The Eerie Ghost Town In The Smokies

Looking for something different to do in the Smokies? A unique place to check out? In the lush valley, where Jake’s Creek and the Little River meet, you will find the magical Daisy Town, otherwise known as Elkmont. One of the numerous vacation communities established in this area of the Great Smoky Mountains in the early 20^th century. These vacation communities were a way for city folks to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life and take solace in the tranquility of mountain living. If you let it, this historic ghost town in the Smokies will transport you to a time since forgotten…

“I tell you something about Elkmont. It’s a magical place…I love this place, my favorite place in the world to be.”

– Eddie Tipton, elkmon resident

While this resort community turned ghost town might not look like much now, as you wander down the road lined with cottages, it’s easy to imagine what it once was. Around 100 years ago, people would arrive by rail to relax in their summer cottages and have lavish dances in the clubhouse. It’s an idyllic picture, really.

Logging In The Smokies

But let’s start from the beginning, the first pioneers to dwell in the Elkmont area arrived in the early 1830s. They were mostly homesteaders, hunters, and small-scale loggers, and they formed their own community along the Little River.  However, the area remained somewhat unknown until the logging industry invaded in the early 1900s. 

Around 1905, a local named Levi Trentham started selling tracts of land to a businessman named W. B. Townsend. Townsend in turn established the Little River Lumber Company, which took the local logging industry to a considerable new level.

The Trentham Cabin, built-in 1830 along Jake’s Creek and is one of the oldest buildings in the entire region. It was dismantled and moved behind the Mayo cabin and remodeled to serve as a guest house in 1932. 

The Railroad

As it happens, the Little River Lumber Company built a railroad to transport logs along the rough, 18-mile route between Elkmont and Townsend. Eventually, its tracks extended to reach the big city of Knoxville. This made it considerably easier for those from Knoxville to find themselves in the natural beauty of the Smokies. 

The Little River Lumber Company owned the land that is now the Elkmont Campground. And in about 1910, the company began selling land to individuals for the purpose of creating a private social club.  The company sold 50 acres of land to the Appalachian Club. The Appalachian Club was established by a group of local business and civic leaders who recreated in Elkmont for years. 

The Clubhouse

The Appalachian Clubhouse was originally used as a lodge but soon members began building their own vacation cottages.

In 1912, Charles B. Carter bought 65 acres from the lumber company to build the Wonderland Club and opened a clubhouse, about a half a mile north of the Appalachian Club. Members of both clubs built cabins near the respective clubhouses. The Little River Lumber Company also provided rail excursions services to Elkmont for both club members and guests. 

The Appalachian Club hosted annual events for the 4^th of July and Labor Day. It was a place of social gathering where members would play card games, board games, bingo, and would attend weekly dances. Does anyone else think this sounds awesome? Bring on the weekly dances!! 

“It was quite a social place…people lived there, and they took their fine clothes…They had an orchestra, and they would have a regular social time on Saturday night…”

Joesphine Mayo, Former appalachain club member

The Transition

The 1920s brought a time of transition to the area, as the lumbering era was on the way out and the resort era was booming. The 1920s were the golden years for the clubs. The Appalachian Club hosted parties, weekly dances with live music, and even dammed the river to make a swimming hole for members. Guests loved to play horseshoes as well. Many former residents of Daisy Town referred to it as Clubtown because the Appalachian Clubhouse served as such a social hub. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

In 1934 when Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established, read more about that here, many families retained their cabins under lifetime leases. As it turns out, one of the Appalachian Club founders was dedicated to establishing the Smokies as a national park, Colonel David Chapman. 

Believe or not, the clubs remained open even through WWII. The Appalachian Club slowly declined, and by 1950, events were no longer held in the clubhouse. However, in the 1930s, the Wonderland Club transitioned into a traditional hotel. It continued to host parties, but also kept the rustic vibe of earlier eras. Sadly, it closed in 1992, but even then, it didn’t have TVs or telephones in any of the rooms. After a couple of fires, the Wonderland Hotel, which sat empty since 1992, collapsed in on itself in 2005.  

After the National Park Service purchased the land and when the leases expired, over 70 buildings stood on land inside the park with no one to maintain them. These once charming vacation community cabins eventually began to deteriorate and turned into what is now known as the “Elkmont Ghost Town.”

