For the Call of the Wild in us All!

*Wilderness Wildlife Week* in Pigeon Forge

the second week each January

is a free 9-day-celebration of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Attendees are treated to beautiful art, crafts

and *the artists* who create it;

the music of Appalachia; a photography contest & exhibit;

the history of the people who settled the area and their culture;

*famous writers & humor*, *wildlife photographers*

their spectacular experiences and images ...

~ All creating a delicious blend of the magic and wonder of

the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Last year's featured presenter, seasoned hiker and guide Bill Deitzer, showed a packed-house that the GSMNP is actually 4 completely different places – each season bringing a completely different park to explore.  His beautiful interpretive slideshow inspired all hikers and outdoor enthusiasts.  According the Bill, 90% of the millions who visit The Park annually - never even get out of their cars.  And although driving has become a wonderful American pastime, and the Great Smokey Mountains National Park is probably the prettiest driving in the lower 48, there is tremendous magic and wonderment waiting for those who trek out onto the trails.

WWW is part of Winterfest, a way to enjoy the Smokies when they’re often snow-topped and less crowded. This particular wonder-week of the Winter festivities is free.  Lodging during the event is very reasonable – rates as low as $40 are available at even the deluxe hotels whose rooms rent for upwards of $140 per night during the “on-season”.   Other Winterfest celebrations include the Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival, the western themed Saddle Up Celebration and the Mountain Quiltfest.  Click here for more about Pigeon Forge's popular Winterfest...

While attending this year's Wilderness Wildlife Week, GuestLine hopes to bring you first-hand the fun of the hikes and field trips, live presentations, shared experiences, insights, and tricks of the trade ~ from how to write about… learn from… make better use of…. ~ how to better enjoy the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – and the Great Outdoors in general.

The Smokies are close enough to Chattanooga and Cleveland to day-trip there, too. There are several ways to drive into Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, the fun-filled tourist towns that have blossomed around the Park. Sevierville is grabbing more and more of our interest these days, too, with shopping and attractions to warrant a stop – or a day or more all its own. It’s 96 miles from Exit 27 in Cleveland to Exit 407 – where you get off I-40 to head toward The Mountains. It’s just a couple of pretty foot-hilled miles from exit 407 - to the attractions, shopping and restaurants. Once you get through Sevierville then Pigeon Forge, you’ll drive a few miles by the Pigeon River til you break into Gatlinburg, which is adjacent to The Park itself.