fun on this three-in-one thrill ride anchoring the new Tower Shops at Mountain Mile, an 180,000-square-foot retail and entertainment development spanning some 174 acres. The new Mountain Monster was designed by Stan Checketts who is responsible for similar attractions atop the Stratosphere in Las Vegas as well as one of the world’s fastest roller coasters which is located in Japan. Nearby lodging includes Home2 Suites by Hilton and Tru by Hilton, currently under construction.

The new attractions prove exciting additions to perennial Pigeon Forge Favorites like nearby Dollywood whose showstoppers this year include such entertainers as Blind Boys of Alabama, Marshall Tucker Band, Atlanta Rhythm Section, the National Dance Company of Siberia, the Flamenco Kings, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, just to name a few. Dollywood’s annual Rock the Smokies event will feature TobyMac and Crowder.

If golf is your game, tee off at the $7 million Crave Golf Club, a brightly colored and highly themed 36-hole course designed in a multilevel facility that covers 18,500 square feet and multiple levels. Each round consists of 19 holes and includes options for indoors, hillside or rooftop courses. Crave (true to the name) also houses a candy shop and a gourmet milkshake bar and is located on the Pigeon forge Parkway.

The new Lumberjack Feud Show, slated to open in late spring, offers audience participation in high-energy athletic competitions performed in an outdoor venue.

Kids and adults alike will marvel at the world’s largest replica of the RMS Titanic built from 56,000 LEGO bricks now on display at the Titanic Museum Attraction, the first location the U.S. this year to feature the replica. Constructed by 10-year-old Brynjar Karl Birgisson from Iceland, the replica measures 25 feet in length. Birgisson, who is autistic and the author of a self-penned book My Autistic X Factor, has become known as LEGO Boy.

America’s First Bullet Train Cures Cades Cove Car Conundrum

America’s First Bullet Train Cures Cades Cove Car Conundrum. Traffic jams in Great Smoky Mountains National Park have reached epic proportions as annual visitation exceeds twelve million people annually. Cades Cove is often the epi-center of the traffic frustration.

The scenic eleven mile drive on the Western edge of the national park is literally being loved to death. Frequent “bear jams” can turn a leisurely two hour drive into a bumper to bumper free for all lasting upwards of ten hours. But all of that is about to change with the new Cades Cove bullet or “Maglev” train.

Maglev technology is nothing new to Asian countries with trains exceeding over 200 miles per hour. A traditional diesel train engine is not required. The Cades Cove train will be electromagnetically suspended above the track and literally propelled by magnetic force. The magnetic tech requires thousands of mega-watts of electricity which will be provided by the new Cable Mill solar array.

“The new Cades Cove bullet train will be a revolution to each park visitors experience,” said National Park spokesperson J. K. Reelly. “Once all the passengers are aboard we will safely transport visitors around the cove.  We will be able to reach famous land marks such as the historic Cable Mill in less than thirty seconds from our terminal at the cove entrance. Train passengers will enjoy full service while aboard the train including a complimentary set of steak knives from the good people at Ginsu.“

The projects contract was awarded to the Ginsu Corporation after an intense bidding war in late 2017. The contract includes provisions to protect the natural beauty of the cove and it’s historical treasures.

“Everyone at Ginsu was thrilled to be a part of this project and to work with the national park service,” said Ginsu media representative We’ar Sharpe. “We found that our amazing saws and knives are extremely adapt at clearing the appalachian forests for the new track and could therefore be more competitive with our bid.“

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park Needs Oconaluftee Volunteers


Great Smoky Mountains National Park Needs Oconaluftee Volunteers. National Park officials are recruiting volunteers to assist park visitors by exploring the Oconaluftee River Trail, Mountain Farm Museum, and fields along Newfound Gap Road near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Volunteers are needed from April through November and usually work one, four-hour shift per week.

The Oconaluftee Visitor Center is a must stop for any visit to the Great Smoky Mountains! Entrance to the Center is free and it is open to the public every day except Christmas day. The Visitor Center has plenty of parking for cars, RVs and motor coaches. Public restrooms and vending machines are available to the left of the Center’s main entrance. You will find everything you need to experience the Park at your own pace.