Fun Fact: The last of the lifetime leases in Daisy Town expired in 2001.

The park is currently restoring 19 of the historic structures that make up what is now known as the Elkmont Historic District. Find out more here.  The project began in 2009 and is still underway today. During my visit in June 2020, they were working on 3 or 4 cabins (including Sneeds Cabin). The goal is for all restoration to be completed by 2025. 

The Elkmont area is full of rich history and tons of truly unique things to do!

Things To Do In Elkmont Historical District:

Hike The Little River Trail –

• Distance: 12.3 Miles
• Rating: Easy
• Elevation Gain: 1.213 Ft

The Little River Trail is a nice wide and flat trail that has tons of structures to explore. It’s got gorgeous scenery but is not dog friendly.

If you are looking for dog friendly trails check out: The Best Dog Friendly Trails In The Smokies

Explore Millionaire’s Row –

Explore all of the old structures on the Little River Trail knowns as Millionaire’s Row.

Wander Through Daisy Town –

Just up the hill from the Little River Trail, you will find Daisy Town. Here you can explore all of the eerie and amazing (and some dilapidated) buildings.

Take In The Splendor Of The Appalachian Club –

If you’ve read through this post then you know that you can’t and shouldn’t skip the Appalachian Club. Explore the porch and imagine all of the amazingly lavish dances that used to take place here.

Hike Jakes Creek To Avent Cabin –

• Distance: 2.7 Miles
• Rating: Easy
• Elevation Gain: 482 Ft

If you are looking for a bit of a hidden gem, take the Jakes Creek Trail to Avent Cabin. Chances are you will be the only one of the trail and you will get to explore this cabin alone.

Tip: You may have a little issue finding the cabin, just look for a root and a small path that looks like it was created by water. If you look a little further down you will see the wooden steps to the cabin.

Tip: There is an alternate route – At the first split sign for Jakes Creek to the left but go right here. Follow to the end and look for the trail on the left. This will connect you with the Meigs Mountain Trail, which will round back to Jakes Creek. Stay left at each trail junction, and look for an unmarked side trail on the right with the four wooden steps down to Avent Cabin.

Looking for waterfalls hikes? Check Out: 11 Amazing Waterfalls In The Smokies

Smoky Mountain Synchronous Fireflies –

The festival itself is usually held in late May/early June. There is a lottery period to win parking passes and tickets from the middle of April to the beginning of May each year. In 2021, the festival happened from June 1 – 8, but it varies from year to year and takes place in the Elkmont area.

Little River Railroad Museum –

• 7747 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Townsend, TN 37882
• 10 am – 5 pm Daily
• (865) 661-0170
• Admission Is Free

Although it’s not in the Elkmont area, but for history on the area you can’t beat this museum. Here you will discover how the Native Americans and pioneers depended on the Little River and its surrounding forests to survive.

Looking for other things to do near Townsend? Check Out: 14 Fun Things To Do In Cades Cove

Know Before You Go: 

How to get there – 

• Drive from Sugarland’s Visitors Center toward Cades Cove
• Look for signs for Elkmont Campground 
• Turn at the Elkmont Campground signs
• Follow the road for 4 miles until you see the ranger station at Elkmont Campground (there are also clean restrooms here if you need them) 
• Pay attention to your left before you get to the actual ranger station
• Take a left at the sign for the Elkmont Nature trail (I missed it the first time and had to loop around the ranger station)
• You’ve arrived, you will find a parking lot that is within walking distance of many of the old cottages and the Appalachian Clubhouse. 

• If you are staying in the Elkmont Campground this is very walkable. 

• You can walk down Daisy Towns’ main street, but this is also how cars exit. Pay attention to oncoming traffic.

• They are still actively working on the restoration project, some of the houses are inaccessible and taped off. Some of the cottages are a little dicey inside so just watch your footing.
• You can enter all of the buildings even the ones that are not currently restored. Just watch your step and be careful in some of the more dilapidated buildings.

This is 1000% a hidden gem in the Smokies!

Daisy Town/Elkmont Historic District was one of my favorite parts of my last trip to the Smokies. If you are looking for a unique experience in the Smokies check out Elkmont Historic District, formerly known as Daisy Town. And keep an eye out for those ghosts! Have you been to Daisy Town? What did you think?

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