1. Secret Tunnel Under Clingmans
This tunnel, Thomas Divide Tunnel, was designed to keep hikers from having to cross over Clingmans Dome Road. More history on the Tunnel can be found here.
How to get here: At the beginning of the road to Clingman’s Dome you’ll see the access gates and during December through around the beginning of March they are closed for the season. If it is not the off-season and the gates are open then you will drive up some and there is a pull-off on the right side of the road right after the access gates. If it is the off-season you can park in the Newfound Gap Parking Area and walk up the road. From the pull-off after the access gate, you will walk under a ¼ mile up Clingman’s Dome road to the stone bridge. The Tunnel is right under that bridge.
2. The 2 Covered Bridges "Located near the Great Smoky Mountains"
These two bridges are Harrisburg Covered Bridge and Emerts Cove Covered Bridge and
. They are beautiful covered bridges with a rich history. The Emerts Cove Covered Bridge is located in the Pittman Center community just outside of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and is named after Frederick Emert, a Revolutionary War soldier that settled the area in 1790. The Harrisburg Covered Bridge is located in Sevierville, Tennessee, and was constructed in 1875 at a cost of only $75. The bridge's sole purpose when constructed was to connect two neighboring communities that were divided by the east fork of the Little Pigeon River.
How to get here:Emerts Cove Covered Bridge250 Hills Creek RdPittman Center, TN 37876Harrisburg Covered BridgeOld Covered Bridge RdSevierville, TN 37876
3. Elkmont Ghost Town
The Elkmont area was a pioneer community, then a logging town, then a resort town for wealthy vacationers. When the park was established in 1934, Elkmont residents could choose to sell their homes for full value and relocate or sell their properties to the National Park Service for a discounted price in return for a lifetime lease. Once the National Park Service took over, Elkmont slowly started turning into a ghost town.
How to get here: Take US-411 from Gatlinburg to the Sugarlands Visitor Center. Drive toward Cades Cove for about 7 miles until you see a sign for Elkmont Campground. You’ll turn here until you see the ranger station about 4 miles down the road. Take a left at the sign for Elkmont Nature Trail, where you’ll find a parking lot. The lot is within walking distance of the historic structures in Elkmont.Full walkthrough of the town
4. Elkmont Troll Bridge
One structure that’s still standing in Elkmont Ghost Town is the Troll Bridge. It spans a small creek a little ways off-trail. If you want to see the Troll Bridge, take one of the side trails to the right about 100 feet into the Little River Trail.
How to get here: Take the Little River Trail. You can see Elkmont Ghost Town from the trailhead. You pass the parking area for this trail on your way to Elkmont Ghost Town. From the trailhead, it is barely ¼ mile to where the troll bridge is located. You will take the first small trail on the right and the troll bridge is just down that trail. It is short and not hard to find but most people don’t venture the small cut-off trails. How To Find The Elkmont Troll Bridge
5. The "Noah Bud Ogle Cabin"
How to get here: Take the Bud Ogle Self Guiding Trail. It is a 0.7 loop trail. You can access this loop trail to view what is left of the estate from the parking area, just google Ogle Place Parking Area Gatlinburg and it should direct you to the parking lot. If you are looking for more of a hike you can take Twin Creek Trail which is 4.5 miles with the loop.
6. House of the Fairies
One building you’ll want to see when you visit is the House of the Fairies, which is the springhouse at the Voorheis Estate. More history for this site can be found here > Everything You Need to Know About the House of the Fairies
How to get here: Take the Twin Creeks Trail. About halfway down the trail, you will come across the Natual Resource Center, from there you will follow the road back where you see work buildings and a barn. Follow the fence past the barn around the back of the fence and there is a small trail that goes up the hill into the woods. You should see the springhouse from there.
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