Park Overview

 

Straddling the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountains National Park protects more than 522,000 acres of forested mountains, deep valleys, cascading streams, waterfalls, historic settlements, and some of the richest biodiversity found anywhere in the temperate world. Congress authorized the park in 1926, largely in response to growing concerns over extensive commercial logging and development in the southern Appalachians, but unlike many western national parks created from land already owned by the federal government, much of the Smokies had to be purchased from private landowners and timber companies. The park was officially established in 1934 and formally dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt at Newfound Gap in 1940. Today, the park preserves one of the largest intact forest ecosystems in the southern Appalachian Mountains, with elevations ranging from approximately 875 feet to 6,643 feet and more than 22,000 documented species, including black bears, elk, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and an extraordinary diversity of salamanders. The mountains are famous for the distinctive bluish haze that frequently hangs over their ridgelines—a phenomenon that inspired the Cherokee name Shaconage, commonly translated as "place of the blue smoke." Among the park's biggest highlights are Cades Cove, Newfound Gap, Clingmans Dome, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Cataloochee Valley, Mount LeConte, Alum Cave, Laurel Falls, Abrams Falls, and the historic buildings and gristmills scattered throughout the mountains. More than 848 miles of trails crisscross the park, including approximately 74 miles of the Appalachian Trail, providing everything from short waterfall walks to challenging backcountry adventures. The Smokies are equally renowned for their human history, preserving historic cabins, churches, barns, mills, schools, and other structures that tell the story of the Cherokee people and generations of Appalachian settlers who lived in these mountains before the park was established. Recognized as an International Biosphere Reserve in 1976 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, Great Smoky Mountains National Park combines extraordinary biodiversity, Appalachian history, abundant wildlife, waterfalls, mountain scenery, and hundreds of miles of trails to create one of the most diverse national park experiences in the eastern United States. 

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Closest Airports

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McGhee Tyson Airport - 45 miles (1 hr) to Gatlinburg entrance

Asheville Regional - 60 miles (1.5 hrs) to Cherokee entrance

Tri-Cities Airport - 105 miles (2 hrs) to Gatlinburg entrance

Chattanooga Airport - 140 miles (3 hrs) to Gatlinburg entrance

Charlotte Douglas Int'l - 165 miles (3 hrs) to Cherokee entrance

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Lodging

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With the exception of LeConte Lodge, there are no hotels, motels, or rental cabins within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but the communities surrounding the park offer an enormous variety of accommodations ranging from inexpensive motels and historic inns to secluded mountain cabins, luxury resorts, treehouses, and glamping retreats. On the Tennessee side, Gatlinburg is the most convenient and popular base, sitting immediately outside the Sugarlands entrance and offering the region's largest concentration of hotels, resorts, condos, cabins, restaurants, shops, and entertainment; it is especially convenient for exploring Newfound Gap Road, Roaring Fork, Mount LeConte, and the central portion of the park. Gatlinburg is a bit of a tourist trap though, and is jam packed with slow moving traffic and an endless sea of visitors. Travelers wanting similar amenities at a slightly greater distance can stay in Pigeon Forge or Sevierville, where accommodations range from inexpensive hotels and large vacation rentals to elaborate mountain cabins. For a quieter experience, Townsend is one of the best choices, providing convenient access to Cades Cove, Tremont, Little River Road, and the western side of the park without the crowds and development of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge; accommodations here include small hotels, inns, vacation cabins, and properties such as Dancing Bear Lodge Townsend, which combines lodge rooms and private cabins in a wooded mountain setting. On the North Carolina side, Cherokee is the primary gateway and is particularly convenient for Oconaluftee, Newfound Gap, Clingmans Dome, and elk viewing, while Bryson City is an excellent alternative for visitors interested in the quieter Deep Creek section of the park and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. Maggie Valley and Waynesville offer additional hotels, cabins, inns, and vacation rentals within driving distance of the eastern side of the Smokies. The region also has no shortage of unusual places to stay. Near Gatlinburg, Treehouse Grove offers beautifully designed treehouse accommodations in a wooded setting only minutes from the park, while Sanctuary Treehouse Resort near Sevierville provides another elaborate treehouse experience. On the North Carolina side, Elk & Embers near Waynesville offers luxury glamping tents, cabins, and a treehouse surrounded by mountain scenery, while Elk Hollow Resort near Bryson City provides upscale glamping accommodations close to the Deep Creek area. The most unique stay of all, however, is LeConte Lodge, the only traditional overnight lodging inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Sitting at approximately 6,360 feet just below the summit of Mount LeConte, the rustic lodge can only be reached on foot, with five hiking routes ranging from roughly 5 to 8 miles or more each way. Guests stay in simple hand-built log cabins with propane heat and kerosene lanterns, while meals are served family-style and supplies are famously carried up the mountain by llamas. For most visitors, Gatlinburg offers the greatest convenience, Townsend provides the quietest Tennessee-side experience, and Cherokee or Bryson City are the best choices for exploring the North Carolina side, while the tremendous number of cabins, treehouses, glamping properties, and mountain retreats surrounding the park makes the Smokies particularly well suited for travelers looking for a stay that is part of the experience itself.​

