When you decide to take a hike, tie on your hiking shoes or boots, put on your comfiest hiking clothes, and choose your path! But don’t forget your other supplies! The easiest way to comfortably bring along the supplies you might need on a day hike is to have a good backpack. This will allow you to carry everything on your back, with the weight evenly distributed on your shoulders. This will maximize your comfort on the trail!

For short hiking trips that will last one day or less, consider packing your backpack with the following items:

• Clothing. Depending on the time of year, you might need extra layers, especially up in the higher elevations. A lightweight jacket with a hood will help combat winds and chilly air. A hat (waterproof is ideal), gloves, and lightweight scarf can also come in handy, and they can be easily stored away in your pack without adding much extra weight.
• Weather protection. Just because you’re not at the beach doesn’t mean you don’t need sun protection! Sunscreen is very important, especially if you are hiking a mountain trail! Chapstick is also a good thing to have along, to protect your lips from windburn and sunburn.
• Hiking Safety. A first aid kit is an absolute must! You don’t need to spend a lot of money on one, though. You can create a small, portable first aid kit comprised of essential items. It should include band aids, blister pads, anti itch cream, tweezers, and antibacterial. Don’t forget bug repellant, either! This will ward off pesky insects on the trail, especially in the summer. And if you are on any medications, bring an extra dose or two, just in case you need to take them during the hike.Another important tool that you should bring is a pocket knife. There are great, lightweight pocket tools available that include various types of blades, along with other instruments that can help you if you get into trouble. Another essential: a compass (along with a trail map). It is vital that you stay on the marked trails, but if you should happen to get lost, a compass will help you get your bearings and hopefully find your way back to the hiking trail. As for hiking trail maps for Gatlinburg, TN you can pick some up at the Sugarlands Visitors Center just inside the National Park as you leave the north end of Gatlinburg. Be sure to put the map in a plastic bag in case you encounter wet weather…or terrain.
• Snacks. Even if you are going on a shorter hike, you should always bring snacks and water with you. Hydration is extremely important. You might not feel like you are losing fluid, but you are, especially if you are hiking in the mountains! Bring a refillable water bottle that you can store in a side pocket of your backpack (one filled bottle per person). And pack lightweight snacks like granola bars or snack bags of GORP (raisins and peanuts), which will help you and your group refuel after a mile or two.
• Fun stuff. The Smoky Mountains offer breathtaking vistas, so don’t forget your camera! You will want to photograph the views, flowers, wildlife, and document the fun times you are having on the trail! Another fun thing to take along is a small notebook and pen. Journaling can be a great way to remember your hike, the things you see, and even the conversations you have with your hiking party.

A day hike in the mountains and forests around Gatlinburg, TN is a fun and invigorating way to explore the area! You will see many beautiful and amazing sights! And if you plan ahead by packing your backpack with a few lightweight essentials, you can relax and enjoy your hike, no matter where the trail leads you!

Article fromInside Gatlinburg, TN

What to Pack for a Hike in the Smokies

Frank Jarrett bought the inn in 1894 andwas able to capitalize on the burgeoning tourism industry of the Smoky Mountains as people from other parts of the country flocked to the region.  The Jarrett Inn gave the people who rode on the railroad a place to stay. Meanwhile, the food made the Jarrett House famous all over the country.  From Frank’s wife’s fried ham and redeye gravy to the biscuits that seemed to float off the plate, this was truly southern food in a truly southern setting.

Their menu is a huge draw still and whether you are there for lunch or dinner you are in for something special.  It is family favorites with a southern flare and all the sides are served family style.  For lunch you get to pick your entrée from selections like fried catfish, fried chicken or chicken and dumplings (the chicken and dumplings are incredible).  For dinner you will see some of the same options as lunch but with the inclusion of country cured ham, mountain trout and pot roast.  Every meal includes a family style portion of the following:  Cole slaw, candied apples, buttered potatoes, green beans, pickled beets and hot biscuits.  You will feel like you are back in your grandmother’s house for Sunday lunch.  One thing will really stick out on the menu though and that is one of their desserts:  vinegar pie!  Don’t let the name fool you; it is delicious.  Imagine pecan pie without the pecans.

Stepping foot in the dining room of the Jarrett House is like stepping back in time.  They have captured the feel of the early 20^th century.  From the table cloths to the stem ware, there is not a detail they have missed.  You can look at the nick-knacks on the wall or the furniture in the hall and the look of the antiques really sets the scene.  You have just stepped off the train.  You are ready to check into your room and brush the travel dust from your clothes.  You are hoping for a good meal but you are not really prepared for the mounds of food that await you.

Next time you are in Dillsboro walk across the main street to the Jarrett House for a meal.  Step back in time and pull your chair up to the table.  Order the country cured ham and experience southern style salt cured ham.  Order the chicken and dumplings and sop up the juice with a homemade biscuit.  Be sure to order a slice of vinegar pie for dessert; trust me, it is better than it sounds.  Visit the Jarrett House; it will be an experience you will talk about for years to come.

