GATLINBURG TENNESSEE - GATLINBURG Homes and Real Estate For Sale

Located in Sevier County, Gatlinburg, Tennessee sits proudly at the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park . Home to just over 3,500 people, the popular vacation resort town of Gatlinburg is only two miles long by five miles wide. Though Gatlinburg may be small on size, it surely is big on things to do and see.

Gatlinburg prides itself on being a resort for all four seasons. Visitors enjoy camping, hiking and rafting in the majestic Great Smoky Mountain National Park during the spring and summer. In the fall months, Mother Nature puts on a spectacular show of yellow, red and orange fall foliage covering the hills and mountains. Winter brings snow and skiing and the best of the season in the Appalachians. Year round visit all of the family-friendly attractions like museums, arcades, miniature golf, live music, themed restaurants and more!

Whether you are coming to Gatlinburg for the first time, vacation annually, or even have relocated to this mountain paradise, Gatlinburg has something to offer everyone!.

Gatlinburg History

Gatlinburg’s history begins about 200 years ago. Honoring the wish of her late husband to live in the “land of paradise” he had found for them, Martha Jane Huskey Ogle along with her nine children and other family members, settled on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee. Ogle’s settlement was originally named White Oak Flats for its abundance of white oak trees.

In 1854, Gatlinburg’s namesake, Radford C. Gatlin arrived in White Oak Flats to open the village’s second general store. Though the town retains his name, Gatlin was chased out of town because of controversy.

Otherwise, during its first 100 years, the self-sustaining community that would become Gatlinburg experienced little change. During the Civil War, Gatlinburg remained interestingly neutral, with townsmen split equally for the Union and Confederate sides. A small skirmish took place outside of Gatlinburg during the War, and both sides raided the town to gather supplies to sustain their efforts. Like much of the South, Appalachia saw hardship in the Reconstruction period.

As the Smokies and much of Appalachia remained isolated in the early part of the 20th century, public schools did not reach the Gatlinburg area until 1912. It was then when the first public settlement school was formed by the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity. The school provided basic academic and practical education, and contributing to the rebirth of Appalachian arts and crafts.

The 20th century saw a great shift in the area’s industry. With the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1934 to protect the area from logging and preserve the unique beauty of the Smokies, tourism quickly replaced logging as the area’s primary industry. Many of the families whose homes were taken over by the national park system moved to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and the surrounding area. Gatlinburg was officially incorporated in 1945, and has been a tourist mecca ever since.

Gatlinburg Parks & Recreation

This “paradise found” has drawn many people to Gatlinburg over the years. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has attracted many tourists and full-time residents to stay and explore the forests and streams, with Gatlinburg as a natural base camp. Gatlinburg has more parks to offer besides the national park, with some quiet city parks for residents and visitors to enjoy.

City Parks in Gatlinburg
Herbert Holt Park
Located on Pigeon River Road in Gatlinburg, the Herbert Holt Park features a covered pavilion, wheelchair-accessible fishing pier, sinks, children’s stream, playground area, trout facility, cooking grills, horseshoe pits, walking trails, and picnic tables

Mynatt Park
Located on Asbury Lane in Gatlinburg, Mynatt Park offers a covered pavilion, basketball court, horseshoe Pits, baseball Field, children’s stream, tennis courts, playground area, restrooms, picnic tables and grills.

Mills Park
Located on Mills Park Road in Gatlinburg, Mills Park offers picnic facilities, horseshoe pits, playground area, football field, covered pavilion, sinks and grills, restrooms, 9-hole disc golf course, softball field, jogging trail, skate park, basketball court, and a 400-meter track.

For more information on city parks in Gatlinburg click here

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the Tennessee/North Carolina border, and is one of the largest areas of government protected land east of the Rocky Mountains. The park is named for the “smoke” or misty clouds that sometimes engulf the mountains. It’s not uncommon to drive through a small cloud while in the park! US Highway 441 traverses the park, allowing the park’s over 9 million annual visitors easy access throughout the over 800 square miles of parkland. The Appalachian Trail also runs along the Tennessee/North Carolina border through the park. With elevations ranging from 875 to 6,643 feet, visitors can experience a wide variety of landscapes, from cove to mountain peak. The highest point in the park is Clingmans Dome, located in the Tennessee side of the park.

The two main visitors' centers inside the park are Sugarlands Visitors' Center near the Gatlinburg entrance to the park and Oconaluftee Visitors' Center near Cherokee, North Carolina at the eastern entrance to the park. These ranger stations provide exhibits on wildlife, geology, and the history of the park. They also sell books, maps, and souvenirs.

One of the most popular attractions in the park is camping. With ten frontcountry (car) campgrounds for both tents and RVs, and other opportunities for backcountry camping, horse camping and group camping, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a great getaway for all campers!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park also seeks to preserve the unique heritage of Southern Appalachia. Over 70 preserved historic structures including grist mills, churches, schools, barns, and the homes of early settlers give visitors a glimpse of life in the Smokies before the advent of the national park.

Gatlinburg Local Events

In addition to the beauty of the Smokies, local events draw visitors to Gatlinburg. A sampling of local events in Gatlinburg can be found have been listed for you.

Gatlinburg Scottish Festival & Games
Enjoy Highland athletics, bagpipe competitions, Highland dancing, Border collie demonstrations, haggis hurling, entertainment, whiskey tasting at the Gatlinburg Scottish Festival and Games. Enjoy Scottish food and merchandise at this annual gathering of Scottish clans!

Gatlinburg Fine Arts Festival
If you like art, you will enjoy this family-oriented fine arts festival. Featuring juried artists from around the country, browse art in all media while sampling delicious cuisine and music on Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Plaza and the River Road.

For more information on events in Gatlinburg click here

Gatlinburg Attractions

Every block of Gatlinburg is packed with things to do or see. A “four-season” resort town, there are family friendly attractions open year round. Enjoy skiing during the winter months and indoor ice skating year round at Ober Gatlinburg. Get panaoramic views from the Space Needle and Sky Ride. Enjoy unique museums like the Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum showcasing oddities which made the Ripley name famous. Live music, mountain crafts, miniature golf, go karts, bumper carts and a lot more can be found in Gatlinburg!

For more information on attractions in Gatlinburg click here

For more information on Gatlinburg TN visit the official website by clicking here

For the Gatlinburg Department of Tourism & Convention Center website click here

For the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce website click here

Sevierville Area Guide
Pigeon Forge Area Guide