Jonah Pruitt
Best Hiking Trails in the Smokies
A ranked, opinionated guide to the eight best hiking trails in the Smokies, with NPS distances, elevation gain, and honest parking advice.
Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome)
Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome) is the highest point in the Smokies at 6,643 feet. Here’s the hike, parking, road closure dates, and whether it’s worth the…
Cades Cove Loop Road
Cades Cove Loop Road hours, the 2026 vehicle-free Wednesday schedule, drive time, wildlife, and the historic cabins worth stopping for on the 11-mile loop.
Great Smoky Mountains Parking Tag
The Great Smoky Mountains parking tag costs $5 a day, $15 a week, or $40 a year. Here’s where to buy one, the display rules,…
How to Plan a Trip to the Great Smoky Mountains
How many days to plan, whether you need a parking tag, which side to stay on, and the must-see stops for a first Great Smoky…
Budget Road Trip: How to Save Money on a Road Trip
A budget road trip comes down to three line items: gas, a hotel room, and food. Regular gas averaged $4.48 a gallon nationally as of…
Disney World With Kids: How to Plan a Family Trip to Disney World
A Disney World kids trip starts with cost. A one-day ticket runs $119 for a guest age 10 and up, per Walt Disney World’s own…
Waterfalls Near Asheville
Waterfalls near Asheville, NC: heights, trails and fees for Looking Glass, DuPont’s falls, Whitewater, Crabtree and Linville Falls, per each agency.
Cherokee National Forest Horseback Riding
Cherokee National Forest horseback riding: which trails and horse camps are open, plus camp fees and where outfitters ride, from primary sources.
Biltmore Estate
Biltmore Estate ticket prices, timed-entry rules, parking, hours and what to see, per Biltmore’s own site, plus tips for an Asheville day trip.
Chimney Rock State Park
Chimney Rock State Park reopened after Hurricane Helene, elevator running. Current hours, ticket prices and what’s still closed, per the park’s own site.
Sliding Rock, North Carolina
Sliding Rock is a 60-foot natural rock waterslide in Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, NC. Hours, cost and lifeguard season, per the Forest Service.
