Hallmark Movie In The Great Smoky Mountains
The Hallmark movie in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was filmed in many well-known locations of the park. The movie is full of history and beautiful scenery. After watching the movie, here are some of the locations I noticed that were used in the filming of the movie. Locations included are the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Cades Cove, Abrams Falls, Townsend, Falls Creek State Park, Oconaluftee Indian Village in Cherokee, Cherokee Cavers, Knoxville and Cherokee, NC.
Great Smoky Mountains
Hallmark released three National Park series movies in 2023. The first in the series is Love in Glacier National: A National Park Romance. The second in the series is Love in Zion National. The third Hallmark movie set in the National Park series is Love in The Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance. This movie just aired on September 2, 2023.
The movie is about two archaeologists, Rob and Haley. They both are on the same research team working in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The two are old high school sweethearts who had broken up. Working together they find their way back together. Many of the locations in the movie will be familiar if you have ever been to the Smokies. After watching the movie, here is a list of some of the locations I noticed Hallmark used in filming the movie.
Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance (image from Hallmark)
Cades Cove
One of the hikes the couple takes is to Abrams Fall. Abrams Falls is located on Abrams Falls Trail in Cades Cove. The trail parking lot is just past stop #10 on Cades Cove Loop Road. The National Park Service website strongly warns about not swimming in Abrams Falls. “Due to strong currents and an undertow, swimming in the pool at the base of the falls is extremely dangerous. Swimmers have drown here!” Cades Cove is located within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There was also a scene filmed near the Visitors Center at Cades Cove, near the grist mill. I recognized the split rail fence and some of the buildings in the background.
Towns End Coffee Shop is located in Townsend, TN on Lamar Alexander Parkway (U.S.321). Townsend is one of two entrances to Cades Cove (the other is located in Gatlinburg). The Dancing Bear Lodge and Restaurant (where the couple had a dinner date) is also located in Townsend, Tn.
Other locations used for filming are the city of Knoxville. The scene with the red brick building was probably filmed in Knoxville. Also located in Knoxville is the Historical Cherokee Cavers, located at 8524 Oak Ridge Highway. Some of the hiking scenes were filmed at Fall Creek Falls State Park. Fall Creek Falls State Park is Tennessee’s largest and most visited state park. Fall Creek Falls State Park is located in Spencer, TN.
Cherokee, NC
I loved the Cherokee history that was included in the movie. One location used was the Oconaluftee Indian Village located in Cherokee. The Oconaluftee Indian Village is a replica of an 18th-century eastern Cherokee community. They also referred to the annual summer outdoor drama Unto These Hills. The play is about the story of the Cherokee that traces back to the years before the heartbreak of the Trail of Tears to the present day.
A local cabin through Airbnb was used in the movie. Here is a link to the listing in case anyone is interested! Hallmark Movie View cabin used in the filming of Love in The Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance.
I enjoyed all three of the Hallmark National Park movies. But never having been to Glacier or Zion National Parks, and being so familiar with the GSMNP, this movie was probably my favorite. There is a reason the GSMNP is the most visited National Park in the United States. More than 12 million visitors annually go to the park located between North Carolina and Tennessee. With the fall season here, the Smokies is a great place to view the beauty of the fall foliage.
