Great Smoky Mountains National Park is America's most visited national park, welcoming over 13 million visitors annually. Straddling the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers ancient mountains, cascading waterfalls, diverse wildlife, and some of the best hiking on the East Coast—all without an entrance fee.
Whether you're planning a day trip from Gatlinburg or a week-long adventure, this comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know to make the most of your visit.
🎫 Good News: No Entrance Fee!
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the few national parks that doesn't charge an entrance fee. However, parking tags are required at some trailheads ($5/day or $40/year).
Why Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
The "Smokies" earned their name from the blue mist that often hovers over the peaks—a natural phenomenon caused by volatile organic compounds released by the dense forests. Here's what makes this park special:
- ✓ Biodiversity: More tree species than all of Northern Europe combined, and one of the most biodiverse temperate forests on Earth
- ✓ Hiking: Over 800 miles of trails, from easy nature walks to challenging backcountry treks
- ✓ Waterfalls: Dozens of waterfalls, many accessible via short hikes
- ✓ Wildlife: Home to approximately 1,600 black bears, plus elk, white-tailed deer, and over 200 bird species
- ✓ History: Well-preserved log cabins, churches, and settlements from the 1800s
- ✓ No Fee: Free admission (parking fees apply at some areas)
Park Basics & Getting There
Main Entrances
The park has several entrances, but these are the most popular:
🏔️ Gatlinburg Entrance (Tennessee)
Most popular entrance. Direct access to Sugarlands Visitor Center and the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.
From Gatlinburg: Take US-441 south into the park
🦌 Townsend Entrance (Tennessee)
The "peaceful side" of the Smokies. Less crowded. Access to Cades Cove and Tremont.
From Townsend: Take TN-73 into the park
🌲 Cherokee Entrance (North Carolina)
Access to Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Mountain Farm Museum, and Mingus Mill.
From Cherokee, NC: Take US-441 north into the park
🏕️ Cataloochee (North Carolina)
Remote valley famous for elk viewing. Requires a scenic drive on gravel roads.
Access via Cove Creek Road from I-40
Parking & Fees
While the park itself is free, parking tags are required at most developed trailheads (as of 2023):
- Daily Tag: $5 per vehicle
- Weekly Tag: $15 per vehicle
- Annual Tag: $40 per vehicle
Tags can be purchased at visitor centers, pay stations, or online at recreation.gov. Tennessee state park passes do NOT cover GSMNP parking.
Visitor Centers
- Sugarlands Visitor Center (Gatlinburg entrance) - The largest, with extensive exhibits, films, and bookstore
- Oconaluftee Visitor Center (Cherokee entrance) - Includes the Mountain Farm Museum
- Cades Cove Visitor Center - Historic area with ranger programs
- Clingmans Dome Information Station - Seasonal, near the highest point
Best Time to Visit
🍂 Fall (October-November)
Peak foliage season. Stunning colors but extremely crowded. Book lodging 6+ months ahead. Best leaf viewing: mid-October at higher elevations, late October at lower.
🌸 Spring (April-May)
Wildflower season. Waterfalls at peak flow. Moderate crowds except weekends. Synchronous fireflies in late May (lottery required).
☀️ Summer (June-August)
Peak season with the most visitors. Hot and humid at lower elevations. Best time for high-elevation hikes where temps are 10-15° cooler.
❄️ Winter (December-March)
Fewest crowds. Many roads closed due to snow/ice. Newfound Gap Road often closes temporarily. Beautiful for photography.
💡 Pro Tip: Avoid the Crowds
Weekdays are significantly less crowded than weekends. Arrive before 8 AM or after 4 PM for the best parking availability at popular trailheads.
Top Hiking Trails
Easy Hikes (Under 3 miles)
Laurel Falls Trail
Easy2.6 miles round trip • Paved trail to an 80-foot waterfall. Very popular—arrive early!
