Exploring Dolly Parton’s stomping grounds in Sevier County, Tennessee

“Never ignore your roots, your home, or your hair.”

When Dolly Parton uttered these words, she meant them. 

The native daughter of Sevier County, Tennessee, who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most beloved and recognizable singers, actors, and philanthropists in the world, never forgot where she came from.

So when it came time to put down more roots and expand her robust and glamorous legacy, it’s only fitting she chose to do it right back home in Sevier County, located about 30 minutes from Knoxville and about 3.5 hours from Nashville. 

From her namesake theme park to the headquarters of her Imagination Library, a book-gifting program that has provided more than 330 million free, high-quality books to young children regardless of their family’s income, to know Dolly Parton is to know Sevier County. 

A month before Dolly died on Aug. 25 and the entire globe grieved, I was fortunate to spent an unforgettable week with my extended family in her birthplace and childhood stomping grounds. From traipsing through the most-visited national park in the country to getting a bird’s-eye view of the majestic Great Smoky Mountains to screaming my way through her thrill-ride-laden Dollywood Theme Park, it was a nature- and adventure-packed getaway as special and unique as its iconic wig-and-rhinestone-clad hometown hero. 

Smokies, in style

“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.”

Growing up in the  surely had an impact on Dolly, as did its signature rainstorms, as evidenced by this famous quote of hers. But while the rain — which can amass as much as 85 inches annually in some areas — can present unexpected conditions, with it also comes highlights that can include rainbows, wildlife sightings, and even the signature smoky look for which the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is named. 

The most-visited national park in the United States, with 11.53 million recreational visitors annually, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known both for its beauty and its accessibility for travelers from all over the country. 

For our day in the park, which was blessedly overcast but not overwhelmingly rainy, we decided to book a Pink Jeep Tour, which offers excursions helmed by local, certified adventure guides ready to entertain your group with fun facts and hidden gems as you traverse the park in, yes, a pink Jeep. (And yes, pink was Dolly’s favorite color, but no, the tours are not affiliated with her.)

A Pink Jeep Tour is a unique way to see the Great Smoky Mountains. Kristin Finan photo

Because there were 13 of us for our five-hour tour, we booked not a Jeep but a larger pink “PanoramaVan” that offered 360-degree views of the park as we covered an 11-mile scenic loop that was narrated by our tour guide, Terry. Our tour featured everything from historic churches to a water-powered gristmill to an alpine stream where we stopped to dip our toes. The best part, however, was spotting a mama bear and her four cubs meandering down the street before heading up a hill into the woods.

Nearly 2,000 bears live in the Great Smoky Mountains. Kristin Finan photo

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On the (alpine) coast

“If you see someone without a smile, give them yours.”

Dolly Parton famously knew the impact that a smile could have on other people, as evidenced by her famous quote above. 

And if you’re looking for a guaranteed way to get smiles on the faces of the people nearest and dearest to you, consider taking a zip or two down Sevier County’s multitude of alpine coasters. 

There are more than a dozen alpine coasters in Sevier County. Kristin Finan photo

If you’ve never experienced an alpine coaster, it’s essentially a gravity-powered ride on a fixed metal track; riders use hand brakes to control their speeds as they zoom down the mountainside. The Gatlinburg, Sevierville and Pigeon Forge areas are all brimming with these coasters — there are more than a dozen in the area — which makes it easy to pick and choose the ones you want to try based on their locations and features. 

Our favorites were Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster, which purports to be the longest downhill ride in the United States, and Rocky Top Mountain Coaster, which claims to be the longest coaster in east Tennessee and the first coaster ever with four uplifts. 

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Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, unleashed

“I’m proud of my hillbilly, white trash background. To me that keeps you humble; that keeps you good.”

Dolly was not one to deny the stereotypes that many people had about her upbringing, and ultimately she helped change the lives of thousands of area residents by bringing her various enterprises — and, in turn, jobs — to the county where she grew up. 

Today, Gatlinburg, Sevierville and Pigeon Forge offer a host of tourist activities that not only have helped revitalize the local economy but are also a lot of fun for tourists. 

Gatlinburg offers fun for all ages. Kristin Finan photo

We spent a beautiful day exploring Gatlinburg, a popular mountain resort town that includes a busy downtown strip filled with attractions, food, and local moonshine. Several aerial trams provide stunning views as they hoist visitors to the top of the mountain, including the Gatlinburg Aerial Tram, which also includes access to a wildlife zoo — with bears! — at the top. 

Pigeon Forge is also home to a variety of exciting tourist activities, ranging from escape rooms and ziplines to souvenir shops and fudge factories. 

Dreaming of Dollywood

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”

No one was more authentically herself — or inspired more people to be authentically themselves — than Dolly Parton. And to set foot in Dollywood, her 160-acre theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is to understand why authenticity can also equate to magic. 

Visiting Dollywood is like going to the best amusement park you’ve ever been to, except it’s even better, because the pretzels are shaped like butterflies, everyone is wearing Dolly T-shirts, and the entire park serves as a tribute of sorts to her storied life. 

Butterfly pretzels are just one of the highlights during a visit to Dollywood. Kristin Finan photo

For example, the Dolly Parton Experience takes visitors on a journey right alongside Dolly as she makes her way from Locust Ridge, Tennessee, to worldwide fame. And HeartSong, which is named after the Dolly song of the same name, offers a multi-sensory film experience that serves as a journey through the Great Smoky Mountains. Meanwhile, Dolly’s Tennessee Mountain Home allows visitors to walk through a replica of her two-room childhood home, which lacked electricity and running water but was filled with love and inspiration. 

Unsurprisingly, just like everything Dolly touches, every facet of the park was top-notch, from the world-famous and delectable cinnamon bread — a warm, gooey, fresh-baked pull-apart loaf slathered in icing or in-house apple butter — sold in the Grist Mill section of the park to the variety of thrilling and unforgettable rides, such as the Dragonflier, which mimics a Smoky Mountain dragonfly as it speeds through the terrain in a twisting, unpredictable path, and the Lightning Rod, which is frequently named one of the 10 best rollercoasters in the country. In true Dolly style, you can also expect lots of live music, fantastic craft shops, and remarkable shows. 

My multigenerational extended family, all clad in matching airbrushed shirts, spent a full day at the park and every single of one of us hated to leave when the day was done. 

It was the kind of day, and trip, we’ll never forget, one that allowed us to be ourselves, to explore a beautiful space at our own pace, and to spend the kind of treasured time together that can feel so rare these days. 

Just like Dolly, our excursion through the Smoky Mountains was beautiful, unique, and unforgettable. 

Thank you, Sevier County. And thank you, Dolly. 

We will always love you.