Great Smoky Mountains Travel Guide
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is beautiful, spooky, & majestic all at the same time. Residing in both Tennessee and North Carolina, it’s the most visited National Park in the United States. For that reason, I have A LOT of tips for visiting this National Park without it being a nightmare with crowds, traffic, and places to avoid!
where to stay
Where you stay can make or break a Great Smoky Mountains trip in my opinion. You’ve probably seen videos of long lines getting into National Parks where the lines go on for miles, that is what will happen if you stay in Gatlinburg, TN. We went in our camper van so we were able to move around and thought we would stay near Gatlinburg but as soon as we got there and saw the lines that barely moved, we realized that was not the route to go.
I would suggest staying near the Cherokee entrance on the North Carolina side or if you’re okay driving a bit to the park, then Asheville is also a great option! I visited Asheville post Hurricane Helene and the city is still thriving with plenty of places to stay, things to do and see! Also, the majority of the scenic overlooks are closer to Cherokee on the US 441/Newfound Gap Road.
You could also stay on the Northwest side, closer to Townsend, TN or Maryville, TN. These cities are closer to the Cades Cove entrance and right by the Foothills Parkway which is a gorgeous drive!
Know ahead of time
cost
The Great Smoky Mountains are not apart of the “America the Beautiful” National Parks pass. You have to pay for a $5 parking tag in this park if you plan on leaving your car for more than 15 minutes. So if you are hiking, make sure you buy the parking pass. If you just plan on driving through for the scenic overlooks and stopping very briefly, you can get away with not paying for the parking pass. If you are spending more than 3 days in the park, then purchase the weekly pass for $15.
You can purchase the parking tag at a machine outside a visitors center, inside the visitors center or at recreation.gov ahead of time. You do need to have the tag printed and on the dash so if you purchase online, you need to print that out. The machines at the visitors center only accept credit cards, heads up!
Time of year to Visit
Depending on when you go, you may struggle to even get into the park. We were there at the end of December and some roads were closed for the season as well as closed down because of high winds. The main roads only opened up around 9am each morning after park rangers evaluated the park to make sure it was safe and they closed everyday at 5pm. We were told by locals this is pretty typical during the winter season.
You can avoid this by going during peak season which is Summer & Fall but with that comes even more crowds. So pick your poison, either visit in the off-season with weather risks or peak season with crowds. I have heard that during the week in the Fall isn’t that bad since kids are in schools so if you can, try to go then! Mid-September to early November is when you’ll see the Fall foliage.
what to see
#1 – Newfound Gap Road
Drive the Newfound Gap Road and check out all the overlooks. We went on a clear day as well as a cloudy day and you really can’t see a ton if it’s cloudy. But also, it’s called the Great Smoky’s for a reason so it’s still worth it to check out even if you don’t get a clear day.
#2 – Wildlife
The Smokys are known for having elk, black bears, deer, raccoons, turkeys & woodchucks. The first day in the mountains, we were driving along the Newfound Gap Road and saw an elk crossing as well as a bunch of elk grazing along. Keep an eye out for wildlife as you’re driving around!
#3 – Cades Cove
Cades Cove is an 11-mile one-way loop road around a scenic valley with the mountains surrounding it. This area you’ll find historic homes, churches, cemeteries, hiking trails, and a good chance you’ll see wildlife. We saw turkeys, deer, & one huge elk.
If you have kids, this area is definitely worth it. But if you go during a busy time, the 11 mile loop could take you 2-4 hours. There are options to get off the loop and only do 2 miles or 9 miles. We did the 9 mile loop and went right before it was closing (closes at dusk) and it still took us 45 minutes.
#4 – Kuwohi Observation Tower
This is the highest point in the National Park standing at 6,643 feet. As well as the 3rd highest peak east of the Mississippi. It gives 360º views of the Smokys and is very popular at sunset or sunrise. It’s open year round but the road to it closes early December through late March. However if you’re a big hiker, you can hike up to it from Newfound Gap with a roundtrip hike of 14.9 miles and 3,612 feet of elevation gain.
#5 – Waterfalls
There are over 100 cascades and waterfalls inside the park. Some of the famous waterfalls that you can hike to include Grotto, Laurel, Abrams, or Rainbow Falls. You can also drive to Meigs Falls, The Sinks, or Place of a Thousand Drips.