📍 Trailhead: Little River Road, 3.5 miles from Sugarlands
Clingmans Dome Trail
Easy (steep)1 mile round trip • Paved path to the highest point in Tennessee (6,643 ft). Observation tower with 360° views.
📍 Trailhead: End of Clingmans Dome Road (closed Dec-March)
Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail
Easy0.5 miles • Wheelchair-accessible trail along the river. Great for families with young children.
📍 Trailhead: Near Sugarlands Visitor Center
Moderate Hikes (3-8 miles)
Alum Cave Trail to Mt. LeConte
Moderate to Strenuous11 miles round trip to summit, or 4.4 miles to Alum Cave Bluffs • Most popular trail to Mt. LeConte. Stunning rock formations and views.
📍 Trailhead: Newfound Gap Road, 8.6 miles from Sugarlands
Chimney Tops Trail
Moderate4 miles round trip • Steep climb to rock pinnacles with panoramic views. Note: The final rocky scramble to the very top is now closed.
📍 Trailhead: Newfound Gap Road
Grotto Falls Trail
Moderate2.6 miles round trip • The only waterfall in the park you can walk behind. Look for llamas carrying supplies to Mt. LeConte Lodge!
📍 Trailhead: Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Abrams Falls Trail
Moderate5 miles round trip • 20-foot waterfall with massive water volume. Located in Cades Cove. Swimming is prohibited.
📍 Trailhead: Cades Cove Loop Road
Challenging Hikes (8+ miles)
Charlies Bunion via Appalachian Trail
Strenuous8 miles round trip • Rocky outcrop with breathtaking views. Follows the Appalachian Trail from Newfound Gap.
📍 Trailhead: Newfound Gap parking area
Rainbow Falls Trail
Strenuous5.4 miles round trip (or continue to Mt. LeConte for 13.4 miles) • 80-foot waterfall that creates rainbows in afternoon sun.
📍 Trailhead: Cherokee Orchard Road near Gatlinburg
Scenic Drives
🚗 Cades Cove Loop Road
11-mile one-way loop • The most popular drive in the park. Historic buildings, wildlife, and mountain views. Allow 2-4 hours (traffic can be heavy).
Best for: Wildlife viewing (deer, bears, turkeys), history, photography
🚗 Newfound Gap Road (US-441)
33 miles one-way • Crosses the park from Gatlinburg to Cherokee, NC. Climbs to 5,046 feet at Newfound Gap with stunning overlooks.
Best for: Mountain views, accessing trailheads, crossing into North Carolina
🚗 Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
5.5-mile one-way loop • Historic cabins, rushing streams, and lush forest. Access to Rainbow Falls and Grotto Falls trailheads.
Best for: Historic structures, waterfalls, avoiding Cades Cove crowds
🚗 Clingmans Dome Road
7 miles one-way • Leads to the highest point in Tennessee. Closed December through March due to weather.
Best for: Highest views in the park, Appalachian Trail access, sunsets
Waterfalls
The Smokies are home to dozens of waterfalls. Here are the most accessible:
Laurel Falls
80 feet • 2.6-mile hike (paved) • Easy
Grotto Falls
25 feet • 2.6-mile hike • Walk behind it!
Rainbow Falls
80 feet • 5.4-mile hike • Strenuous
Abrams Falls
20 feet • 5-mile hike • High volume
Ramsey Cascades
100 feet • 8-mile hike • Tallest in park
Mingo Falls
120 feet • 0.4-mile hike • Just outside park
Wildlife Viewing
Black Bears
The park is home to approximately 1,600 black bears—one of the densest populations in the eastern United States. Best places to spot bears:
- Cades Cove - Most reliable spot, especially early morning or evening
- Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail - Bears often seen near streams
- Cataloochee Valley - Less crowded alternative
⚠️ Bear Safety
- • Stay at least 50 yards (150 feet) from bears at all times
- • Never feed or approach bears
- • Store food in bear-proof containers or your car
- • If a bear approaches, back away slowly—do not run
Elk
Elk were reintroduced to the park in 2001 and now number around 200. Best viewing spots:
- Cataloochee Valley - Best spot, especially at dawn and dusk
- Oconaluftee Visitor Center area - Elk sometimes graze in the fields
Synchronous Fireflies
Every year in late May/early June, synchronous fireflies create a spectacular light show in Elkmont. These fireflies flash in unison—one of only a few places in the world where this occurs.
