Around 7 miles west of Pigeon Forge, on a quiet mountain slope that is hilly and heavily forested, is where you'll find Shagbark Resort. From here, you can enter the national park without having to take many of the busier roads. The resort has a number of amenities. Shagbark is a 24/7 guarded gated community with a few hundred privately owned cabins of all sizes that are generally separated from one another. This development, which has a local community vibe rather than a manufactured resort one, is home to many owners who live there year-round. Seasonally, Shagbark includes a pool, tennis courts, a playground, and frisbee golf. There are places to go for walks, including along the creek. If you come to the mountains merely to relax and be quiet, you could spend.