Great Smoky Mountains
America's most-visited national park: misty ridges, old-growth forest and historic farmsteads.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, all year
- Entry
- Free entry, $5 parking
- Reservations
- Not required
- Size
- 522,000 acres
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Great Smoky Mountains is the most-visited national park in the country, and it is easy to see why. The park straddles Tennessee and North Carolina along some of the oldest mountains on Earth, worn into rolling ridges that fade into blue haze. That haze, which gives the park its name, comes from water vapor and natural compounds released by the dense forest.
The Smokies are one of the most biologically rich places in the temperate world. Scientists have documented around 19,000 species here and believe tens of thousands more remain, and the park is known as the salamander capital of the world. Along with the wildlife are more than 90 preserved historic buildings, from log cabins in Cades Cove to the grist mill at the Oconaluftee Mountain Farm Museum.
The park and surrounding area
- Park boundary
- Other parks
- Major highway
- Road
- Rivers and lakes
- Town
Plan your trip
- Best time to go
- Mid-April to May for wildflowers, and mid-October to early November for fall color. Summer is lush, humid and crowded.
- How long to stay
- 2 to 3 days.
- Getting there
- Knoxville (TYS) is about 45 minutes from Townsend. Asheville (AVL) is about an hour from the Cherokee side. Atlanta is about 3.5 hours.
- Wildlife
- Black bears (around 1,900 of them), elk in Cataloochee and Oconaluftee, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys and dozens of salamander species.
Plan and book
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Where to stay
- Hotels in Gatlinburg (opens in a new tab)Tennessee
- Hotels in Townsend (opens in a new tab)Tennessee
- Hotels in Bryson City (opens in a new tab)North Carolina
- Lodges inside the park (opens in a new tab)Official NPS list
Tours and activities
- Guided tours on Viator (opens in a new tab)Day trips, wildlife, photography
- Tours on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)Compare options and reviews
- Campsites on Recreation.gov (opens in a new tab)Official federal booking site
What to pack for Great Smoky Mountains
- Rain jacketThe high peaks get rain most weeks.
- Waterproof hiking bootsTrails are often wet and rooty.
- Trekking polesHelp on long climbs like Alum Cave.
- Insect repellentFor ticks and mosquitoes in summer.
- HeadlampUseful for sunrise at Kuwohi.
A first day, start to finish
- Sunrise from Kuwohi or Newfound Gap
- Alum Cave Trail to Arch Rock and Inspiration Point
- Picnic at Chimneys Picnic Area
- Cades Cove Loop in the late afternoon, when bears are most active
- Stay for the sunset over the cove
Don't miss
- Cades Cove11-mile loop through a historic valley with log cabins, churches and frequent black bear sightings.
- KuwohiHighest point in the park at 6,643 feet, with an observation tower.
- Newfound Gap RoadCrosses the park through changing forest zones.
- Alum Cave TrailPopular hike to a rock bluff and, farther on, Mount LeConte.
- Synchronous firefliesRare light show near Elkmont each June; viewing is by lottery.
Know before you go
Do
- Buy your parking tag online before you arrive; most trailheads have no tag machine.
- Display the physical tag on your dashboard; phone images are not accepted.
- Bring rain gear; the park gets up to 85 inches of rain a year on the peaks.
Don't
- Approach or feed bears; stay at least 50 yards away.
- Count on cell service along most of the park.
- Take rocks, plants or artifacts from historic sites.
Open 24 hours, all year. Some roads close seasonally, including the road to Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome), and Newfound Gap Road can close in winter weather.
Cades Cove Loop is closed to cars on Wednesdays from May to September so walkers and cyclists can use it.Trekker's tip