8 Amazing Ways to Enjoy Pigeon Forge This Fall

1. Drive the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. To experience the full effect of fall colors in the Great Smoky Mountains, plan to visit the National Park, which is FREE for all visitors and open year round. There are plenty of great hikes and drives for the fall, but the one we recommend is the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. This scenic drive will take you through old-growth forests and offer views of the Roaring Fork creek—with leaves in dozens of hues all around!
2. Hike to a bald in the National Park. Another great way to get in the great outdoors and really take in the beauty of fall in the Smokies is to choose a hike in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that takes you to a bald. A bald is a basically a clearing in the mountains, which means you’ll have amazing views of the mountains everywhere you look. There are two balds in this park—Andrews Bald and Gregory Bald. Both are great places to set up a little picnic and enjoy some downtime surrounded by the prettiest views in the South.
3. Take a hayride in the Smokies. If a long hike through the park isn’t really your style, or if you’re bringing kids on your Pigeon Forge vacation, no problem! There are other options for enjoying the beauty of the great outdoors and the magnificent fall foliage in the Smokies—like a guided hayride! These relaxing hayrides will take you through another great Smoky Mountain drive: the Cades Cove Loop Road. And this fully narrated tour will give you the chance to sit back and soak in the crisp mountain air while learning the ins and outs of the park.
4. Tour the Smokies from above on a helicopter tour. A hayride is great, but if what you’re after is some of the best views of the Smoky Mountains you’ll ever experience, then you need to take your guided tour to the sky with a helicopter ride. Scenic Helicopter Tours has been offering these tours over the mountains since 1972. You can choose from a variety of tour lengths, depending on your schedule and preference, but all of them will give you chance to see the stunning fall colors from the best seat in the Smokies!
5. Enjoy the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival. Another great thing about visiting Pigeon Forge in the fall is the lineup of all the seasonal events taking place this time of year. In September alone, there are dozens of events scheduled, including the Mountain Life Festival at the Mountain Farm Museum and the 17th annual Fall Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament. But another fun event that you can enjoy all through the season is the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival. The streets of Pigeon Forge will be transformed right before your eyes with harvest-themed displays and activities. Enjoy craft shows, artistic scenes, and more through October 31, 2015.
6. View handmade items at the Rotary Club Craft Fair. Another fall favorite event beginning soon is the 39th annual Pigeon Forge Rotary Club Craft Fair at Pigeon Forge’s Patriot Park. This fair will continue through October 24 and offers you the unique opportunity to view and purchase locally crafted gifts from skilled craftsmen. Woodwork, Native American jewelry, quilts, and stained glass are just a few of the one-of-a-kind crafts you will find at this Pigeon Forge attraction this fall.
7. Try a refreshing glass of apple cider at the Apple Barn. A little outside Pigeon Forge, the Apple Barn is worth the drive to Sevierville for a refreshing sip of a classic fall beverage: apple cider! Try it cold or hot at the Apple Barn and Cider Mill; you can even purchase the Aspen Mulling Spices in their general store so you can make your own batch of cider back at the cabin!
8. Choose a cabin with amazing mountain views. Finally, one of the absolute best ways to enjoy fall when you’re in Pigeon Forge is to stay in one of our cabins with mountain views. Your hike or tour through the Smokies will come to an end, but your view of the gorgeous fall foliage doesn’t have to when you stay at one of these amazing cabins. Sip a cup of coffee on your cabin’s rocking chair porch, or take advantage of your private outdoor hot tub—these are just a couple ways you can enjoy fall this year during your stay in Pigeon Forge!