Driving time from Knoxville: 1.0 hour
Where to point your car: South on Alcoa Hwy/Airport Hwy and follow the signs to the Smokies/Townsend

Townsend is the nicest, least developed entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In contrast to the sprawl and traffic snarls of Pigeon Forge, Townsend didn't even have its first traffic light until the new millennium, and it has yet to install a second one. I plan on writing about the park elsewhere. I'll try to keep this article focused on Townsend and refer to the park as it relates to the town.

Besides its proximity to the nation's most-visited park, Townsend has two great things going for it. One is a 3 mile bicycle and walking path built in the 1990s. This makes Townsend a great place for cyclists and physical fitness buffs. Cyclists will also be interested in the Cades Cove Loop in the park. The one-way, 11-mile loop is closed to vehicles until 10:00 AM to allow cyclists exclusive use of the road. Bicycle rentals are available at the Cades Cove campground. The old Walland Highway on the other side of the river is also popular with local cyclists who don't mind sharing the road with cars.

The other fantastic part of Townsend is the Little River, which parallels the highway. The river provides great opportunities for swimming, trout fishing, kayaking and tubing. There are several shops in town with trout fishing gear, and several concessions that rent innertubes. The further upstream you go, the better the water gets. Just after you enter the park you'll reach the Y, which is what everyone calls the intersection of the roads to Townsend, Gatlinburg and Cades Cove. It's also the intersection of Laurel Creek and the Little River.

There are a number of picnic sites by the river, including a handicapped-accessible park across from the Apple Barn. The best and largest picnic site is Walnut Bottoms. To get there, enter the park and take a left towards Gatlinburg. Once you're at Walnut Bottoms, drive the extra mile or two to the Greenbriar Schoolhouse and cemetery. Next to the school you'll find the trailhead to the Walker Sister's Cabin. With its easy grade and two mile round trip length it makes an excellent short hike.

Another, slightly longer hike is White Oak Sinks, which is closer to four and a half miles roundtrip. White Oak Sinks isn't on any of the park service maps, and the trail isn't marked, but it's one of our favorites, and it's a short drive. To get there enter the park and take a right at the Y towards Cades Cove. Drive about five miles and look for the Turkey Pen Ridge trailhead on the right. Hike 1.1 miles until you see the trailhead to Schoolhouse Gap Trail. Go 150 yards past Schoolhouse Gap Trail. You'll see a very clear trail on the left. From there it's about another mile to a downhill run and a three-way trail intersection. At the intersection you can go a few hundred yards to the left to reach the gated bat cave, or you can go a few hundred yards to the right to reach the spectacular waterfall. The waterfall comes off the hillside and disappears underground into the eroded limestone labyrinth of White Oak Sinks.

Where did it get its name?
The town of Townsend was named for Colonel W. B. Townsend, a Pennsylvanian and president of the Little River Company, which logged much of the area and built a railroad to extract the lumber. Townsend later sold more than 500 acres of land to the state which was included in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I'll have to find out where Walland got its name.

Even without going into the park, there are plenty of other outdoorsy activities in Townsend. Tuckaleechee Caverns is fun, rain or shine. There are plenty of horse riding stables to choose from.

For arts and crafts, there are several shops. Nawger Knob hosts periodic craft shows and bluegrass shows under the shady trees by the river. There's an Old Timer's festival in the spring and fall. There's now a very nice antique store in Walland. I can't recall the name of it, but it's next to the Harley Davidson shop.

My favorite restaurant in the area is Dead Beat Pete's, a Mexican joint on the river with good cerveza. When I want a hearty breakfast I go to the Timbers or the breakfast buffet at the Carriage House (closed in winter). For quick snacks there's sandwiches and Broasted Chicken at the Little River Campground next to the park entrance. If you want the best food, you'll have to leave Townsend. At the traffic light (there's only one!) take Wear's Valley Road almost to Pigeon Forge and look for Chef Jock's Tastebuds Cafe on the left. Chef Jock's is BYOB and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 10 PM.

Townsend and Walland offer every lodging option under the sun. There are hotels, naturally, but those are the least interesting option. There are numerous campgrounds by the river. Little River Campground and Lazy Daze are my favorites. Both offer tent camping, RV camping with full hookups, and basic cabins. There are a wide variety of more-appointed rental cabins in the area. There are also cabins, lodges and group retreats in Wears Valley.

I haven't eaten at the Mill House, but it's a beautiful old building. I mowed the grass there for a while in college, and my mother - who grew up in Walland in the Everett and Whitehead households - worked there as a young girl when it was a family's home.

If you like driving, motor south to the Foothills Parkway. The parkway is closed to commercial traffic and offers unimpeded driving through flowing curves accentuated by glorious mountain views. When you feel like stretching your legs park at Look Rock and the fire tower, located right next to one another. When you reach the parking lot, go to the far right (southern) end and look for a faint trail in the woods. It leads to a beautiful rock overlook. I rappelled there in high school with Tyson Crowder and the other Droogs. There's a campground right next door.

The parkway terminates at highway 129 at Chilhowee Lake. Not much to see there except the lake and the dams, but it's a fine area for fishing and boating. When you go north/west and the road veers away from the lake you've entered the famously curvy Dragon's Run, an 11 mile, 138-turn knot of asphalt stretching into Deal's Gap, North Carolina. It's a favorite of local motorcyclists. It's not a favorite of local parents if their kids are prone to carsickness. Those kids will find it blecch-tastic.

Townsend and Walland Links

• About Townsend - Good site for tourist information.


• Camp Wesley Woods - Summer camp for kids.