#6 – Oconaluftee Vistor Center
I always like swinging by a National Park visitor center and this one is worth it because it also has the Mountain Farm Museum behind it! A ranger was giving a lesson on elk in the park when we were there also. If you’re stopping there to get a parking tag, definitely swing into the center and walk around the Mountain Farm Museum!
#7 – Foothills Parkway
This is outside of the park but it is such a wonderful view of the mountains and you won’t experience much traffic. If the park ends up being closed for some reason, this is a great option to still experience the Smoky’s! There are tons of pullover spots with gorgeous overlooks.
#8 – Fontana Dam
If you like to see wonderful structures like Dams, then the Fontana Dam is worth a visit. We stayed overnight at a spot near the dam so we went to check it out the next morning and it was pretty awesome! It’s about a 55 minute drive from the Cherokee entrance into the park. If you like coffee, swing by Cardinal Coffee on the way there if you’re coming from Cherokee!
#9 – Visit Asheville, NC
Asheville is about 1 hour & 15 minutes from the Cherokee entrance into the Great Smokys. We were in Asheville only a few months after Hurricane Helene and there was still so much to do and see! There are tons of breweries in the South Slope neighborhood, great shopping and restaurants in Downtown, you could do a tour of the Biltmore Estate, or visit the River Arts District. The River Arts District got hit really bad by the hurricane but the places that are still up and running are totally worth seeing! Asheville could use the tourism money so if you have the time, swing by and check it out!
#10 – Visit Knoxville, TN
Knoxville is about a 50 minute drive to the Townsend entrance or 1 hour & 15 minutes to the Gatlinburg entrance. Knoxville is also a great city to visit! You have to check out Market Square. It’s a very cute pedestrian area filled with restaurants, coffee shops, stores, bars, and activities. We were there during Christmastime and there was an ice rink right in the middle of it. Venture along Gay Street to see some historic theaters, architecture and fancy restaurants.
Hikes
Alum Cave Trail to Mount LeConte
This hike was a 3 for 1 deal because it includes Mount LeConte, Peregrine Peak, & Arch Rock. If you want something more challenging with great scenery the entire time this is the hike for you. You walk along a gorgeous river for the first half, then start to see more views of the mountains, and at the top you get views across the entire Smokys! Some hikes are made just to get to the peak but this hike was worth it the entire way through! Limited parking so get there early!
Distance: 11 miles
Elevation Gain: 3,061 ft
Level: Hard
More info here
Peregrine Peak via Alum Cave Bluff Trail
If you want a shorter version of Mount LeConte you can hike to Peregrine Peak and still get great views and see the famous caves & bluffs. Limited parking so get there early!
Distance: 4.5 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 1,161 ft
Level: Moderate
More info here
Arch Rock
And if you want something even shorter, then hike to Arch Rock! This one is more family-friendly but also very busy. Limited parking so get there early!
Distance: 2.8 miles roundtrip
Level: Easy – Moderate
More info here.
More Hikes
With the bad weather and road closures we had, we weren’t able to make it to all the hikes we had planned. Here are a few more we would have done if we could!
Abrams Falls
If you venture into the Cades Cove area, Abrams Falls is a fun hike to do. Due to the length, it’s not quite as kid-friendly as other things that are offered in Cades Cove but the reward is beautiful waterfalls!
Distance: 5 miles
Elevation Gain: 616 ft
Level: Moderate
More info here
Chimney Tops Trail
A friend that lived in Knoxville said this is one of her favorites! The trail is short in length but steep in elevation gain so make sure you know what you’re getting into when doing this trail! At the top you’ll get panoramic views!
Distance: 3.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,286 ft
Level: Hard
More info here
Laurel Falls Trail
This is a very busy hike because a ton of families do it. There probably won’t be a time that it isn’t busy even if you go early or late. But if you want to see some waterfalls or just get out and move your legs, then it’s definitely worth it! There’s a few parking lots but they fill up quick so be ready to deal with that!
Distance: 2.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 403 ft
Level: Easy
More info here
Restaurants
We make a lot of meals in our van but here are a couple places we ate out at and really liked!
Peaceful Side Social
Peaceful Side Social is a relaxed eatery and taproom in Townsend Would recommend the truffle fries and corn goat cheese fritters!
Best Italian
If you do find yourself in Gatlinburg and don’t want to eat at the tourist chain restaurants, you can find Best Italian hidden off the main road in a strip mall. The pizza was pretty great, but still, try to avoid Gatlinburg.
Love the Smokys!