Laurel Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains and with good reason.  The trailhead for this hike that most folks take to visit these famous falls is located along Fighting Creek Gap Rd between Metcalf Bottoms and the Sugarlands Visitor Center.  This is one of a small number of paved hiking trails in the Smoky Mountains.  The amount of elevation that you gain to reach these falls is just over 300 feet, and it is only a 2.3 mile roundtrip hike.  I have yet to hike this trail because it is generally very crowded and the parking area is generally full.  It is recommended that if you want to hike this trail that you do so early in the morning before the crowds arrive.  Most websites that reference this trail rate it as an easy trail, but there are some steep drop offs, and bears are routinely sighted in this area.
 
Incidentally, if you are staying at Mountains on My Mind, you can take a quick 11 mile drive to reach this trailhead.  Actually, if you are standing on the porch at Mountains on My Mind and look to the left, the long mountain range that you see is Cove Mountain.  Laurel Falls is on the opposite side of Cove Mountain from this vacation cabin.

When most folks embark on the Laurel Falls Trail from the parking area, they typically hike the 1.15 miles to the falls, which is all paved, and then hike back to their vehicle.  The trail however, extends on and up the mountain.  In fact, Laurel Falls Trail goes all the way to the top of Cove Mountain and end at Cove Mountain Trail 1/10 of a mile from the old Cove Mountain Fire Tower which is at the peak of Cove Mountain.
 
After we purchased Mountains on My Mind, I learned that there is a path to an old logging road that leads up to the old fire tower, which is now used for weather research on top of Cove Mountain.  I knew this would be an awesome hike to take from the cabin, and I knew it would be a solid day hike. 

I filmed our journey, and you can check it out below:

So, on one of our stays, I took my youngest daughter with me, and we set out from the porch of Mountains on My Mind on an epic hike to Laurel Falls, using the path less traveled.  We hiked all the way up the logging road and checked out the weather tower at the summit of Cove Mountain, then found Laurel Falls Trail and hiked all the way down to the falls.  We hung out at the falls for about 45 minutes or so and ate some snacks, re-hydrated ourselves, took some photos, and then finally headed back up Cove Mountain.  Altogether, from the time we left the porch of Mountains on My Mind until the time we returned to the cabin, it was about 8 hours.  From the cabin to the top of Cove Mountain is about 4 miles; then it was roughly another 3 miles to Laurel Falls.  ​

​Having said all that, Laurel Falls is not the only destination available from this cabin.   Once you reach Cove Mountain Trail, if you go east on the trail, in 8.7 miles you will reach the Sugarlands Visitor Center.  There and back again to Sugarlands from this cabin is probably too much to do in a single day; however, you should be able to hike to Sugarlands in under 8 hours I’m guessing and have someone pick you up at the Visitor Center.  The nice thing about this is that from what I understand, going in this direction the 8.7 mile hike from the Fire Tower is all downhill to Sugarlands.  I think I will try this next.  Also, once you are on Laurel Falls Trail, heading down, at about .9 miles you will hit an intersection with Little Greenbrier Trail.  This trail will take you to Little Brier Gap Trail which will take you to Metcalf Bottoms.  You will be able to visit the historic Little Greenbrier School along the way.  From the intersection of Little Greenbrier Trail and Laurel Falls Trail, this jaunt is a little under 4 miles.  So that is another possibility for a day hike, or to simply just hike to Metcalf Bottoms and have someone pick you up.
 
What was so cool was that we were able to hike all the way to famous Laurel Falls from this cabin without ever having to get in a vehicle.  It was an incredible day! 

While staying at A Pearl's Splash pool cabin in the spring of 2019, we had a short block of time for a quick hike. The hike to Baskins Creek Falls fit the bill, and I tend to always like waterfall hikes anyway.

You can watch my video overview of the hike here:

​We did this hike in mid-spring, and we actually found that Pink Lady Slippers were blooming as a few were right on the trail. This hike takes you up over a part of a mountain that was burned in the fires of 2016. Although you can get a glimpse of how destructive the fire was, you can also see how the natural re-growth process is coming along.

Driving Directions:​
From traffic light #8 in Gatlinburg, you will turn South on Historic Nature Trail Road.
At about .7 miles, you will need to stay to the right to get on Cherokee Orchard Road.
At about 2.2 miles, the road will split and you will be on a one way loop.
At .9 miles on the loop, you will be able to make a right turn onto the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.
Go .2 miles and you can pull off at the Baskins Creek Trail Trailhead.

Trail Directions:
​Starting from the trail head you will have a gradual hike uphill, and after about .25 miles it will level out and give you some nice mountain views. This is the section where the 2016 fires went through.

At about 1.3 miles in, you will hit a junction where you can either go straight, which will lead you another 1.3 miles to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, or you can go left. You want to go left at this junction to go to the falls. There is a sign so not to worry.
​
In roughly .2 miles you will reach Baskins Creek Falls. The last little bit has somewhat of a small rock scramble and gets a little steep for about 40 yards or so.

