There are so many things I enjoy here in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area. Having grown up here, lived in other parts of the country and returned here I have new appreciation for this unique part of the world. Probably the most appealing to me is the raw nature that survives in and around the cabins and big attractions in town. I never have to go far to find a spot to sit quietly by the river and just listen to the rushing water.  Off many of the area roads you can find an out-of-the-way nature trail where you can take just a few steps and feel miles away. Very cool!

If you’ll indulge my inner “nature geek” for a minute, remember that the Smoky Mountains range is one of the oldest on the continent. A lot of folks don’t realize that before that the area was at the bottom of a huge ocean! If you take a minute to look at the rock faces as you drive around a curve, sometimes you can see the layers of rock and sandstone that used to be an ocean floor. There are countless plants and animals here that are found nowhere else in the world. Tennessee has almost 300 species of fish alone – more than all of Europe!  Ok, ok ... enough already. The point is that there’s enough to explore around here to last a lifetime of searching – and I’m going to try.

Enjoy your stay and look around!

Jim Large
Sunset Cottage team