Tennessee

Trains, Cherokee and Culture in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Program No. 21267RJ
Ride historic rails across scenic mountains as you learn about Appalachian culture, Cherokee heritage, traditional music and regional cuisine.

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At a Glance

Capture scenic views and learn about Appalachian culture aboard two trains in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. Hear stories from the area’s long history and enjoy a delightful encounter with Great Smokies heritage as presented by a musician performing tunes of southern Appalachia. Learn about Cherokee Indian life in the “enchanted land” centuries ago during evening lectures and a special visit from an expert on Cherokee history and song.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Some walking and standing on field trips. Diesel engine train and coach transfers.

What You'll Learn

  • Ride the original railroad line in Chattanooga, across four bridges and through the pre-Civil War Missionary Ridge Tunnel.
  • Tap your toes to the music of the Cherokee and to performances of southern Appalachian music.
  • Travel by train along the Toccoa River through the North Georgia countryside to two quaint sister towns nestled deep in the mountains of GA and TN.

General Notes

Select dates are designated for small groups and are limited to 24 participants or less.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
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Lee Knight
Raised in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, Lee is a folk singer, story teller and outdoor leader, performing at concerts, workshops, festivals and schools. He shares his knowledge of the natural world leading hikes, canoe trips and guiding whitewater rafts. Lee has collected and shares Cherokee legends and plays the Cherokee flute and rattle, as well as the Native American drum. He also plays the five-string banjo, guitars and the Appalachian dulcimer.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Lee Knight
Lee Knight View biography
Raised in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, Lee is a folk singer, story teller and outdoor leader, performing at concerts, workshops, festivals and schools. He shares his knowledge of the natural world leading hikes, canoe trips and guiding whitewater rafts. Lee has collected and shares Cherokee legends and plays the Cherokee flute and rattle, as well as the Native American drum. He also plays the five-string banjo, guitars and the Appalachian dulcimer.
Profile Image of Justin Strickland
Justin Strickland View biography
Justin Strickland has been fascinated by trains his entire life. His first "railroad" job was with the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway at the age of 15, where he eventually became a conductor. Justin has also worked with the Southeastern Railway Museum, Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. He authored the only book dedicated to the Terminal Station in Chattanooga and has been interviewed for the railroad documentary "Tracing the Tracks."
Profile Image of Maury Nicely
Maury Nicely View biography
Maury Nicely is a lawyer and historian in Chattanooga, Tenn., and author of the “Chattanooga Walking Tour & Historic Guide” and the “East Tennessee Walking Tour & Historic Guide.” Maury has served on the boards of Chattanooga History Center and Cornerstones, Inc., Chattanooga's historic preservation organization.
Profile Image of Carol Burton
Carol Burton View biography
Carol Burton attended Dalton State College, where she began her 16 years as a Road Scholar coordinator with its Center for Educational Adventure. Married to her childhood sweetheart, she grew up in Hampton, Va., and moved to Georgia in 1970. Carol said she was born with a love for animals and volunteers with her local humane society.
Profile Image of Jim Ogden
Jim Ogden View biography
Jim Ogden is a historian who became interested in the Civil War the summer between 4th and 5th grade. His interests in that period of history have continued to grow and broaden. He started his career at The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park in 1982. He then had stints at Russell Cave National Monument in Bridgeport, Ala. and Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park in Fredericksburg, Va. He returned to Chickamauga and Chattanooga in 1988. He was born and raised in Southern Maryland.
Profile Image of Anthony Hodges
Anthony Hodges View biography
Dr. Anthony Hodges attended the University of Alabama, graduated from University of Tennessee/Chattanooga and the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences in Memphis with a D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) degree in 1981. He recently retired from dentistry after 35 years. He became interested in early American and Civil War history as a child thanks to family oral history and began collecting Civil War artifacts as a boy. He served as a National Park Service living history interpreter for more than 30 years.
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