Overall this is a nice set of falls and not too bad of a hike.  Most folks would rate this as an easy hike, although there are some steep sections as with most waterfall hikes.  This hike would be an easy half day adventure if you are staying at any one of the cabins that Peaceful Cabin Rentals offers.

(Guest post by Amanda)
 
If you get the hankerin’ for some wings next time you vacation in Pigeon Forge, TN, Blue Moose is the place to go. This family sports grill, located between the Parkway and Teaster Lane, is known for its award-winning wings, hearty burgers, and delicious appetizers. We have been numerous times, and it never disappoints! Less than 2 miles from one of our cabins, Cinematic Splash, Blue Moose is a place you won’t want to miss.
 
Environment:
 
The restaurant is very clean with indoor booths and tables and outdoor dining for when the weather is nice. Though it is a sports grill, the atmosphere is inviting and family-friendly.
 
If your team is playing, it’s impossible to miss the action no matter where you are seated in the restaurant. Many tables have their own TV that can be set to the game of your choice, or you can watch the game on one of the numerous TVs hanging on the wall. If sports aren’t your thing, you can put on another channel. For example, Dad changed our TV to the Pursuit outdoors channel while we ate. Personally, I think too many TVs can feel overwhelming; but the good news is you can turn off the TV at your table, and the overall volume in the restaurant is not overbearing.
 
A neat touch they’ve added to the dining experience is the ability to download an app and request songs to play. Dad has used this feature before, and they played his request. I haven’t personally used the app, but that’s mostly because I was too busy enjoying the food!
 
Service:
 
Although we have been a number of times, often with different servers, the staff have always been friendly and helpful with that unmistakable Tennessee charm.​

Food:
 
The food is why we go to the restaurants, right? Well, this food won’t disappoint! First, let’s talk appetizers. On our first visit, we ordered a Queso Dip’N Chips Starter. Our waiter gave us the idea to swap the corn tortilla chips for Blue’s Tater Chips, and I’m so glad we took his advice! The queso is a creamy white cheese with rich, fresh jalapeno flavor. I don’t do spicy, but even I love their queso. The peppers provide the perfect amount of kick without burning your mouth. Paired with the savory homemade potato chips, this app is the perfect start to your meal.
 
I wish I could tell you about some of their other appetizers, but the queso is so good we always end up ordering it!
 
Their wings made them famous, so of course we need to talk about these. We order the boneless wings because they’re easier to eat and so tender. Select from a wide variety of flavors—with a helpful spicy index—and even try samples of flavors before placing your order.
 
The wings come with ranch, blue cheese, and some veggies (think carrots and celery). I’m not a fan of ranch, but their ranch is creamy and delicious. It provides a perfect coolness to balance the flavor of the wings. Some of our favorite wing flavors are their Black Jack, Wild Ranch, and Italian Parmesan. You can also purchase a bottle of their Signature Wing Sauce to bring home.
 
Our Experiences:
 
With all the Great Smoky Mountains has to offer, it’s easy to miss some true gems. Blue Moose is one of those unique places that you don’t want to overlook!
 
Last Fall was the first time we visited Blue Moose. We take a hands-on approach with our cabins to make sure guests always have a great experience. Several times a year, we head up the mountains to take care of little maintenance, upkeep, and cleaning items, like new landscaping outside of Mountains On My Mind, doing a deep clean of the theater room at Cinematic Splash, or decorating A Pearl’s Splash for Christmas. On one of these short trips, we decided to finally give Blue Moose a try.
 
Friends recommended we try the restaurant, so we stopped in when we arrived to Pigeon Forge on a Friday. We spent Saturday and Sunday doing repairs, maintenance work, and deep-cleaning at the cabins, so we were exhausted by dinner time on Sunday. After throwing out some dinner options, we unanimously decided to return to Blue Moose even though we ate there just two days ago!
 
The restaurant drew us back for several reasons. First, the location is convenient and easy to get to. Second, we had worked up an appetite and knew Blue Moose would provide fast, friendly service. Third, the atmosphere is welcoming and casual, so it was a great chance to unwind at the end of the day. And, of course, delicious food was a big factor in our decision!
 
For whatever reason, we have struggled with leftovers. The first night we ate at Blue Moose, we ordered a large platter of wings expecting left overs. But nope, we finished off the appetizer and all the wings. So when we went back on Sunday, we ordered a larger platter of wings and two Queso Dip’N Chips apps, planning to have leftovers. Unfortunately, we all goofed up and assumed someone else had the leftovers. It was a heart-breaking moment the next day when we realized we left the leftovers sitting on the table.
 
Naturally, we were paranoid about forgetting our leftovers the next time we ate there. We did better and remembered to bring them with us, but then someone (coughMomcough) forgot to take the queso out of the plastic to-go container when she reheated it. I don’t recommend eating melted plastic in your queso.
 
But finally, we succeeded in bringing back left-overs and heating them up! The food is just as good when reheated as leftovers. Sweet, delicious success!
 
But our own goofs aside, Blue Moose is worth a visit. The food is fabulous, and it’s a great place to make memories with family and friends. If you’ve been to Blue Moose, share your favorite menu item in the comments below!