Get Outside and Get Moving in the Smokies

The last few entries have dealt with perhaps the most important part of your trip to the Smokies –eating. Now, once you have all that energy from a great meal, what are you going to do with it? You probably know there is a world of options in Sevier County. The hard part is narrowing down your choices to find activities that suit you best. So if you want to keep working on your New Year’s resolution, you’ll have to find a way to get those calories off. How about hiking, camping, biking, rafting, or paddling? They get you outdoors and get you moving. If this is your idea of fun, you better head to Nantahala Outdoor Center (or NOC) in Gatlinburg.

Located on the parkway at the end of town and only a
stone’s throw (ok, maybe slightly more than a throw) from the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, this 18,000 square-foot facility that looks like a
really cool, rustic lodge has got so much stuff in it you could camp overnight
inside and still not try out all it has. They’ve got all the outdoor gear from
the big name companies you know, plus they offer a range of guided tour
options. You want to go fly-fishing, river rafting, kayaking, zip-lining,
mountain biking or hiking? Check out Activity Basecamp.
There they will determine what it is you need, where you will need to go and
how to get there. And they’re not just there to sell you stuff. Sure, it’s part
of what every business does, but it’s part of the NOC’s statement of purpose to
get young people involved in outdoor activities. In addition, their store has
been LEED certified, which means from design to construction to operation, they
are going green, saving energy and reducing waste. It’s pretty neat to see a company
practicing what they preach.