I visited the Wonderland several times back in the 1980's. I never stayed there but visited the lobby. It was a great [place. Shame on the Park Service for not saving it.
Hiked up there a couple years ago. Lots of remnants from other buildings up. The entire Elkmont area has a very interesting history of how it all came about and how the park service took it over. I believe they had a last ditch effort to save the hotel, but, of course,didn't pan out. Love your videos!
Great video!! My husband and I have been visiting and camping in The Great Smoky Mountains for years. We’ve camped at Elkmont several times. In fact we were camping in Elkmont last month and we have never heard about the Elkmont Cemetery or The Wonderland Hotel. I don’t know how we have missed out on this information. We have visited Daisy Town several times even before it was renovated. Also hiked the Jake’s Creek Trail and hiked to the Avent Cabin. All so interesting!! Can’t wait to get back and explore these areas too.
Thanks Jennifer! There is so much to see in the Elkmont area that it is easy to miss something. I'm glad this video gives you an idea of where to explore during your next camping trip. 🙂
I have seen many video's of the Wonderland Hotel but, i hadn't seenbthe reminisce of the surrounding cabins. Thank you so much. The piles of stone are maybe chimney remains. Hopefully someday i can get to see for myself. So beautiful and rich in history. New subscriber here, glad i found your content. I only live a couple hours away so, ima try to get there someday ❤
Hi Teressa! Thank you. The Wonderland Hotel and Elmont area have a lot of remaining stone foundations to explore. Fall and Winter are the best since the visibility is so much better. The foliage in the Spring and Summer months hide a lot of it. I hope you get to visit the area one day soon.
Hey Travis, I have camped at elkmont for years, one of my favorite places. A youth leader at a church i went to used to take us on an annual camping trip there in the 80's. He was a very knowledgeable leader of the smokies from trout streams to hiking trails and history. I believe you and i are the same age, so when i was around 14yrs age the motel was abandoned but still in pretty good shape and he told us at that time the motel was supposed to be haunted so bad that they were willing to pay someone to stay over night just to prove that it wasnt and got several volunteers but no one would stay till morning , a ranger at the time did entertain the story 😄. Whether its true or not its a fun story. They rebuilt the wonderland motel in wyres valley, as you go across the bridge at metcalf bottoms toward wyres valley it will be on the left as you start down the mountain.
Hi Jerry! That is awesome information. I love the possibility of it being haunted before it was destroyed. I remember seeing the Wonderland Lodge off of Wears Valley Road (Lyons Spring Road, I believe). I didn't realize the connection between the two. Thanks! 🙂
I had dinner there one night after an all day hike that took longer than expected. We were camped nearby and it was easier than cooking in the dark. It was a beautiful place and it is such a shame it wasnt preserved by the park service. Ive been primitive camping in the Smokies since the early 1970's. It was such a peaceful place then.
My college friends and I ate there just before it closed. I just remember a large dining hall. Sort of like an old fashioned Cracker Barrell lol. I think there were hotel rooms on the 2nd floor and in a building to the left.
@justkeepwalkin I need to see if any of my friends took pics. This was long before sophisticated cell phones. I wish my memories were clearer. Thank you for taking me on a walk into my past.
OK, here's what I know and what I have seen in the past from my trips into Elkmont. My first ever trip into Elkmont was April 2005 and if my memory is correct the original motel was still standing but fenced off as it was falling in on itself, but I did not walk up there. I did not make back into the area until February 2013 and I explored the area further. The white steps and there was small remains of a chimney in that grown up area behind the steps which I am pretty sure was part of the original motel. The annex building was still standing in 2013, the large chimney where you were setting and filming is all that's left. I returned in February 2017 and the annex building had mysteriously burned down just months prior and piles of rubble was still present as the park service had yet to start cleaning up the material. I have been in Elkmont several times since but yet to explore more of the area beyond the motel site where you were exploring but it's on my agenda, hopefully 2025. My wife and I both enjoy visiting and exploring the entire area of Elkmont.
We stayed at the Wonderland back in the 80s. Very nice rustic hotel. I remember it didn't have air-conditioning and we had to walk down the hall to use the restroom and take a shower. The park service was supposed to preserve the hotel but didn't do it.They let the environmentalists win. Very sad.
I visited the Wonderland several times back in the 1980's. I never stayed there but visited the lobby. It was a great [place. Shame on the Park Service for not saving it.
I wish I could have seen it. I'm glad you had the opportunity to see it before its demise.
What a fascinating story of this place ❤
It is a neat place to explore. The history is even more fascinating.
Hiked up there a couple years ago. Lots of remnants from other buildings up. The entire Elkmont area has a very interesting history of how it all came about and how the park service took it over. I believe they had a last ditch effort to save the hotel, but, of course,didn't pan out. Love your videos!
Thank you! I agree. The history of the Elmont area is very interesting. I love seeing the remnants of the buildings.