Important: Access is by lottery only. Apply at recreation.gov in late April. The event typically runs for about 2 weeks.
Historic Sites & Culture
🏠 Cades Cove
A preserved 19th-century settlement with log cabins, churches, a working grist mill, and the Cades Cove Visitor Center. The 11-mile loop road passes all major sites.
🌾 Mountain Farm Museum
Located at Oconaluftee Visitor Center. A collection of historic log buildings demonstrating Appalachian farm life. Free to visit.
⚙️ Mingus Mill
A working water-powered grist mill near Oconaluftee. Watch corn being ground into meal (seasonal operation, spring through fall).
🏚️ Elkmont Historic District
Remnants of a former logging town and summer resort community. Several cabins are being restored. Also the site of the synchronous fireflies.
Camping
The park has 10 developed campgrounds and numerous backcountry campsites. Reservations are highly recommended, especially spring through fall.
Most Popular Campgrounds
Elkmont Campground
220 sites • Largest campground • Near Gatlinburg
Cades Cove Campground
159 sites • Near historic Cades Cove • Camp store on-site
Smokemont Campground
142 sites • NC side near Cherokee • Open year-round
Reserve at: recreation.gov
LeConte Lodge
For a unique experience, hike to LeConte Lodge—the only non-camping lodging in the park. Located at 6,360 feet on Mt. LeConte, it's accessible only by foot (minimum 5-mile hike). Reservations fill up a year in advance.
Insider Tips
🌅 Beat the Crowds
Arrive at popular trailheads before 8 AM. Cades Cove is best visited at sunrise (before the loop opens to cars) on a bicycle.
📱 Download Maps
Cell service is extremely limited in the park. Download offline maps (Google Maps, AllTrails) before you go.
🧥 Layer Up
Temperature drops about 3°F for every 1,000 feet of elevation. Clingmans Dome can be 20°F cooler than Gatlinburg.
🚗 Check Road Closures
Many park roads close seasonally or due to weather. Check the NPS website or call the park before your visit.
🐻 Bear Spray Isn't Needed
Unlike out West, black bears in the Smokies are generally not aggressive. Making noise and giving them space is usually sufficient.
💧 Bring Water
Water from streams should be treated before drinking. Bring at least 2 liters per person for day hikes.
Planning Your Visit
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is just minutes from Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, making it easy to combine park exploration with these tourist towns.
Sample Day Trip from Gatlinburg
- 7:00 AM - Enter park via Sugarlands Visitor Center
- 8:00 AM - Hike Alum Cave Trail (to Alum Cave Bluffs and back - 4.4 miles)
- 12:00 PM - Picnic at Chimney Tops Picnic Area
- 1:00 PM - Drive to Clingmans Dome, walk to observation tower
- 3:00 PM - Drive Newfound Gap Road back to Gatlinburg, stopping at overlooks
- 5:00 PM - Dinner in downtown Gatlinburg
Where to Stay
The park has no lodging except LeConte Lodge (backcountry) and campgrounds. Most visitors stay in:
- Gatlinburg Hotels - Closest to the park's main entrance
- Pigeon Forge Hotels - More options, 15 min from park
- Cabin Rentals - Many with mountain views
- Townsend - Quieter, "peaceful side" of the Smokies
🎟️ Book Tickets for Your Trip
Skip the lines! Book your tickets online for the best Gatlinburg attractions.
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