Is this Mountain on fire? No, it's just Smoky - 03.22.25

Today was our first full day in Tennessee, and we had a lot to do. We started our day off by visiting the Gatlinburg Welcome Center to learn more about the various trails that the Smoky Mountains had to offer. We spoke with a helpful park ranger and bought our required day parking pass for the mountains. Before we hit the trails, we fueled up at Log Cabin Pancake House. There was a long line outside which only took about 15 minutes to get through, but the outdoor wait was a bit chilly. The interior of the pancake house was inviting and home like with retro college flags hanging from the rafters. I ordered the blueberry pancakes with an over-easy egg and a small glass of apple juice. Avery ordered 8 silver dollar pancakes with bacon and a small glass of apple juice. Our food was delicious, reasonably priced (about $15 per person), and it gave us the energy needed for our next adventure!

We hiked the Sugarlands Area of the Smoky Mountains, taking the Fighting Creek Nature Trail to see the John Ownby Cabin and the Cove Mountain Trail to see the Cataract Falls. This excursion was about 2 miles long. We then ventured by car up 5,000+ feet to Newfound Gap, a scenic spot offering views of the Smoky Mountains. The drastic elevation change impacted the temperature dropping it down a few degrees, we even saw some patches of snow. Both the Sugarlands Area and Newfound Gap had parking lots and bathrooms. We saw plenty of park rangers around the two areas and our drive through the mountains. The trails were easy to moderate, with some paths narrower and inclining. Overall, I am so grateful that we were able to experience the vast beauty of the Smoky Mountains in person. I am in awe of how beautiful our parks are, and I cannot wait to explore more of the National Parks.

After a few good hours of exploring nature, Avery and I worked up quite the appetite. We went to Howard’s for dinner. This is Gatlinburg’s oldest restaurant and favorite steakhouse, serving exceptional dining experiences in a scenic setting since 1946. Avery and I got the Steak for Two (8 oz. USDA filet with two sides) for $75. I chose the macaroni and cheese and sauteed teriyaki vegetable medley for my sides. My steak was good; however, my noodles from the macaroni and cheese were on the harder side, and my vegetables were oily. I had a glass of Meiomi (Pinot Noir) which was good for $10. Overall, the food was good, but slightly overpriced. There was also a photographer that walked around and took a complimentary postcard picture of your table with the option to add on additional photos for a fee. This was a fun and unexpected bonus of the night; I love a free souvenir/scrapbook item.

Our time in the Smoky Mountains was brief but stay tuned for our last bit of Gatlinburg in my next post and our venture out to Music City.