While visiting Loudon County, be sure one of your day excursions includes a hike in the Great Smoky Mountains. Loudon County’s Highway 321 is the most scenic and least congested route to the Smokies from I-75 and I-40 East, and is only 45 miles from Cades Cove, a 2500-acre valley in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You will find an abundance of trails for hikers of all experience levels as well as indoor and outdoor museums, bicycle trails, horseback riding, and picnic areas.

For beginners, try Rich Mountain Loop, in Cades Cove; Laurel Falls, near Townsend; or Schoolhouse Gap, near Townsend. Advanced hikers may want to tackle Gregory Bald, near Townsend; or Thunderhead Mountain, near Spence Field.

Question: How many people visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year?

Answer: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in the U.S., hosting nine million visitors each year.

Sequoyah Birthplace Museum & Fort Loudoun

Travel back in time at Fort Loudoun, a colonial fort reconstructed on the original site. Built during the French and Indian War (1754-1763) the fort was named for John Campbell, the 4th Earl of Loudoun. Visitors today can see several garrison buildings as they would have been during the fort’s operation. The fort hosts several Garrison Weekends when the fort comes to life with costumed soldiers re-enacting the everyday activities in a 1750’s Fort Loudoun. For a schedule of these events and others visit www.fortloudoun.com.

After visiting Fort Loudoun, travel just minutes away to the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum and learn about the man who created the Cherokee system of writing. The museum also has information on the Trail of Tears and the Cherokee people who escaped this brutal march by fleeing into the mountains.