Yearly Archives: 2023

January in the Smokies is the time for winter sports, both on the slopes and along the trails, as well as wildlife adventures, indoor attractions – and extra time in the hot tub, courtesy of shoulder-season cabin specials, for that winter getaway in the mountains.

The Winterfest and Winter Magic festivities and lights will continue all through January in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, and the towns are bustling as ever through the winter activities.

Some images courtesy of Ober Mountain

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August in the Smokies is bustling with events, from hot air balloons to cosplay and fishing, and also with a foretaste of changes to come, with the kids going back to school, and harvest festivals peeking around the corner (but not quite here yet). Temperatures are in the high eighties to low nineties, and the evenings are pleasant.

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July is one of the best months to visit the Smoky Mountains and it’s high season in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, as well as Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding scenic area. Conventions, Fairs, music and the big July 4th Parade are among the events to watch for here in this hot summertime month.

Temperatures are generally in the high eighties to low nineties with cool nights in the sixties – perfect for every kind of mountain adventure except for snow and downhill tubing – and even in midsummer, we have that covered too!

While the towns and attractions are bustling with visitors and special events, it’s a good time to hit the higher elevations or some swimming holes to cool down, as well as knowing the back roads to avoid some of that bustle.

But read on to see just what kind of bustle is happening in July.

Images courtesy of the Craftsmen’s Fair, Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge

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The month of June in the Smoky Mountains starts the bustle of summer, and opens up countless opportunities for fun in the great outdoors – from fireflies to fishing, and from festivals to free trolleys, as well as flame azaleas in the higher elevations.

The Free Trolley? Well, all the Gatlinburg trolleys are now free. We used to announce in June each year that Gatlinburg was running a free trolley up and down Parkway through summer, and that was fun news, but it’s all turned fun now, with the city’s decision to run a free system. Pigeon Forge, which covers larger distances, still charges, but the fares are still the cheapest thing in America today. See our guide to the Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge Trolleys. And read on for the insider lowdown on what’s happening in June.

The famous synchronous fireflies of June in the Smokies

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