About Sevier County, TN

Since the establishment of the National Park in 1936, Gatlinburg has become the destination of choice for visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains. The park is a favorite choice for both through hiking and day trips.

One of the most popular day hikes in the park is the Chimney Tops Trail. This popular 4.2 mile roundtrip trail will take you to some of the best views in the Smokies.

The popularity of this trail may require parking some distance from the trailhead, so arrive early or plan on an extra long walk. Be sure to wear good hiking shoes or boots and carry enough water for the climb to the top of the mountain.

Begin your outing just a few miles south of town on U.S. 441 at The Sugarlands Visitor Center. The Sugarlands is aptly named due to the sugar maples that dominate the landscape. At the visitor center, you can get books, maps, and updates on weather and wildlife issues.

Continuing south on the Newfound Gap Road about 4 miles, and just after going through the tunnel, you will come to the Chimney Tops Trailhead.

The trail starts through a pleasant wooded stream valley, and all crossings have bridges so you can avoid rock hopping. You will pass through heavy rhododendron thickets as you begin the ascent to the summit.

The trail is moderately steep in some areas, so rest as needed. As you continue the climb, wonderful vistas will open up to you! At the crest, you will continue along the ridge until you come to the Chimneys.

The Chimneys are actually rock formations at the peak of the mountain that are hollow in the middle and resemble a large stone chimney. From the top of the big chimney the view is spectacular, and a fitting reward for the exertion required ti get there!

Return via the same route, and then it's back to Gatlinburg for food, shopping and entertainment!

Photos: Top right: The Chimneys from The Newfound Gap Road, Bottom left: The big Chimney. Courtesy of Richard Weisser and SmokyPhotos.com.

Late spring/early summer I had the fun experience of taking a girls weekend away with my best friend, Sue. We decided to visit Gatlinburg, TN as we've heard so much about it (and my mother happened to have a condo for the week that we could stay at for free.... lol!) My business partner, Bevin, and another team member, Susan, were both supposed to join us but could not go at the last minute. Still, Sue and I had a great time.... Here are some of my favorite things we did....

On the way up the windy turns we stopped at an overlook to enjoy the breathtaking views.....

When we got out of the car we noticed an eerie humm.... It didn't take long for Sue to realize it was the Cicadas that were EVERYWHERE! The hills were definately alive with the sound of music - the cicada song!

We also went to visit a pottery shop where they sat out front actually making the pottery.....

One of my favorite things of the week, however was a visit on a motor trail. At one point you can get out and walk around to view this very old cabins and learn about what life would have been like for early Tennesseeans.

On the walk between sites we had something REALLY EXCITING happen. Out of no where a deer came walking up the path. It stopped only feet in front of us!

This was amazing. Of course what my favorite things weren't necessarily Sue's favorite things. She's a bit more adventurous (and less afraid of heights). Maybe it's because I'm only 5 ft tall, but heights really make me a bit panicky.... Sue LOVED this ride though... (view going up and then view going down)

My favorite thing that happened to us, unforunately I don't have a photo of..... On our way back up the mountain to our room we saw eyes on the side of the road. I cautioned her to be careful of the kitty in the neighbor's garbage cans. Then suddenly realized that the kitty was actually a black bear cub!!!! It was very late and dark. Needless to say we couldn't get out of the car (ummm, where was mama bear?). The flash from inside the car didn't work very well.....

All in all it was a fabulous time & I've never seen so many mini golf and pancake houses in my life (strangely we neither played or ate at one!). If you love nature though, this is a great vacation destination!

Being so close to Nashville, the unchallenged capital of country music, we feel the music. At the state's western border is Memphis, the home of "the King" Elvis Presley, Sun Studios, and the birthplace of both Rock & Roll and the Blues, which inspires us because they are distinct American creations. And closer to home, the mountains of Appalachia sing from our experience, our heart, and our spirit. Tennessee may not be the first place that pops into your mind when you think of music, but it should rank right up there with Detroit, New York City, Austin, Miami, and Los Angeles.