Article fromInside Gatlinburg, TN

Jarrett House Dining Room

*The Rainbow Trout - a Smoky Mountain fixture.

One of the best things about Gatlinburg are the numerous mountain streams and rivers that converge and form the Little Pigeon River. With these bodies of water running through the city, it is no wonder that visitors and locals alike come to Gatlinburg to fish. The accessibility of the streams and the fact that Gatlinburg stocks the river along River Road make for good fishing for the expert or novice. Being able to walk from your hotel to the water, wade into the river, start casting and land that big trout, makes fishing in Gatlinburg something to be remembered for a lifetime.

Which is why not long ago Gatlinburg came up with its own trout tournament – now entering its twelfth year. This year, April 7-8, contestants will be able to compete for over $10,000 in cash a prizes. To get ready for the tournament, Gatlinburg has stocked over 20 miles in local streams with 10,000 trout.

Due to the fact that Gatlinburg has one of the best stocking programs in the area, you do need a special permit to fish inside the city limits as well as compete in the tournament. You can pick up one of those permits at the Welcome Center on 441 South, the ‘Spur,’ before you get to town or City Hall on East Parkway. Gatlinburg has their own trout farm that they use for stocking. The streams are stocked on Thursday so there is no fishing on Thursdays, but any other day of the week is fine. The Gatlinburg Trout License has different rules and regulations depending on whether you are a Tennessee resident or not and there are a few exempt classes that do not need the Gatlinburg permit. You should ask those questions when you get your permit at the Welcome Center or City Hall.

There are some rules and regulations when fishing in Gatlinburg. Fishing in Gatlinburg is allowed from thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty minutes after sunset. There are several children-only fishing areas in Gatlinburg: no one over twelve is allowed to fish in those areas. When fishing in Gatlinburg, you can only use one hand-held rod and you can only use a single hook. No multiple hook rigs are allowed. There are, of course, creel limits to the number of fish you can catch, so make sure that you ask about creel limits, type of bait and lures that can be used when you purchase your fishing permit.

With all of the fishing opportunities it offers, Gatlinburg is a sportsman’s paradise. If you are a fly fisherman from way back, this is a great place to spend some time looking for that big trout in a stocked stream. If you have never fly fished before than you have the chance to fish where the water is easy to get to and you know that there are trout in the water. Good times are to be had fishing in Gatlinburg.

For more information, or to register for the 13th Annual Gatlinburg Trout Tournament, visit rockytopoutfitter.com or call 865-661-FISH

Article fromInside Gatlinburg, TN

Fishing in Gatlinburg & The 2012 Trout Tournament

The Smokies has seen the elk population continue to grow ever since they were reintroduced to the area in early 2001. Cataloochee’s elk began to roam the forests in 2002. At one time, elk were as prevalent in Smokies as the black bear and were one of the dominant herd animals in the area. If you haven’t seen an elk up close, they’re much bigger than the white tail deer that are commonly seen on the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains. Outside of Cataloochee, your best chance to see elk, especially a herd of them, is near the Cherokee entrance to the park, but there is always a really good chance of seeing them in Cataloochee.

Cataloochee compares favorably to Cades Cove, only it’s on the northern end of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Whether you are staying in Tennessee or North Carolina, Cataloochee is only 10 miles from Interstate 40.  In comparison to Cades Cove’s historical buildings, Cataloochee is much more secluded, thus less population, which equals fewer homes/buildings. It also has fewer visitors then Cades Cove.  Moreover, Cades Cove does not have elk. Cataloochee is also a great place to take a lunch or even camp out for a night, the elk will find you. It’s hard to miss them.

Since elk were introduced in Cataloochee, it’s hard to go to that side of the GSMNP without seeing an elk.  They’re literally everywhere. So amazing! The size of the elk is almost unrivaled in the national park. Their trophy racks are unparalleled by most deer and cause most wildlife to approach with hesitancy.  Their racks tower above them and make the elk itself seem even more imposing.  Some racks seem almost as tall as the animal itself. Nevertheless, elk are very docile and, though you don’t want them to get as close as the deer do in Cades Cove, it’s their nature to get close.

On at least one trip to Cataloochee, a tagged female was so close that you could have reached out and touched her.  Meanwhile, the bulls were all in a field together, grazing. There were also about a dozen lying in a field – herd mentality.  In Cataloochee these normally aggressive animals have found a stress-free location to graze and raise their young. Let your family experience the beauty of an animal that has been reintroduced to their rightful home.  Head to Cataloochee on your next trip to the Smokies and experience the elk.

Article fromInside Gatlinburg, TN

Elk in Cataloochee

Nothing this Spring is more delicious than Gatlinburg's Ribfest & Wings.