Volunteer Cabin Rentals

Wears Valley is the quiet side of Sevier County: a long valley on Highway 321 between Pigeon Forge and Townsend, with mountain views, fewer crowds and access to the Metcalf Bottoms and Cades Cove side of the park. The trade-off is distance. Expect about a half hour to downtown Gatlinburg in good traffic and longer on fall weekends.

• Which areas do the cabins cover, and how far is each from where you plan to spend your days?
• Is there a local office and a phone number that is answered in the evening?
• How steep is each cabin's driveway, and does the company recommend four-wheel drive in winter?

• Driveway and road grade. Many Smokies cabins sit up steep, narrow, sometimes gravel roads. In winter ice can keep a two-wheel-drive car at the bottom. Ask the office about the access road and whether the cabin is a good fit for your vehicle from December through March.
• Hot tub, pool and game room details. Listings use the words loosely. Confirm whether the hot tub is private, whether pool access means a seasonal resort pool, and whether the game room is a pool table or a full arcade.
• Pet rules. Pet-friendly cabins usually carry a fee and a limit on number or size. Get the policy in writing before you bring a dog.
• Minimum stays and holidays. Fall color weekends, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's often carry a multi-night minimum.
• Cancellation and weather policy. Ask how a road closure or park closure affects your reservation.
• Distance to what you came for. Gatlinburg cabins are minutes from the park's Sugarlands entrance; Pigeon Forge cabins are closer to Dollywood and the Parkway; Wears Valley and Townsend are quieter but add drive time to Gatlinburg.

The map below shows live rates in the area for your dates.