The Appalachian Restaurant

The Appalachian Restaurant is bringing a contemporary Southern Appalachian dining experience to Sevierville and Smoky Mountain area all while honoring the past. This is a farm to table restaurant which provides Southern hospitality at its finest, while presenting the greatest reflection and flavors of this amazing region.

The Appalachian restaurant features chef-inspired Appalachian cuisine opened in downtown Sevierville, Tenn on Bruce Street. According to The Appalachian’s website, The restaurant is a collaboration between developers and entrepreneurs Austin and Katie Williams and co-owners David and Cara Rule.

David Rule has previously served as a veteran chef at other popular fine-dining establishments in East Tennessee including Blackberry Farm and The Dancing Bear Lodge. He also served as both partner and executive chef at the Walnut Kitchen in Maryville, Tenn.

The restaurant features a modern and elevated approach to traditional Appalachian ingredients. “We are bringing a contemporary Southern Appalachian culinary experience to Sevierville while honoring the past,” says Rule on the Appalachian’s website. “Our hope is that the restaurant provides Southern hospitality at its finest, while presenting the greatest reflection and flavors of this amazing region.”

Smoky flavors are a signature of the restaurant’s menu, thanks to a large wood burning hearth located in the heart of the kitchen.

Ingredients are all fresh and locally sourced for the restaurant’s many partners including Mossy Creek Mushrooms, Cruze Farm Dairy, Sugar Tree, Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Ham, Mountain Roots Farm, White Oak Pastures, Blackberry Farm, Iberian Pastures, Springer Mountain Farms, J.Q. Dickenson Saltworks, Georgia Olive Farms, Joe Jurgelwitz & Son, Zavel’s Farm, Heritage Farms Cheshire Pork and Anson Mills.

Main menu features include chicken, duck breast, pork, burgers, fish and a variety of steaks.

Restaurant features a romantic, high-end yet country aesthetic with dark tones, brass, stone and wood. The Appalachian is also unique in that it is one of only a handful of local restaurants that actually take reservations. Reservations can be made online using the Resy app.

The Appalachian is located in the heart of historic downtown Sevierville at 133 Bruce Street and is open from 4 pm-9 pm Tuesday-Thursday at 4-10 pm Friday and Saturday. Dining reservations start at 5 pm. The Appalachian restaurant is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

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Coyotes in East Tennessee

The Coyote looks like a common house pet, but these animals can be the scourge of the forest. They will kill and eat almost anything they can.

Once found only in the western states, the coyote has moved east, north and south over the last few decades until it is found today in every state in the union except Hawaii.

They are a master predator that have few enemies and are willing to adapt to almost any place and almost any environment.

They are omnivores and will eat almost anything including fruits, berries, and bugs. Their main foods, however,  are small forest animals such as mice, squirrels, grouse, voles, moles, and rabbits.

According to TWRA spokesperson Matt Cameron, Mid-January to mid-March is coyote mating season, so homeowners are more apt to see them slinking around during thes months.

Coyotes reproduce each winter and can have up to 10 or 12 pups in each litter. Coyotes can live to be 10 years old in the wild.

They love to hang around neighborhoods, where they can easily find scraps and small animals.

“We are trashy people, we throw away a lot of food that brings in raccoons, opossums, mice, rats, all sorts of small mammals, which is what coyotes thrive on basically,” Cameron said.

When you see a coyote on your property, it is legal to shoot and kill it in the state of Tennessee. If you are shooting it somewhere else for game, you will need to have your small game hunting license, which is $34.

“State law offers very little protection for coyotes,” Cameron admitted. “There’s an open season, which is year round, and there’s no limit on the number that you can kill.”

Cameron suggested carrying pepper spray while you’re out, especially at night. It’s a good tactic to shoo the creatures away.

“Making yourself look larger, yelling at it, pick up a stick or rock something and throw it at that and we’ll let it know that you’re not afraid of it and generally they will leave you alone,” Cameron said.

Small dogs are most vulnerable to coyote attacks than other pets, so make sure your pet is on a leash or in a fence when going outside.

“When we let our animals out and you just turn them loose and let them go, you’re taking a risk on a coyote or another dog or something attacking and killing your pet,” Cameron said.

Cameron also suggests hiring a wild coyote trapper to help control the population on your land, but coyotes will continue to come back year after year.

Excerps taken from an article written by Katie Inman at channel 10 News TN

Book your Smoky Mountain Getaway at https://www.greatsmokymountains.online/

Gregory’s Cave

Gregory’s Cave is along the Cades Cove Loop.

Most caves are formed when limestone and sandstone fracture and weather over time. Gregory’s Cave is one of the largest caves in the Cades Cove area. The entrance to the cave is 10 feet wide and 4 feet tall. The cave is primarily a single large passage that ranges from 20 to 55 feet wide and 15 feet tall. There are quite a few side passages in the cave as well. In one of the side passages, there are pick marks along the wall, which indicates mining activity happened in the early 1800s.

