The Next Chapter Is Outside
Explore the Smokies
Every stay at The Fourth Story is a chapter — and some of the best pages get written out there. Here are the places we love in Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Your Smoky Mountain Itinerary
Write Your Days Here
The Fourth Story is about 4 minutes from the Pigeon Forge Parkway, with Dollywood, Gatlinburg and the national park all an easy drive away. Head out for the day, then come back to the rooftop hot tub, the heated indoor pool and the fire pit. Drive times are approximate from the cabin; allow extra time on busy weekends, holidays and event days.
Pigeon Forge
Right outside the door: the Parkway’s attractions, dinner shows, go-karts, mini golf and restaurants.
Dollywood & Splash Country
About 15 minutes
Dolly Parton’s hometown theme park, with roller coasters, live music and festivals through the seasons, plus Dollywood’s Splash Country water park next door in summer.
The Island in Pigeon Forge
About 11 minutes
Ride the 200-foot Great Smoky Mountain Wheel, browse the shops, grab dinner and catch the fountain show — it’s at its best in the evening.
The Parkway, Events & Sports
About 4 to 15 minutes
The Parkway is about 4 minutes away. The LeConte Center, home to car shows, conferences, cheer and dance, is about 10 minutes, and Ripken Experience baseball is about 15.
Sevierville
Dolly’s hometown, just up the road, with water parks, outlet shopping and the convention center.
Historic Downtown Sevierville
About 20 minutes
Stroll past the landmark Sevier County Courthouse and find the Dolly Parton statue on its lawn, a tribute from her hometown.
Soaky Mountain Waterpark
About 25 to 30 minutes
Slides, a wave pool and a lazy river make this one of the area’s biggest water parks for a summer day.
Convention Center & Outlet Shopping
About 20 minutes
The Sevierville Convention Center hosts tournaments and expos, and Tanger Outlets is along the Parkway between Sevierville and Pigeon Forge.
Gatlinburg
A walkable mountain town tucked against the national park, about 30 minutes from the cabin.
Downtown Gatlinburg
About 30 minutes
Spend an afternoon on the Parkway with its shops, restaurants, candy kitchens, moonshine tastings and Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.
SkyBridge & Anakeesta
About 30 minutes
Cross the SkyBridge at SkyPark, one of North America’s longest pedestrian suspension bridges, or head up to Anakeesta for treetop walks and mountaintop views.
Ober Mountain & Rocky Top Sports World
About 25 to 30 minutes
Take the aerial tram up to Ober Mountain for winter skiing and year-round attractions. Tournament teams can reach Rocky Top Sports World in about 25 minutes.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The most visited national park in the country starts about 20 minutes away. Give it a full day for scenic drives, waterfalls and wildlife.
Cades Cove
About 1 hour
An 11-mile valley loop past historic cabins and churches, with some of the park’s best wildlife viewing. Cars aren’t allowed on Wednesdays from May through September, when the loop is open to walkers and cyclists.
Kuwohi & Newfound Gap
About 50 minutes to 1 hour
Kuwohi, formerly Clingmans Dome, is the park’s highest point, reached by a short, steep paved walk to an observation tower. Its road is open April through November, and Newfound Gap makes a great stop on the way.
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
About 35 minutes
A narrow one-way loop just outside Gatlinburg, past rushing streams, old homesteads and the Grotto Falls trailhead. Open May through November.
Hiking & Waterfalls
Varies
Grotto Falls off Roaring Fork and Abrams Falls in Cades Cove are local favorites. Laurel Falls has been closed for a major trail rebuild, so check the park’s trail updates before you go.
Good to Know Before You Go
- Park parking tags: vehicles parked in the national park for more than 15 minutes need a tag — $5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year. Tags must be physical and displayed in the vehicle. There’s no entrance fee.
- Seasonal roads: Kuwohi Road and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail close for winter, and the Cades Cove loop is closed to cars on Wednesdays from May through September.
- Bears: you may see them. Stay at least 50 yards away, never feed them, and don’t stop in the road to watch.
- Traffic: the Parkway is busiest on weekends, holidays and event days, so get an early start for Dollywood and the park.
- Cell service: it’s spotty in the park — download maps before you go.
Conditions change with the seasons. Check the park’s current conditions before you go.
Come Back to Your Story
Plan Your Stay at The Fourth Story
A rooftop hot tub, heated indoor pool and fire pit waiting at the end of every day out.