I moved to East Tennessee from Wisconsin Dells, Wisc. in 2008. I never get tired of the ever changing view of the mountains and the four mild seasons the area has to offer. I grew up working with tourists and loved the idea of living on vacation- which is what life feels like everyday when you live on the border of such a beautiful national park! I am currently a Realtor in the Great Smoky Mountains, so I get to enjoy the drive and views everyday.
According to the National Park Service, the bear population in the park is over 1600 bears and growing, along with deer, elk, turkey, groundhogs, wolves and many other small forest animals making the park their home. The fall leaf color displays start in mid-September in the elevations higher than 4000 feet (Mt. LeConte, Mt. Guyot, Clingmans Dome, Newfound Gap and along the Appalachian Trail) in the Park and surrounding Smokies, reaching their peak from October 1-15. In the lower elevations of about 1000 feet (Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg) peak color is usually seen October 15- November 7. Some suggested drives to enjoy the colors are Little River and Laurel Creek Roads between Sugarlands Visitors Center and Cades Cove. Keep in mind that traffic on Newfound Gap Road and Cades Cove Loop Roads are very heavy during leaf season, especially late in the day. So get up early and enjoy—then go for pancakes! or pack a picnic lunch. The Cades Cove motor loop is closed to motor vehicles until 10:00a.m. every Saturday and Wednesday mornings from May until late September. This allows bicyclists and pedestrians to enjoy the roads of Cades Cove without worrying about vehicle traffic.