Plan your trip to Gatlinburg, TN

In 1807, Martha Jane Huskey Ogle and family arrived at a remote spot in eastern Tennessee, in the valley of the Little Pigeon River’s West Fork and adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains, to honor the wishes of her deceased husband, William, by settling in the “land of paradise” he found for them. That spot would become Gatlinburg. Originally White Oak Flats, the town got its name from Radford C. Gatlin, who arrived in 1854 and opened the second general store, only to eventually be banished from the community. The town kept the name.

Today, you can enjoy the great outdoors around Gatlinburg and go whitewater rafting, hike 600 miles of trails or fish for the famous local mountain trout. Great Smoky Mountains National Park includes more than 500,000 acres of forest with a variety of plants and animals, including some 27 different types of salamanders, the most diverse salamander population anywhere in the world.

Other attractions include shopping at a variety of boutiques along the Parkway and downtown streets; visiting the many artists shops, studios and galleries along an eight mile loop on Route 321; or taking a ride on the Sky Lift for panoramic views of the surrounding “land of paradise.”