4 Beautiful Seasons: The wonderful people of East TN have a standing joke, “If you don’t like the weather in East Tennessee, just wait 24 hours”. The weather in East TN is fairly mild and we have 4 beautiful seasons. All of which bring something very special at different times of the year. You can enjoy watching the leaves change color in October and the view of the white-capped mountains in the winter. You will fall in love with the beautiful colors that hit full bloom in the Spring, and we have that glorious summer weather for fun on any of the many lakes around our region. 

The Beauty in Your Backyard: If you have ever heard of the Great Smoky Mountains but never understood what makes them so “Great”, then it is time to check them out. Over 10 million people come to the area to visit the National Park. When it comes to nature and the outdoors, there is nothing that you can’t experience in the Great Smoky Mountains. Hiking, canoeing, white water rafting, camping, etc., etc. With places like Clingman’s Dome and trail heads like Newfound Gap, you’re sure to experience breath taking views that go on for miles.

Tourism & Things to Do: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has driven a tourism boom in Sevier and Blount counties, effectively transforming the tiny mountain communities of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge into resort towns. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States and creates a massive tourism industry in nearby Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville, which is the third-largest in the state. Some of these attractions are Dollywood, the most visited ticketed attraction in Tennessee, Ober Gatlinburg, and Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.

Other attractions in East Tennessee are Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, both in the Cumberland Mountains, Chickamauga, and Chattanooga National Military Park, Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, and the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. East Tennessee is also home to several scenic roadways including the Foothills Parkway, the East Tennessee Crossing Byway, the Norris Freeway, Cumberland National Scenic Byway, the Tail of the Dragon, the Cherohala Skyway, and the Ocoee Scenic Byway.

The Appalachian Trail, which is one of the world’s most well-known hiking trails, passes along the Tennessee-North Carolina border. The Cherokee National Forest preserves most of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Tennessee that are not part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Ocoee River in Polk County attracts thousands of whitewater rafters each year and is the most rafted river in the nation. The nearby gentler Hiwassee River is also a top attraction in East Tennessee. There are also several reservoirs in the upper East Tennessee region, including Cherokee, Douglas, Fort Loudoun, and Norris provide recreational opportunities on and along the shores via water sports, boating, fishing, and “second-home” development. There are also several attractions in Chattanooga, such as the Tennessee Aquarium, the nation’s largest freshwater aquarium, and Rock City, and Ruby Falls on Lookout Mountain. The Tennessee Aquarium coincided with the revitalization of Chattanooga’s riverfront, which helped to bolster the downtown districts and the city has become an outdoor sports mecca.