Great video!! My husband and I have been visiting and camping in The Great Smoky Mountains for years. We’ve camped at Elkmont several times. In fact we were camping in Elkmont last month and we have never heard about the Elkmont Cemetery or The Wonderland Hotel. I don’t know how we have missed out on this information. We have visited Daisy Town several times even before it was renovated. Also hiked the Jake’s Creek Trail and hiked to the Avent Cabin. All so interesting!! Can’t wait to get back and explore these areas too.
Thanks Jennifer! There is so much to see in the Elkmont area that it is easy to miss something. I'm glad this video gives you an idea of where to explore during your next camping trip. 🙂
Thanks for the video. I didn’t even know that was back there. Very cool!
It's a neat area. It is also a lot easier to explore in the winter due to better visibility (and no snakes). 😁
I have seen many video's of the Wonderland Hotel but, i hadn't seenbthe reminisce of the surrounding cabins. Thank you so much. The piles of stone are maybe chimney remains. Hopefully someday i can get to see for myself. So beautiful and rich in history. New subscriber here, glad i found your content. I only live a couple hours away so, ima try to get there someday ❤
Hi Teressa! Thank you. The Wonderland Hotel and Elmont area have a lot of remaining stone foundations to explore. Fall and Winter are the best since the visibility is so much better. The foliage in the Spring and Summer months hide a lot of it. I hope you get to visit the area one day soon.
@justkeepwalkin Ah, thank you. Maybe someday I will 🥰
Hey Travis, I have camped at elkmont for years, one of my favorite places. A youth leader at a church i went to used to take us on an annual camping trip there in the 80's. He was a very knowledgeable leader of the smokies from trout streams to hiking trails and history. I believe you and i are the same age, so when i was around 14yrs age the motel was abandoned but still in pretty good shape and he told us at that time the motel was supposed to be haunted so bad that they were willing to pay someone to stay over night just to prove that it wasnt and got several volunteers but no one would stay till morning , a ranger at the time did entertain the story 😄. Whether its true or not its a fun story. They rebuilt the wonderland motel in wyres valley, as you go across the bridge at metcalf bottoms toward wyres valley it will be on the left as you start down the mountain.
Hi Jerry! That is awesome information. I love the possibility of it being haunted before it was destroyed. I remember seeing the Wonderland Lodge off of Wears Valley Road (Lyons Spring Road, I believe). I didn't realize the connection between the two. Thanks! 🙂
I had dinner there one night after an all day hike that took longer than expected. We were camped nearby and it was easier than cooking in the dark. It was a beautiful place and it is such a shame it wasnt preserved by the park service. Ive been primitive camping in the Smokies since the early 1970's. It was such a peaceful place then.
It sounds awesome. Wish I could have seen it. I agree. It would have been a great place to preserve. Sad that it wasn't. Thanks for the information.
My college friends and I ate there just before it closed. I just remember a large dining hall. Sort of like an old fashioned Cracker Barrell lol. I think there were hotel rooms on the 2nd floor and in a building to the left.
Very interesting. I wish I could have seen the hotel in its heyday. Glad you had the opportunity to experience it. Thanks for the info. 🙂
@justkeepwalkin I need to see if any of my friends took pics. This was long before sophisticated cell phones. I wish my memories were clearer. Thank you for taking me on a walk into my past.
@julie37029 If you find any photos, please let me know. I would love to see them.
OK, here's what I know and what I have seen in the past from my trips into Elkmont. My first ever trip into Elkmont was April 2005 and if my memory is correct the original motel was still standing but fenced off as it was falling in on itself, but I did not walk up there. I did not make back into the area until February 2013 and I explored the area further. The white steps and there was small remains of a chimney in that grown up area behind the steps which I am pretty sure was part of the original motel. The annex building was still standing in 2013, the large chimney where you were setting and filming is all that's left. I returned in February 2017 and the annex building had mysteriously burned down just months prior and piles of rubble was still present as the park service had yet to start cleaning up the material. I have been in Elkmont several times since but yet to explore more of the area beyond the motel site where you were exploring but it's on my agenda, hopefully 2025. My wife and I both enjoy visiting and exploring the entire area of Elkmont.
Thanks for the info! I hope you have the chance to visit again next year.
Another comment. This Wonderland Hotel must have simply Grand!
I think so too. The few photos I've been able to find online (before it deteriorated) looked really nice. I wish I could have seen it in its prime.
We stayed at the Wonderland back in the 80s. Very nice rustic hotel. I remember it didn't have air-conditioning and we had to walk down the hall to use the restroom and take a shower. The park service was supposed to preserve the hotel but didn't do it.They let the environmentalists win. Very sad.
Hi Mark! I agree. It is sad. But I am glad you had the chance to stay there before it closed. I never had the opportunity.
Thank you so much for the video. We will definitely be checking it out next time we go to the Smoky Mountains. Love your videos
Thanks Kelly! I appreciate the kind words. 🙂