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Camping​​

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Camping is one of the best ways to experience Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with 10 developed frontcountry campgrounds spread across both the Tennessee and North Carolina sides of the park. Cades Cove and Smokemont are the only campgrounds open year-round, while the remaining campgrounds operate seasonally. Cades Cove is an excellent choice for wildlife viewing, historic sites, and exploring the western Smokies, while Elkmont, the park's largest campground with more than 200 sites, provides convenient access to Little River, the historic Elkmont district, and many popular trails near Gatlinburg. Smokemont is particularly convenient for Cherokee, Oconaluftee, and Newfound Gap, while Deep Creek makes a great base for waterfalls, tubing, and exploring the quieter Bryson City side of the park. Visitors looking to get away from the busiest sections of the Smokies should consider several campgrounds that often fly under the radar. Cosby Campground, tucked beneath a dense forest canopy in the northeastern corner of the park, has more than 150 sites but generally feels far removed from the crowds around Gatlinburg and Cades Cove. Cataloochee Campground is an even more interesting option, with just 27 campsites in the remote and historic Cataloochee Valley, where campers are surrounded by mountains, streams, historic structures, and one of the park's best areas for viewing elk. Big Creek is another small, secluded campground near the park's northeastern boundary, while Abrams Creek provides a primitive, peaceful base near the far western end of the park. For RV travelers, most park campgrounds accommodate RVs but provide no hookups or showers; Look Rock Campground is the only park campground with sites offering electric and water hookups. All frontcountry campsites require advance reservations, which can be made up to six months ahead. Outside the park, the choices expand considerably, with private campgrounds, riverside tent sites, RV resorts, glamping properties, and small mountain campgrounds surrounding Gatlinburg, Townsend, Cosby, Cherokee, Bryson City, and Maggie Valley. Campers seeking an even quieter experience can also look to the surrounding Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests, where Forest Service campgrounds and dispersed camping provide alternatives to the much busier national park campgrounds. For a classic Smokies experience, Elkmont or Cades Cove are hard to beat, but travelers seeking something quieter and a little more memorable should put Cataloochee, Cosby, Big Creek, and Abrams Creek near the top of their list.

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When to Visit

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The best time to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park depends largely on what you want to experience, although late spring and fall are arguably the best overall seasons thanks to comfortable temperatures, wildflowers, wildlife, and spectacular fall foliage. Spring, from March through May, brings rapidly greening forests, rushing waterfalls, and one of the most impressive displays of spring wildflowers in the National Park System, with trillium, phacelia, violets, lady's slippers, and dozens of other species appearing throughout the mountains. Weather can be unpredictable, particularly at higher elevations, where snow is still possible in March and April, while lower elevations frequently reach the 70s and occasionally the 80s by mid-April. One of the park's most extraordinary natural events occurs in late May or early June, when thousands of synchronous fireflies put on their annual mating display near Elkmont, with males gradually synchronizing their flashes until entire sections of forest appear to pulse with light. The peak varies according to temperature and soil moisture and has historically occurred anywhere from the third week of May through the third week of June. Because the event is enormously popular, the National Park Service restricts nighttime access to Elkmont during the predicted peak and distributes vehicle reservations through an annual lottery. Summer, from June through August, brings lush green forests, long daylight hours, swimming and tubing opportunities, and full access to most roads, trails, campgrounds, and visitor facilities, but it is also hot, humid, and busy. Lower elevations can reach the 90s in July and August, while the high country remains considerably cooler, and afternoon showers and thunderstorms are common. Fall is arguably the park's most beautiful season, with cooler temperatures and one of the finest fall-color displays in the eastern United States. Color generally begins at the highest elevations in late September and early October before gradually moving into the middle and lower elevations, where peak color often occurs from mid-October into early November. This is also an excellent season for wildlife watching, particularly in areas such as Cades Cove and Cataloochee, although October is one of the park's busiest periods and traffic can become extremely heavy around popular scenic areas. Winter, from roughly mid-November through February, is the quietest time to visit and offers leafless forests that open distant mountain views, frozen waterfalls, occasional snow-covered landscapes, and far fewer visitors. Conditions vary dramatically with elevation—lower valleys can experience mild days in the 50s or even warmer, while the highest mountains can receive significant snowfall and temperatures well below zero. Snow and ice can also temporarily close high-elevation roads. For most visitors, April through May and September through October offer the best combination of scenery and comfortable hiking weather, while late May or early June is especially appealing for anyone hoping to experience the park's remarkable synchronous firefly display.​

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Best Hikes

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• Mount LeConte via Alum Cave - 13 miles, 3,800' elevation gain (stunning views throughout, Alum Cave, option to stay overnight at the Leconte Lodge)

• Charlies Bunion - 8 miles, 1,900' elevation gain (exceptional views, beautiful sunset opportunity, follows the AT)

• Abrams Falls - 5.5 miles, 600' elevation gain (photogenic waterfall, abundant wildlife, large crowds)

• Ramsey Cascades - 8 miles, 2,250' elevation gain (tallest waterfall in the park, abundant wildlife, streamside views)

• Mount Cammerer via Low Gap - 12 miles, 3,190' elevation gain (360-degree views from a historic fire tower)​​​​​