Buckhorn Inn is East Tennessee's oldest inn, a peaceful country retreat on 25 acres of woodland and meadow on the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the United States. Founded in 1938, it offers a quiet, gracious alternative to the bustle of nearby Gatlinburg, with cottages and guest houses among the trees, sweeping mountain views and dinners that draw guests back year after year.
Buckhorn Inn is East Tennessee's oldest inn, a peaceful country retreat on 25 acres of woodland and meadow on the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the United States. Founded in 1938, it offers a quiet, gracious alternative to the bustle of nearby Gatlinburg, with cottages and guest houses among the trees, sweeping mountain views and dinners that draw guests back year after year.
Location: Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA
The inn lies just outside Gatlinburg, Tennessee, off a quiet country road near the town's Arts & Crafts Community, a loop of studios and galleries showcasing Appalachian crafts. The national park's main entrance is a short drive away, and Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport is around an hour by road.
The Great Smoky Mountains are among the oldest mountains on Earth, famous for their misty blue ridges, ancient forests and extraordinary biodiversity, including more than a thousand black bears and some of the richest wildflower displays in North America.
Gatlinburg itself is a busy mountain town, with attractions, restaurants and shops along its main parkway, and it is the main gateway to the national park on the Tennessee side. The inn's quiet location, a short drive from the centre, means you can enjoy the town's convenience while retreating to peace and quiet at the end of the day.
Rooms and suites at Buckhorn Inn
Accommodation is spread across the main lodge, cottages and guest houses, set among the woods and meadows of the property. Rooms are comfortable and traditional in style, with king-size beds, tiled walk-in showers and, in some, jacuzzis and fireplaces, and many have views towards the mountains.
The cottages and guest houses offer more privacy and space, ideal for couples or families. The inn's peaceful grounds, with walking trails and a pond, are part of its charm.
Rates vary by room type and season, and many rooms sit within a modest budget outside the busy autumn weeks, making the inn an excellent value base for the Smokies. Guests appreciate the small details, from the homemade breakfasts to the quiet porches and the lack of crowds.
Facilities at Buckhorn Inn
The inn is known for its food, with a hearty breakfast and dinners served in the main lodge dining room, which looks out towards the mountains. The atmosphere is warm and personal, thanks to owners Lee and John Mellor, the third owners in the inn's long history, who live on site as hands-on innkeepers.
There is a walking trail through the property's woods, a pond known for its swans, and a lounge and library for relaxing in the evening. The inn has welcomed many notable guests over the years, including Walt Disney.
The Arts & Crafts Community nearby, an eight-mile loop of studios and shops, is a wonderful place to browse pottery, quilts, woodwork and paintings by local artisans, and many craftspeople welcome visitors into their workshops to watch them at work.
The mountain moment
The defining moment is a morning on the inn's porch, coffee in hand, as the mist lifts from the forested ridges of the Smokies and the famous blue haze settles over the mountains. In the evening, the view at sunset, layer upon layer of ridges fading into the distance, is just as memorable.
In the national park, hike to Alum Cave Bluffs and on to Mount Le Conte, one of the highest peaks in the Smokies, or drive the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, past waterfalls, streams and historic cabins.
Why Buckhorn Inn is one of the best mountain hotels
Buckhorn Inn earns its place in our Affordable stays collection because it offers a historic, peaceful and characterful base for the Great Smoky Mountains, at a fair price, with excellent food and warm hospitality. It is simple compared with luxury resorts, and Gatlinburg's busy tourist strip is close by. But the inn's quiet setting feels a world away, and it pairs perfectly with Blackberry Mountain, our luxury pick in the Smokies.
Its founder, Douglas Bebb, chose the site for its views and planted thousands of trees around it, and that sense of care and tradition still shapes the inn today, more than eighty years on.
When to go to Buckhorn Inn
The Smokies are lovely year-round. Spring, from April to May, brings wildflowers and mild weather, and autumn, from mid-October to early November, brings spectacular foliage and the busiest weeks of the year. Summer is warm and green, ideal for hiking and waterfalls. Winter is quiet, with occasional snow on the high peaks and the lowest prices. Book early for autumn.
Questions, answered
- When did Buckhorn Inn open?
- In 1938. It is East Tennessee's oldest inn.
- How far is Buckhorn Inn from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
- The park's main entrance near Gatlinburg is a short drive away.
- Does Buckhorn Inn serve dinner?
- Yes. The inn serves breakfast and dinner in the main lodge dining room, which looks towards the mountains.
