Scenic City Tennessee | Great Smoky Mountain Eco Tours

Quick Details

Ages: Ages 6+
Duration: 5 Hours
Minimum Number of People: 3
Maximum Number of People: 13
Private Tours: Only you and your group will be on the tour.

Wildlife Disclaimer: It’s always exciting to see wild animals in their natural settings, but they are wild and always on the move in search of food, shelter and are not always visible! So being in the right place at the right time can yield some great moments, while other times yield nothing at all, please keep in mind that this is a wild and natural place that we visitors truly have no control over!

Take in Scenic Tennessee on this Lakeside of The Smokies Tour!

This adventure is chalked-full of history, scenic views, and short out and back interpretive walks through the historic downtowns of Sevierville and Dandridge, Tennessee! Dandridge, the second oldest town in Tennessee, was founded in 1783 and named after Martha Dandridge Washington, the First U.S. First Lady. Dandridge is nestled alongside Douglas Lake, with its mountain views and spectacular sunsets. Look out for the Dolly Parton statue, a stop at Bush Beans Visitors Center and its General Store and Museum, and shopping in the towns country stores. Have a snack at Tinsley Bible Drug Store, established in 1911, 111 years later still serving up great milkshakes and more. Hangout and learn the vast history with Dandridge’s town historian (Bob Jarnagin) as we visit historic sites and learn the vast history of this quaint town.

Then, it’s off to a scenic overlook to take in breathtaking views of the English Mountains rising behind Douglas Lake. From there, enjoy bird watching below Douglas Dam, then watch a spectacular sunset from Dandridge Dock while learning about the lake’s history, before returning back to your accommodation or point of pickup!

Visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and looking to see beyond the park boundaries, escape the heavy traffic and big crowds? Our guided interpretive scenic drive of the Lakeside Of The Smokies is for you!

Our adventure starts at your accommodation, or appointed pickup location, meeting your Father and Son guide team and loading up in our fully themed Ford Transit heading out of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge or surrounding areas, our first stop will be the historic downtown of Sevierville and it beautiful newly renovated historic Smoky Mountain city. It’s time to take our first stroll, parking next to the beautiful 1896 beaux arts–style courthouse, then visiting a tribute statue of country singer Dolly Parton, a Sevierville native, all the while learning about the towns history and Dolly’s Rags to Riches story. Before loading up we will have several photo opportunities, then it’s off as we travel along West Main St. onto 411/Dolly Parton Pkwy as we travel to visit a true local artist that does not wield a paintbrush, but a chainsaw!

Our second stop is at Fatbobs Wood Co., to share in a local artisans masterful woodworks, see him shape trees into bears, raccoons, and much more. After a short 15 minute stop it’s all aboard and off traveling along 411 we will enjoy sprawling country side, farms and farm houses as we parallel the scenic English Mountains, entering Chestnut Hill we will arrive at our third stop Bush Beans Visitors Center, we will walk through the General Store and Museum as we step back in time and learn about the family history.

Then its off to the second oldest town in Tennessee, Dandridge as we travel along 92, Chestnut Hill Rd., we will enjoy open countryside settings, views of Douglas Lake, Sandy Ridge Vineyards, and cross over the French Broad river, Douglas Lake via the Dandridge Bridge! Entering into the historic town of Dandridge, we will park alongside Jefferson County Courthouse built in 1845, once out of the transit we will start our journey back into time as we learn about the towns rich history, enjoying a county museum inside the courthouse, see a marker in the courthouse steps that would have marked the high water mark if the Dike that saved Dandridge had not been built, stroll along the town sidewalks stopping at historical points to learn about, Attack On Dandridge, Battle Of Dandridge, then it’s off to meet up with the towns Historian and enjoy his vast knowledge, after our walk into the past comes to an end, you will have free time to browse through the towns country stores, sit on a covered porch as you enjoy an old school soda fountain milk shake.

After our hour in the beautiful town of Dandridge comes to a close, it’s all aboard and off along West Main Street, 139 as we sit back and enjoy views of the Douglas Lake and beautiful country farms and homes headed to Douglas Dam Upper Overlook. As we pull into the Douglas Dam Upper Overlook, we will enjoy fantastic views of the English Mountains rising up behind Douglas Lake, once out of the transit, we will stroll along taking in the views, enjoying several photo opportunities, then learn about the damming of the French Broad river to create Douglas Lake and its hydroelectric development along our stroll we will enter an Interpretive pavilion where we can read and learn about a valley transformed.

Then it’s off to see the tail waters below the dam, as the water is discharged it stirs up the bottom disrupting sediments, which in turn attracts fish, which sets the stage for some great bird watching! Once parked below Douglas Lake Dam we will gear up from the back of the transit, expanding our field of vision via binoculars, we will view and learn about Double-Crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great White Egret, Black-Crowned Night-Heron, Killdeer, Semipalmated Plovers, Least, Semipalmated, Western, Pectoral, Spotted, Solitary, and Stilt Sandpipers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitcher among others such as Red Tailed Hawk, Red Shouldered Hawk, Osprey and Eagles.

We will have many photo opportunities during our birding adventure and as the day draws to a close, we will load up and start our journey back along the scenic route headed to our final stop at Dandridge Dock for a walk out onto the lake, grabbing a seat and staring out across the lake as we watch a spectacular sunset behind Douglas Lake, I will share my knowledge on the lakes vast history from past to present! As the sun slips away we will load up once more as we head back to your accommodation or point of pickup, our day off the beaten path draws to a close!