Come summer lots of folks from these parts head to the Smokey Mountains, and I ran across a deal this week that I thought sounded like a fun alternative to traditional lodging there. On select dates this summer you can get half off a stay at a dude ranch just outside Pigeon Forge, on the French Broad River. Trails rides, campfires, cookouts, even a cattle drive are all part of the deal, which includes all meals and an air-conditioned room starting at $419 a person for three nights if you arrive on Sunday. Check out the details here.
