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Water is coming back to the best ride at Dollywood, here is what we know Dollywood’s beloved, quirky and bizarre dark ride Blazing Fury is about to be restored – at least in part to its former glory. Officials hinted at a major refurbishment for one of the park’s legacy rides last year. This year, it was announced that the Dollywood ride with the biggest legacy – outside of the Dollywood Express – was due for a restoration. Included in that, will be the reintroduction of water to the ride....

Arby's in South Knoxville, a viral kudzu post Once thought a miracle cure for erosion, kudzu is thriving in the mountains whether we want it to or not. We moved to Tennessee in 1990. At the time, we settled into a house in rural Blount County, not far from the Sevier County line. It was an immersive introduction to all things Volunteer State. The nearby farm bred and raised Tennessee Walking Horses while tobacco and hay grew in fields across from our tiny, one-lane country road. Our house was...

A Virtual Tour of a Local’s favorite Historic Places in the Smoky Mountains In places like the Smokies, traveling can be about the mindless fun of a go-kart race or a round of mini golf. But traveling, at least for me, is about the history of a place. I visit the museums where the relics of years gone by are stored. I’ve walked the same cobblestone paths as Jack the Ripper. I’ve toured the mirror-lined halls of Versailles. And I climbed to the top of Notre Dame and – like the fictional...

This 850-foot-long tunnel was once called the 8th wonder of the world The irony of aging – or one of them – is that it takes time to acquire the wisdom to grasp the depth and breadth of our ignorance. I was a confident young man. Well-read and inquisitive and possessed a certain acumen for retaining and recalling that which I had learned. Some thought me cocky. It’s taken me 30 years of living to realize they were right. It is only now that I realize that what I don’t know and never learned...

A local weighs the pros and cons of the two Best Breakfast Restaurants in Gatlinburg Certainties in life are rare. Things change often without warning. Call it what you want. Whether it be fate, karma or luck. But even the things we think are certain in life can be changed by unexpected forces beyond our control. So, when we find something unswerving, something unerring, something bedrock, something certain, we latch on to it. We recalibrate our lives around this rare, true north star. In...

Inside the area that legendary author Horace Kephart once described as "a country of ill fame" In 1904 Horace Kephart, a librarian/outdoorsman who tended the stacks at the Yale University Library and for a while worked for an American rare book collector in Italy, separated from his family and made his way to the Mountains of North Carolina. Kephart was 42, and he spent the rest of his life living amongst and writing about the people of the Smokies and beyond. His work “Our Southern...

There's a new restaurant planned for wilderness pass at Dollywood for 2025, here’s what we know so far Choosing from the many Dollywood dining options is one of the great joys of visiting the park. Do I want a sit-down meal from Aunt Granny’s? Or maybe some delicious mountain barbecue. On some trips, I’m craving ham and beans. But there isn’t a trip that goes by that I wouldn’t be satisfied with sausage or potatoes from the Market Square Big Skillet options. I could live on Big Skillet...

Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, has died. The man who inspired the song Jolene among others was 82. For nearly 60 years, Carl Dean was married to one of the most beautiful, talented and wealthy women in the world. And somehow, almost no one knew who he was. Dean married Dolly Parton in May of 1966. He watched from behind the scenes as she rocketed to fame and fortune and international icon status. Dean died Monday, March 3......... Read More 🚨 Trending Posts🚨 These 7 Hole-in-the-Wall...

The mountain waterfall trail that reopened after 2 long years but then damaged by Hurricane Helene Catawba Falls is an easy hike with a stunning waterfall in North Carolina, and it’s open to the general public after a long hiatus though flood waters destroyed some improvements. The Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina have a wide range of trails that lead visitors to various wonders. From old-growth forests to unique outcroppings and spectacular views, the...