by Great Smokies | Apr 1, 2019 | Attractions
At the end of many steam excursions on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, riders have the opportunity to participate in a unique railroad turntable experience. Volunteers are called upon to assist the crew in manually turning the 353,540 pound engine and tender while...
by Great Smokies | Mar 17, 2019 | Attractions, History & Culture
A lot of people who visit Mingus Mill in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have no idea that there is a burial ground for enslaved people on the grounds. It is not known exactly who is buried here. There are no names or dates or head stones, just rocks that mark...
by Great Smokies | Dec 10, 2018 | Attractions
By the time this holiday season ends, more than 90,000 Bryson City visitors will have ridden The Polar Express, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad ‘s seasonal attraction that brings the classic children’s story to life. The Polar Express experience begins...
by Great Smokies | Nov 13, 2018 | Attractions, Nature
Soco Falls is a spectacular double waterfall on the Cherokee Indian Reservation just off US-19 between Cherokee and Maggie Valley. The falls are about 10 miles east of Cherokee and 5.5 miles west of Maggie Valley Maggie Valley. If you’re driving the Blue Ridge...
by Great Smokies | Nov 12, 2018 | Attractions
Most of the time, Fontana Dam just quietly goes about its job of generating hydroelectricity for the Tennessee Valley Authority. Built in the 1940s, the 480 foot concrete structure is the tallest dam in the eastern United States, empounding the 10,230-acre Fontana...
by Great Smokies | Nov 9, 2018 | Attractions
Just north of Cherokee NC in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park sits a historic grist mill, Mingus Mill. Nestled on the banks of Mingus Creek, this beautiful mill still stands at its original location since 1886. Mingus Mill served the surrounding communities for...
