Dolly Parton Tennessee Trail: Nashville to the Smokies

Dolly Parton grew up in a modest tin-roof cabin in Sevier County, Tennessee, and went on to become one of the most decorated singer-songwriters of all time. For all her fame, her heart stayed in the Great Smoky Mountains. Her story is as much about generosity as it is about hit records, and you can follow it across the state.

If you are a fan, a Dolly Parton Tennessee trip is a lovely way to connect the dots between her life, her music and her mountain roots. Here is how to build one.

The Woman Behind the Music

Alongside the songs, Dolly’s life has been marked by giving. She has supported vital medical research, and she founded the Imagination Library, a literacy programme that has given more than 200 million free books to young children.

It is worth knowing a little about this before you go, because the same spirit runs through many of the places on this route. You can read more about the programme on the Imagination Library website.

Travelling in her footsteps also gives you a chance to see how much of her story is rooted in a single corner of the American South. The cabin in Sevier County, the stages of Nashville and the hills that inspired her songs all sit within one state, which makes Tennessee unusually easy to explore as a themed trip. Whether you are a lifelong fan or simply curious, the contrast between the humble beginnings and the global success is striking.

Nashville: Where the Career Took Off

Start in Music City, where her career took flight. The Ryman Auditorium and the Country Music Hall of Fame are historic landmarks that any country music fan will want to see.

There is something new to look forward to as well. Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum is due to open inside Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel in downtown Nashville. This 20,000-square-foot installation is designed as a full retrospective of her life, with her famous costumes, personal archives and philanthropic milestones on show.

Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg: The Smoky Mountain Roots

Head east and you reach the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, the backdrop to her childhood and the soul of so much of her music.

In Pigeon Forge, Dollywood is a lively celebration of Appalachian culture, craftsmanship and music, and gives a real sense of the heritage that shaped her. Gatlinburg sits close by, making it a convenient base for exploring the area.

Planning Your Dolly Parton Tennessee Route

The trip works well as a two-part journey, with a few days in Nashville for music and history, followed by a stay in the mountains. Tour operators package this in different ways. One 15-day itinerary through Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee, for example, includes three nights in Nashville and two nights in Gatlinburg, with optional tickets to Dollywood added on. Another route combines the Great Smoky Mountains with the best of the Carolinas, with a Gatlinburg stay that makes it easy to reach Pigeon Forge and Dollywood.

• Spend time in Nashville for the music landmarks and the new museum
• Move on to the Smokies for the scenery and Dollywood
• Allow extra days if you want to add other stops in neighbouring states

Think about the pace, too. Nashville rewards a few relaxed evenings, and the mountains are best enjoyed without rushing, so build in time to stop at viewpoints and local craft shops along the way.

Whichever way you do it, following Dolly’s footsteps from the city stages to the mountain valleys of her childhood is a memorable way to see Tennessee. It is a trip that tells you a lot about where the music came from, and about the person who made it.