With more than 10 million visitors annually for the last 10 years, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States, according to the U.S. National Park Service. The park's popularity is fueled by its easy to get to location spanning portions of Tennessee and North Carolina, free admission (though parking does cost), and its proximity to gateway towns like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in Tennessee as well as Asheville and Bryson City in North Carolina that offer many fun things to do in the Smoky Mountains. Other notable towns include Townsend, Tennessee, and Cherokee, North Carolina.
As the most visited national park though, you should do some planning before your Smoky Mountains vacation. The roadways through the Smoky Mountains include scenic pullouts for visitors to stop to admire the beauty of their surroundings and picnic areas to rest and eat a packed meal. The parks trails allow visitors to hike and take in views of wildflowers in spring and summer, the changing leaves in fall and the park's many waterfalls year-round. Outside the park, you’ll find mountain coasters, river tubing, whitewater rafting and more.
Best Things to Do in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hiking Trails
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has excellent views from the mountain peaks, waterfalls in the valley and colorful wildflowers that bloom from February through summer. Hiking trails range from strenuous hikes up mountain peaks to easy, family-friendly hikes. You can even hike the Appalachian Trail. In the more popular areas of the Smokies, parking lots fill up early. For the best chance at getting a spot, especially in the more popular areas of the park, aim to visit mid-week and arrive either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. You can also avoid parking altogether by booking shuttle service (for a fee) through one of the park's concessionaires.
Don't forget that the park is pack-in and pack-out (meaning that no food or other trash should be left behind in the park). This keeps you and the park's black bears safe. Some of the hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains include:
- Kuwohi Trail (formerly Clingmans Dome Trail): This is a one-mile paved path, a great national park activity for kids, that leads to the observation tower on top of Kuwohi, the tallest point in the park. This area tends to be crowded, and finding parking may be difficult. For a more strenuous, less crowded hike to Kuwohi, consider taking the bypass trail that starts at the Forney Ridge Trailhead either on your own or join a guided hike to Kuwohi.
- Porters Creek Trail: The first mile of the trail to Porters Flat is easy and kid-friendly, and at about the second mile is Fern Branch Falls which is where most people turn back. If you continue, you'll be on a steep trail that leads to a backcountry campground. The wildflowers on this trail are typically abloom in March and April.
- Rainbow Falls: The trail to Rainbow Falls is extremely popular, so expect crowds and full parking lots. The hike to Rainbow Falls, which gets its name from the rainbow that sometimes forms at the base of the falls, is 5.6 miles round trip and is a rather steep hike.
- Lynn Camp Prong Cascades: On the Middle Prong Trail, you can hike an easy gravel path, about 1.4 miles out and back, that follows an old logging railroad. You'll be treated to views of the river crashing into and flowing down rocks. Wildflowers on this trail typically bloom during spring and summer.
Scenic Drives
The roads through Great Smoky Mountain National Park make for excellent scenic drives. These roads have paved pull-outs, picnic areas and parking areas near trailheads. If you don't want to drive, you can book a scenic tour of the Smoky Mountains.
- Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail: One of the most popular scenic drives is the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. The 5.5-mile loop is accessible from Gatlinburg, and you'll find the trailheads for Rainbow Falls and for Grotto Falls on this route. The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is closed in winter and very busy the rest of year, so plan accordingly.
- Cades Cove: Another popular scenic drive is the 11-mile Cades Cove route. Here, you'll find lots of picnic areas and while this route is also busy, attempt the drive on weekdays to avoid the biggest crowds. To learn more on your tour through the park, download the National Park Service app to access a free self-guided tour of Cades Cove.
- Kuwohi: The route to Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) is another great scenic drive. This one leads you through the spruce and fir tree forest with access to the Newfound Gap Overlook, Andrews Bald and part of the Appalachian Trail. You'll also reach the paved walking path to the lookout tower on the peak of Kuwohi, the highest point in the national park.
