10 Movies and TV Shows Set in the Smokies

Written by: Emily Huffstetler

Did you know that the Smokies have inspired a variety of films and shows? From dramas and holiday tales to documentaries, here are 10 picks for your next movie night. 

A Walk in the Spring Rain 

Released in 1970, A Walk in the Spring Rain tells the story of Libby Meredith (Ingrid Bergman), who moves with her husband to a rural Tennessee farmhouse for the season. There, she meets neighbor Will Cade (Anthony Quinn), a widowed farmer, and the two develop an unexpected connection. 

The film was shot on location in the Great Smoky Mountains, showcasing ridgelines, farmsteads and creeks in spring. Its backdrop offers a glimpse of Appalachian life in the early 1970s, before large-scale tourism reached the area. 

Love in the Great Smoky Mountains 

Released in 2023, Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance centers on Haley (Arielle Kebbel) and Rob (Zach Roerig), former college sweethearts who reunite during an archaeological dig in the Smokies. As they work to uncover artifacts, old feelings resurface. 

Filmed on location in and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the movie highlights scenic trails, forested ridges and historic sites, pairing the park’s landscapes with a contemporary romance. 

The Fool Killer 

Released in 1965, The Fool Killer follows George Mellish (Edward Albert), a 12-year-old orphan who flees his troubled home in the aftermath of the Civil War. As he wanders through the Southern countryside, he encounters various strangers, including a mysterious axe-wielding drifter (Anthony Perkins) who may be the legendary “Fool Killer”—a figure who punishes those lacking moral integrity. 

Filmed partly in the Great Smoky Mountains region, the movie uses misty ridgelines, dense woods and rustic cabins to enhance its eerie, dreamlike tone. The natural Appalachian landscape mirrors the psychological tension of the film, offering a haunting and atmospheric backdrop to a story about trauma, justice and survival. 

Christmas in the Smokies 

Released in 2015, Christmas in the Smokies follows Shelby Haygood (Sarah Lancaster), who runs her family’s berry farm in Tennessee. When a land developer threatens to take it over, she works with childhood friend and country music star Mason Wyatt (Alan Powell) to save the farm in time for the holidays. 

Filmed in the Great Smoky Mountains region, the movie features small-town streets, mountain views and working farmland, blending seasonal scenery with a modern story of community and tradition. 

A Smoky Mountain Christmas 

Released in 1986, A Smoky Mountain Christmas stars Dolly Parton as Lorna Davis, a country singer seeking solitude in a Tennessee mountain cabin. Instead, she encounters a group of orphaned children hiding from the local sheriff and a scheming woman who wants the land. 

Filmed in the Great Smoky Mountains region, the made-for-TV movie features log cabins, wooded hillsides and mountain streams, blending holiday themes with the rustic setting of rural Appalachia. 

Christy 

Premiering in 1994, Christy is a television drama based on Catherine Marshall’s novel of the same name. Kellie Martin stars as Christy Huddleston, a young woman from Asheville who travels to the remote Appalachian community of Cutter Gap in 1912 to teach school. 

Filmed in the Great Smoky Mountains region, the series showcases mountain hollows, split-rail fences and period log buildings, depicting daily life in an isolated settlement at the turn of the 20th century. 

Coat of Many Colors 

Released in 2015, Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors is a made-for-TV movie inspired by Parton’s childhood in the Smoky Mountains. Set in 1955, it follows young Dolly (Alyvia Alyn Lind) and her family as they face hardship, faith, and loss, with the patchwork coat sewn by her mother becoming a symbol of love and resilience. 

Filmed in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, the production features rural farmsteads, dirt roads, and mountain backdrops, reflecting the region’s mid-century Appalachian setting. 

Kissin’ Cousins 

Released in 1964, Kissin’ Cousins stars Elvis Presley in dual roles as U.S. Air Force officer Josh Morgan and his look-alike mountain cousin, Jodie Tatum. Morgan is sent to convince his relatives in the Smoky Mountains to allow the military to build a missile site on their land, leading to musical numbers and comedic misunderstandings. 

Filmed partly in the Great Smoky Mountains region, the movie blends mountain scenery with 1960s Hollywood set pieces, mixing Appalachian-themed humor with Elvis’s signature song performances. 

The National Parks: America’s Best Idea 

Episode: “The Great Smoky Mountains” 

Premiering in 2009, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea is a six-part PBS documentary series by Ken Burns. One episode, “The Great Smoky Mountains,” explores the park’s creation, highlighting the logging era, the displacement of local families, and the conservation movement that led to its 1934 establishment. 

Filmed on location in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the series combines archival photographs, historic film footage and present-day landscapes to tell the story of the park’s natural beauty and complex history. 

Alice’s Adventures on Earth 

Episode: “Great Smokey Mountains” 

Premiering in 2024, “Alice’s Adventures on Earth” is a PBS children’s series that blends live-action storytelling with nature education. The show follows Alice, a curious young explorer, as she travels across America’s national parks to learn about wildlife, ecosystems, and conservation. Each episode pairs whimsical narrative elements with real-world science, encouraging kids to connect with the environment around them. 

One episode was filmed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, showcasing mist-covered trails, salamander-filled streams and blooming wildflower meadows. With scenes set among old-growth forests and mountain overlooks, it highlights the biodiversity of the Smokies while inviting young viewers to see the park as both magical and meaningful. 

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Born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee, with roots tracing back to Cades Cove, Emily Huffstetler is a proud Maryville College graduate and passionate storyteller of the Greater Smokies region.