With these diverse musical influences, artists of all sorts are drawn to every corner of our state. Whether it is Maryville's Foothills Fall Festival coming in October or the Volunteer Jam that happens at Smokies Park in Sevierville tomorrow, we are often the willing hosts to some legendary and novice performers. The Volunteer Jam is an annual event for Knoxville and the surrounding area. The tickets are very affordable at $39 and $49 dollars with children under 3 years of age being FREE! The facility even allows personal photography of the performers from your seat! Gates open at 6:00 PM with the show starting at 7:30 PM. Now who are those performers???

The Legendary musician, Charlie Daniels!

Iconic 80's band 38 Special!

The Wolf, Shooter Jennings!

About the Author

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If you plan a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park be sure to include a day hike to Andrews Bald. Andrews Bald is a mostly open peak, with spectacular views of the North Carolina side of the Smokies.

This is generally a cool and pleasant trek, as the entire walk is over a mile in elevation. The beginning of the trail is in the Clingmans Dome parking lot. The lot is usually crowded, with visitor's climbing to the overlook tower on the peak of Clingmans Dome, and this is an excellent side trip.

You will not find so many tourists on the trail to Andrews Bald. This destination is less frequented than many of the other more readily accessible You descend from the parking lot on the Appalachian Trial bypass, which is just below the trail to the tower. Then turn left on the Forney Ridge Trail towards the bald.

Although the two mile trek does not involve major elevation changes, the trail is quite rocky and difficult to negotiate in some places. Also, beware of Timber Rattlers on bright sunny days,

The forest opens up as you approach the bald, and if you visit in late May through early July, you will be treated to blooming Azaleas and Rhododendron of every species and color. There are grassy meadows here that are perfect for picnics featuring dramatic vistas in three directions! There are lots of good rocks for sitting, but bring a blanket and relax for a while before the return trip to the parking lot.

Andrews Bald is one of my favorite places in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and I heartily recommend this day hike for those seeking a different king of mountain experience.

Photos Courtesy of Richard Weisser and SmokyPhotos.com.

Richard Weisser, Broker, Associate Broker, Auctioneer, E-Pro, CE Instructor Era United Realty, Newnan Georgia, Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc. Serving Coweta, Fayette, Heard, Meriwether, South Fulton, Pike and Spalding Counties 770-827-6225, 770-683-8400 X364, 770-683-8401 (FAX) All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.

About one month ago I blogged about the number of new listings on the market in comparison to sold properties. The statistics from March 6th to the previous 30 days indicated there were 902 new listings and 152 properties sold. A month later, the numbers show a similar trend with slightly fewer new listings on the market, but less real estate sold as well.

The ratio of new listings to sold one month ago was about 5.67. This month the ratio takes a slight turn for the worse at 6.58. This creates a very attractive market for buyers with the surplus of inventory on the market. With the increased number of foreclosures and short sales within Sevier County, some non-foreclosed owners are drastically dropping prices in order to compete with the bank owned properties. On the other hand, many overnight cabin rental owners are fairly affluent and can weather the storm by maintaining more stable prices. The largest market effected with foreclosures has been Planned Unit Developments (PUD's).

They were developed at the very height of the real estate boom in order to create inventory for the high level of demand. Builders and developers simply could not build enough cabins. With all of the hoopla of buying investment cabins during the 2004 to 2006 period, buyers were drastically overpaying for properties in relation to the rental income a property could produce. Buyers were not looking at cabins as an investment with respect to rental revenues, but with the hope of appreciation. Several of the PUD's offered 0% down financing and quoted high projected rental incomes. Some of these developments like Black Bear Ridge and Hidden Springs are now flooded with "For Sale" signs - many being bank owned cabins.

The owners with zero money down and no equity in the property simply walked away and let the properties go into foreclosure. This is very unfortunate for those who did put down a substantial amount of money and now see the values on the decline. One particular case is a 6 bedroom, 6.5 bath cabin in Black Bear Ridge selling furnished and new for $770,000 in 2006. This cabin recently sold for $365,000 as a bank foreclosure. Well less than $85 per square foot. The market has went from one extreme to another. Some properties I feel are undervalued now in the PUD's based on their potential rental income. Still, I am hesitant because there are other foreclosures sure to come on the market in these developments and one must wonder where is the absolute rock bottom?