Take a hike under the mountains

By Stephanie Edwards

Many visitors to East Tennessee plan on seeing the Smoky Mountains during their vacation. However, few know that they can see fantastic views from inside some of the mountains.

Part of Tuckaleechee Caverns is literally inside the Smokies.

Like the views of the mountains, those inside the caverns are picturesque.

The one-mile trek through the cave allows guests to see various formations like stalagmites on the cave floor and stalactites, icicle-like pieces that hang from the ceiling. One of the more interesting formations is called “cave bacon,” named for its similar appearance to the breakfast food.

Each step of the way, guests are treated to exquisite sights, especially as they descend down the stairways through the cave.

The Big Room’s name is an understatement. The tour guide is quick to tell visitors that from corner to corner, the room could easily contain a football field.

Its enormity would make even the largest person feel small. Inside the room is a long bench, where the guide invites guests to rest their feet.

Then, the guide shuts off the lights and asks them to wave their hands in front of their face. The room is completely pitch black and nothing can be seen.

A beach may be a strange thing to see inside a cave, but at Tuckaleechee Caverns, the beach refers to a stunning room with a lake.

All of the caverns’ many sights are gorgeous, but perhaps the most astonishing is a double waterfall. The first waterfall is located in a room that is not open to tour guests, but can be seen by looking up the natural opening. The second spills from the top the room, where guests are awestruck by the falls’ beauty.

It’s not surprising that when W.E. “Bill” Vananda and Harry Myers of Townsend played in the caves as children, they felt they had struck gold. As they grew up, they decided they wanted to open the caves as a tourist attraction and share the place that they treasured so much with everyone else.

In 1953, after four years of hard work making the cave more visitor friendly, their dream came true.

Today, visitors can appreciate the caverns’ beauty and rich history.

Hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Tuckaleechee Caverns is located at 825 Cavern Road in Townsend.

For more information, call (865) 448-2274 or visit www.tuckaleecheecaverns.com.