Visit Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge

Walk Where Dolly Walked: Sevierville’s Free “In Dolly’s Footsteps” Tour Opens October 16

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Long before the world knew her name, Dolly Parton was a young dreamer running errands, catching movies, and chasing her first big break in downtown Sevierville. Starting Friday, October 16, 2026, you can retrace those early years for yourself on In Dolly’s Footsteps, a brand-new walking tour through her hometown.

The tour is free and self-guided, so you can take it at your own pace any time you’re in town. It was developed by the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce with help from Sevier County Historian Carroll McMahan, and the chamber worked with Dollywood to make sure Dolly approved the stops and gave the project her blessing.

How the Tour Works

Start near the famous Dolly statue on the Sevier County Courthouse lawn, where you can pick up a complimentary tour brochure. From there, nine downtown stops each have a granite-and-bronze marker telling a piece of her story. Scan the QR code at each stop on your phone to unlock extra photos, videos, and memories, including a video of Dolly recalling her first visit to Red’s Café.

The Nine Stops

  • Red’s Café (circa 1964), 119 Court Ave.
  • Dolly Statue, 125 Court Ave.
  • Carr Dry Goods Co., 140 Court Ave.
  • Temple Milling Company, 106 W. Bruce St.
  • Raymond’s Shoe Store, 110 Bruce St.
  • Easy Way Five and Dime, 137 Bruce St.
  • Kilpatrick’s Drug Store, 139 Bruce St.
  • Old Post Office, 167 Bruce St.
  • The Pines Theater, 230 Court Ave., where Dolly played her first paying gig

As the chamber points out, not everything downtown looks the way it did when Dolly was growing up, but the markers, stories, and old photos do a great job of bringing that era back to life.

Planning Tips

  • Cost: Free.
  • Start: Near the Dolly statue, 125 Court Ave., in historic downtown Sevierville.
  • Bring: Comfortable shoes and a charged phone for the QR code videos.
  • Make a morning of it: The stops are all on Court Avenue and Bruce Street, so it’s an easy stroll you can pair with lunch or shopping downtown before heading to Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg.

It’s a sweet, low-key way to spend an hour, especially for Dolly fans who’ve already done Dollywood and want to see where the story really began. Fall color is coming on in the mountains right now, too, so it’s a lovely time to explore.

Sources: The Mountain Press and In Dolly’s Footsteps (Sevierville Chamber of Commerce).