Gregory Cave was actually the only cave in the national park that was developed as a commercial cave. In 1925, the cave was opened to the public by the Gregory family, who still lived in Cades Cove at the time. There were planks in the cave to walk across certain areas, and they installed battery powered lights. Gregory Cave was even used as an emergency shelter that would hold a maximum of 1,000 people when people still lived in the Cades Cove area. The cave was still open to the public in 1935, but when the national park bought the property from the Gregory family, it was closed. Today, the cave entrance is securely closed to the public.

Finding Gregory’s Cave

You may be wondering how you would find the entrance to Gregory’s Cave. First, you have to drive down the Cades Cove Loop! Then, you’ll stop and get out of your vehicle when you reach John Oliver Cabin. There is a dirt road with metal bars in front of it to block cars, and you should follow it. On the right, there are two picnic tables, and you’ll continue going forward. Then, you’ll see the cave on the right around trees with boxes on them.

Taken from Visitmysmokies.com blog

Wheel Chair Access Attractions in Pigeon Forge

Most of Pigeon Forge is wheelchair accessible.  Most dinner shows and shopping places have elevators or are on one level.  Highlighted below are also some attractions that are accessible by wheelchair.

Titanic Museum

The exhibits and self-guided tour are wheelchair accessible, with wheelchairs available for use.

WonderWorks Museum

Interactive exhibits of the unusual and unexplained.

Elevators give access to the upper level. Service animals are welcome, as well. For hearing-impaired guests, there is signage with instructions and explanations of exhibits.

Those with visual impairments are able to participate at exhibits that rely on the sense of touch.

Dollywood

Theme park offering entertainment, attractions, rides and dining. Wheelchair and Electric Convenience Vehicles are available for rental while visiting. Most of the park is on level ground, with some gentle, rolling pathways for ease of accessibility. Rides and attractions are marked with special entrances for wheelchairs. Rides that require transfer from a wheelchair are indicated by signs. Service animals are welcome, and assisted listening devices are available.

Great Smoky Mountain National Park

The park offers scenic drives through the mountains, programs and information at the visitors’ centers, and some accessible mountain trials. Cades Cove Loop offers an 11-mile scenic loop road. The Cades Cove Visitor Center has handicapped parking, accessible restrooms and drinking fountains, and a ramp into the one-story building. Cable Mill Historic Area at Cades Cove has two historic buildings that are accessible, but the rest are not. The area is reached by walking over a gravel trail which might not be possible for some individuals. Sugarlands Visitor Center is completely accessible, with wheelchairs available for use. The center has ranger-led programs and a movie about the plants and animals of the Smokies that is close-captioned. The Sugarlands Valley Trail is a half-mile paved walking trail that is accessible. The All-Access Nature Trail at New Found Gap Road is designed for the disabled, as well as young children and senior citizens. Several picnic sites in the park, located at Cades Cove, Chimneys, Cosby and Metcalf Bottoms, have handicapped-accessible facilities.  The view from Clingman’s Dome parking area is just as impressive as the view from the tower.  Mingus mill is just a little further beyond Clingman’s Dome.  Oconaluftee Visitor enter is just a little further and has a little town set up out back.

http://www.yoursmokies.com/handicappedaccessible.html

Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail

The Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail is a pretty popular kid friendly Smoky Mountain hiking trail. This looped trail is 0.5 mile long, making it short and sweet. Your kids will enjoy being out in nature, and they’ll burn some energy walking along the trail. This trail is close to Gatlinburg and runs alongside a creek, where your family can explore and possibly see some wildlife. This trail is paved, making it wheelchair and stroller accessible.

Fun Time Trolley

These wheelchair-accessible trolleys travel throughout Pigeon Forge.

The Island in Pigeon Forge

Diverse selection of activities – The Island is showcased by a 200-foot Observation Wheel and the Island Show Fountains, which are programmed to perform to light and music year-round. Our oasis in the Smokies is open 365 days a year with free parking and free admission. The Island features flat, rolling sidewalks and easy access to every store, restaurant, and attraction. The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel is wheelchair accessible and rotates 200 feet over Pigeon Forge, giving you some tremendous views.

Beef Jerky Outlet

The Beef Jerky Outlet specializes in all kinds of beef jerky from original to fiery hot, with over 200 varieties in all. The store offers free samples for those who like to try a wide variety of flavors before purchasing.  But beware, my husband was at the peppers shop and put a free sample in his mouth before reading the sign.  It was too hot for him.  He was sweating and really having a hard time with it. 

The world’s largest selection of beef, turkey and wild game jerky are available at Beef Jerky Outlets.  Bulk jerky can be found in covered barrels and is sold by the pound, while packs of pre-sealed jerky and pound jerky jars can be found on the shelves.   The Beef Jerky Outlet offers a unique selection of jerky, sausage and snack foods.  There are 200 or more different kinds of jerky, including exotics like alligator and kangaroo. They have some other items, too like sausages, popcorns and peanut butters for example.  The Beef Jerky Outlet sells USDA Beef Jerky that can’t be bought at markets or convenience stores. All of their suppliers use whole muscle beef which is raised in the United States.

Courtesey of Inside Gatlinburg

Address:  Gatlinburg – 903 Parkway, Suite 102, Gatlinburg, TN

Pigeon Forge – 2716 Parkway, Suite 4A, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863, (865) 365-1364

Website:  http://tennesseejerky.com/

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