Some of the best things come free and certainly in the Great Smoky Mountains this is true! Explore the mountain scenery, enjoy the sound of the rushing river, feel the cool breeze in the elevation, and enjoy the wildlife that abounds around you!

Municipal Parks

	Herbert Holt Park is a creekside park and the first one you come into as you enter Gatlinburg from Pigeon Forge. There is a large pavilion, playground equipment, a handicap accessible fishing pier and a trout facility for the kids' entertainment. Herbert Holt is a great place for a picnic too with its own grills, sinks and horseshoe pits for the grandfathers who join you one Sunday afternoon.
	Mills Park is further up from Gatlinburg on Highway 321, right next to the high school and the Gatlinburg Community Center. Mills Park is a good place for kids to play sports in with a basketball court, baseball field, football and soccer fields, running track, skate park and horseshoe pits. Down the road a bit is another park with a playground and pavilion. There are also grills and sinks to cook out with.
	Mynatt Park is downtown Gatlinburg's Municipal Park. It's located at the top of Airport Road with a creek running alongside it. Mynatt is the place to go to let the kids run around and wear out before bedtime. There is a LOT of open space, a basketball court, a playground just up the street, and a creek running along the picnic grounds.

Sugarlands Visitors Center

Appropriately located at the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sugarlands Visitor Center in Gatlinburg is the place to go for anything related to the National Park or the nature around it. It offers a museum, a bookstore, a permit station, some public facilities and a home to many programs led by Forest Rangers throughout the seasons. You'll not want to miss the informational film in the Sugarlands theater!

January - February	8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
March	8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
April - May	8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
June - August	8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
September - October	8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
November	8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
December	8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

	Roaring Fork Nature Trail The Roaring Fork Trail is a great way to see the forest close up without having to go so far from Gatlinburg. The Motor Nature trail is a 5-mile-long road that will take you through the woods with lots of mountain streams, preserved log cabins, mills, maybe even wildlife. It is 1 mile from Gatlinburg and to get there, you need to go up Airport Rd past Mynatt Park.
Old Fashioned Hayrides Seasonal treat from the city of Gatlinburg, the Old Fashioned Hayrides will give you a good old fashioned fun tour through Gatlinburg. You get views of the Great Smoky Mountains, The winter Lights displays, the backroads, and probably a few things you wouldn't have seen speeding along the roads. Its quicker and more relaxing than walking, but still slow enough to let you really look around. Hayrides run from 5 - 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and leave approximately every 45 minutes.
	Townsend Wye One of the most popular swimming holes in this area of the Smokies, the "Y" is a small river that lets you swim or tube in natural surroundings. Great for a cool swim in hot summer afternoons. Located in Townsend through the National Park in Gatlinburg.
	Hiking You've come all this way out to the Mountains, why not experience them firsthand? Gatlinburg is home to a great many trails for both the seasoned mountaineer and the casual hiker.  The Gatlinburg Trail which is a 4-mile roundtrip hike that starts from Sugarlands, and goes into Gatlinburg and back. The Laurel Falls Trail is a more moderate 4-mile roundtrip hike that features one of the most popular waterfalls in Gatlinburg. That's just the start of the many trails you can take while staying in Gatlinburg.
Rod Run Pigeon Forge is home to several Rod Runs a year. People come from miles around to show off vintage and highly polished models. The downtown area lines them up for 4-5 miles and always counts on a really good turn out. If you decide to attend, get there early and get settled in, because traffic naturally slows down during these events, but make the effort and you will not be disappointed!

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Picnicking Area Locations

Cades Cove - Little River Road
Great start-off for the 11-mile Loop.

Chimneys - Newfound Gap Road
Large picnic area on banks of Little Pigeon River, with picnic tables, grills, restrooms, and huge boulders that can put you in the middle of the river.

Deep Creek - Hwy. 19 from Cherokee
Covered amphitheater with several waterfall hikes nearby.

Greenbrier - Hwy. 321 from Gatlinburg
Open & sheltered picnic areas in a perfect setting.

Heintooga - Balsam Mountain Road
Highest picnic area in park offering great views.

Metcalf Bottoms - Little River Road
Shady picnic tables in the cozy woods or along the river. Swimming in a cool mountain stream on a muggy summer day is an experience like no other. Always use caution and common sense and never swim alone.

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Affordable, Economy Cabins & Chalets in Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge Tennessee Offered by Baskins Creek Vacation Rentals 215 Circle Drive Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738 getaway@baskinscreek.com 1-800-436-7811

Affordable Gatlinburg Cabins and Economy Gatlinburg Chalet and Condo Rentals. Enjoy a Budget Vacation to Gatlinburg Tennessee and Pigeon Forge TN with Affordable Lodging and Lots of Free Things to Do in the Smoky Mountains.