Updated for 2022 Picture it now: You’re settling into your comfortable seat in a historic train car, and the whistle blows, echoing out across the mountains. You feel the engine hum to life and gaze out of the train’s wide [...]
Handmade arts and crafts are some of the best preservers of local history. Art influences the way we see and appreciate the culture around us. And artisans have an innate ability to not only encapsulate a piece of history in [...]
From hiking to fishing to whitewater rafting, there is no shortage of ways to work up an appetite in the Great Smoky Mountains. Thousands of visitors flock to the area every year to take advantage of the scenic mountain views [...]
Located next to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Western North Carolina sits the ancestral homelands of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians Nation. Known as the Qualla Boundary, these 57,000 acres are home to approximately 9,000 members [...]
The Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center had another unforgettable weekend with our Traditional Skills and Naturalist event, August 27-29. You can’t talk about Smoky Mountain history and heritage without also addressing the natural history of these mountains and the importance [...]
The Smoky Mountains have long been known as a moonshiner’s paradise, and that history runs deep. Remote caves and hard to reach spots high up in the mountains are littered with abandoned remnants of stills from a century ago. When [...]
Discover the rich tradition of Appalachian foraging right outside Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley, NC. Whether you’re a seasoned wild food enthusiast or a beginner seeking edible wild plants in North Carolina, these easy‑to‑find species offer delicious flavors, health benefits, [...]
A soft ray of sunlight slips through the window of your Smoky Mountain cabin and slips its way across your face. The chirp of morning birdsong floats through your window and wakes you slowly from a deep sleep. You lie [...]
Looking for a refreshing place to cool off this summer? Discover fresh air and freedom with the sights and sounds of a Smoky Mountain waterfall. From the higher elevation falls to hidden splashes tucked into the old growth forests of [...]
One of the best parts of exploring a new destination – or even an old favorite – is immersing yourself in the local food culture. And nowhere is that truer than the Smoky Mountains around Maggie Valley. These ancient mountains [...]