The Visitor Center offers a unique view into the area’s past at the Mountain Farm Museum – a collection of historic log buildings from the late 19th century that were relocated here from all over North Carolina in the 1950’s. 

Volunteers will share information to visitors about park regulations that best protect wildlife which includes proper waste disposal and safe wildlife viewing distances. When elk are present in the fields, volunteers assist Park Rangers with traffic management to assure visitor and wildlife safety. In addition, volunteers provide information about cultural resources found at the Mountain Farm Museum and natural resources along the Oconaluftee River Trail.

Everyone interested in volunteering are required to attend a training session on Tuesday, April 3 from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Oconaluftee multi-purpose-room near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Volunteers should bring a bag lunch to the training.

To register for training or for more information, contact Kathleen Stuart at 828-497-1914 or kathleen_stuart@nps.gov. For more information on elk, please visit the park’s website at NPS.gov.

13th Annual Master Gardener Flower Show

13th Annual Master Gardener Flower Show and Sale slated for Saturday, April 21 at Sevier County Fairgrounds.

Mark your calendar for the 13th Annual Master Gardener Flower Show and Sale scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 21 at the Sevier County Fairgrounds near downtown Sevierville.

Find out all the “dirt” on gardening at the Sevier County Area Master Gardeners Association and the University of Tennessee Extension Service’s day-long show that is guaranteed to provide bucket-loads of inspiration for this spring’s planting season.

The event’s onsite vendors will showcase and sell the latest in lawn and garden equipment, garden supplies, ornamental plants and herbs, as well as veggie and fruit starter plants.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for families in our community to discover the joy of gardening,” said Master Gardener Brad Knight. “Who wouldn’t want to learn how to beautify their home and grow fresh, healthy vegetables?“

Want to attract butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects to your garden? If so, don’t miss the many educational sessions, presented by local Master Gardeners, who will also impart recycling tips, and educate you in the benefits of using local food sources to create nutritious and tasty menus.

The younger set will enjoy a Kid’s Area that provides snacks and entertaining garden-related crafts. Don’t miss this opportunity to introduce your children (and yourself, if you are a horticulture novice) to the fun and advantages of growing your own plants and veggies.

Admission to the Master Gardener Flower & Garden Show and sale is $2 for adults who bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to the Sevier County Food Ministry. Adult Admission without donation is $3. Kids 12 and under are admitted free! Proceeds from the Flower & Garden Show help support the SCAMGA’s community service programs including 4-H Club scholarships.

For more information, visit the Sevier County Master Gardeners Association or call the Sevier County Extension Office at 865-453-3695.

Great Smoky Mountain Mingus Mill Volunteer Opportunity

Great Smoky Mountain Mingus Mill Volunteer Opportunity. National Park officials are asking for volunteers to provide informational tours of the historic Mingus Mill.

The mill is located one half mile north of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, North Carolina. Participants will assist in educating national park visitors about the general role of milling in the Smoky Mountains. The unique turbine wheel at Mingus Mill is a special feature of interest. Instead of turning a wheel like the Cable Mill in popular Cades Cove. The mingus mill funnels water into a race which rises nearly forty feet in the air. From there it plunges down a box shaft and turns the turbine, which “in turn” powers the mill.

Mingus Mill, built in 1886, offers visitors a rare look into the inner workings of a mill that custom ground everything from corn to wheat or rye. This turbine-driven mill would custom grind cornmeal or flour in a fraction of the time needed by other types of mills. The efficiency and central location of the mill made it into a popular meeting place for local communities like Bradley town.

Volunteers will work closely with Great Smoky Mountains Association employees. Each volunteer is asked to work at least one, four-hour shift per week from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. during the peak visitation season from April through November. Interested persons will be provided orientation and training before beginning at the mill.

New volunteers are required to attend training on Friday, March 23, 2018 from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. The training will be held at the Oconaluftee Administration Building near Cherokee, NC. A lunch break will be in the schedule. Please plan to bring a bag lunch.

If interested in this exciting volunteer opportunity please call to reserve a space for training. For questions or to receive more information, please contact Park Resource Education Ranger Florie Takaki by phone at 828-497-1906 or by email at florie_takaki@nps.gov.