Hidden In The Great Smoky Mountains Is A Once-Thriving Resort Town That Is Now An Abandoned Blue Ridge Beauty

Rising along the Tennessee-North Carolina border, the Great Smoky Mountains boast untamed natural beauty, an abundance of scenic trails, unparalleled mountain views, gorgeous waterfalls, and so much more. Believe it or not, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most-visited national park in the United States, garnering even more annual guests than the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone. Full of beauty and intrigue, the Great Smoky Mountains make up just a small part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. One of the less conventional things to see here is Daisy Town, a once-thriving community turned ghost town.

Located in Tennessee's Elkmont area near the Elkmont Campground in the Smokies, the town was originally built to house workers for a logging company operating nearby in the 1900s. When logging operations stopped in the 1920s, Daisy Town became a resort destination for wealthy families from nearby cities. Visitors were drawn in by the natural beauty of the area as well as the resort's inviting amenities, such as a swimming pool, various cabins, a hotel, and a clubhouse. The historic Appalachian Club was frequented by prominent men, including lawyers, artists, and politicians, mainly from Knoxville.

After decades of recreational use and lifelong memories by vacationing families, the National Park Service bought the land in the mid-20th century and leased out cabins to former residents. However, when the leases expired in the 1990s and the last remaining residents left, the cabins fell into a state of disrepair. In the years that followed, the buildings and the area would become a ghost town.

Today, Daisy Town is part of the Elkmont Historic District. The abandoned town stands as a reminder of the area's past. While the town sits unused, efforts to preserve and rehabilitate its buildings are in place. In 2009, efforts were made to restore 19 of the cabins, both internally and externally, to their original appearance.

Aptly named "the birth of tourism in the Smokies" by the National Park Service, visitors can walk through the old resort, perusing the cabins and recreational areas to get a feel for a way of life that once was. Many of the cabins have information guests can read at the front, detailing when they were built and who they were owned by over the years, from the early 1900s to the final residents in the 1990s. Spending an afternoon in Daisy Town and its untamed surroundings is a delight in itself. However, from here, you can also walk the Jakes Creek Trail. The trail connects to the Little River Trail and the Cucumber Gap Loop for a scenic 5.4-mile hike. While certain areas of this trail are paved, others are rockier with minor stream crossings, so decent hiking boots are essential.

To reach Daisy Town, park at the Jakes Creek Trailhead at the end of Jakes Creek Road B. A short walk past dilapidated stone walls will bring you to the old resort town. With so much to see and do in the Great Smoky Mountains, Daisy Town makes for a fascinating stop along your tour. The nearest city to Daisy Town is Gatlinburg, just over 20 minutes away by car. Featuring Ripley's Aquarium, one of the best attractions in the Smoky Mountains, as well as America's only single-rail alpine coaster, Gatlinburg is a great city to explore and continue your adventure.