- Blue Ridge Parkway: A favorite among visitors is the Blue Ridge Parkway, though it runs near the park not through it. The parkway is largely open to visitors, but as of publication, some sections of the scenic road remain closed due to damage from Hurricane Helene. Icy conditions in winter also may impact portions of the road. Be sure to check the National Park Service website for the latest updates on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Ranger-led Activities
Ranger-led programs occur most frequently between June and October. Guided hikes allow adults and children to learn about the history of the park, wildflowers and the park's animal life — including the black bears. There is also a daily milling demonstration at the Cable Mill, a historic water-powered gristmill, March through October. Check the park's events calendar for dates and times of ranger-led programs.
See the Fireflies in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
If you are visiting the Great Smoky Mountains in May or June, you might be visiting during the mating season of the synchronous fireflies (or lightning bugs depending on which region of the country you're in). This natural event occurs in the Elkmont area of the park and lasts for only a few weeks. During the fireflies' mating season, they gather, and the flashes of their bioluminescent abdomens synchronize, creating quite a spectacle to behold.
If camping, try to snag a reservation at the Elkmont Campground. The only other way to get access is to enter the firefly lottery which opens shortly before the estimated dates of mating season.
Best Time to Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open year-round and with well over 11 million visitors annually, you may not be able to escape the crowds. So, the best time to visit depends on your preferred weather and availability of activities.
Summer: Summer in the Great Smokies, June through August, brings high humidity, daily highs in the 90s and frequent afternoon showers, not to mention it's the most crowded season in the park. While the temps can be hot, summer brings beauty with lush green trees and many plants in bloom. If traveling during summer, pack bug spray and warm weather clothing.
Fall: As one of the best national parks to visit in fall, September to mid-November, the changing of the leaves attracts many leaf peepers. This is the driest period in the Smokies, so it's your best chance to avoid rainfall. At lower elevations, high temperatures in September are in the 70s and 80s, but they cool off as autumn progresses. Plus, area towns have fall festivals where you can get some hot apple cider.
Winter: Winters in the Smoky Mountains are considered moderate, though parts of the park experience annual road closures. Snow is heavier in the higher elevations and is most likely to fall in January and February.
Spring: March is still chilly, but April and May bring blooming wildflowers, and the crowds are lighter than in summer and the weather less humid. While you can still see snow at higher elevations, temperatures at lower elevations reach highs in the mid-70s. As with summer, afternoon showers are common.
Parking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
While entry to the park is free, parking a vehicle is not. If you park for longer than 15 minutes, you must have a parking tag displayed in your vehicle or risk a fine. Parking tags are sold in daily, weekly, and annual increments and are matched to your vehicle’s tag. They are non-transferable.
Parking tags can be purchased at the park's visitor centers as well as some of the nearby welcome centers in Townsend, Tennessee, and in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. Parking tags can also be purchased with a credit card at kiosks in many of the parking areas within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can also plan ahead and purchase your parking tag online through recreation.gov, but you have to print the tag yourself before visiting the park.
Things to Do Near Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
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Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is a must-visit place when on a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Whether traveling to Gatlinburg with kids or looking for things to do in Gatlinburg for couples, you'll find a fun activities. Ober Mountain, a type of mountainside amusement park, has both summer and winter activities with chair lifts and cable cars, ziplines, a mountain coaster and an alpine slide. In winter, skiing, snowboarding and snowtubing delight visitors. Adventure seekers should also check out Anakeesta. You can take a chairlift up the mountain where there are ziplines, mountain coasters, an observation tower and a canopy walkway in the treetops, as well as treehouse play areas for kids.
The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community is an area of Gatlinburg that is great for window shopping and picking up unique gifts and souvenirs. In this area, you'll find shops selling Appalachian crafts including paintings, pottery and woodwork. Plus, Gatlinburg’s free trolley makes getting around easy.
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
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- Wine Me, Shine Me, Dine Me — a food and spirits tour
In addition to being within a half-hour drive of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pigeon Forge offers plenty of things to do, including its most well-known attraction Dollywood. The theme park, co-owned by Dolly Parton, offers exciting rides for all ages as well as annual festivals, holiday decorations and live entertainment.
You can also shop, dine and stay at The Island in Pigeon Forge. The Island also features live entertainment, a fountain show and carnival rides. For those seeking more nature, head to nearby Townsend for whitewater rafting or a calm river float on inner tubes.
Asheville
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Asheville makes for a fun day trip or home base on a Smoky Mountains trip. In Asheville's walkable downtown, visitors and locals alike can enjoy shopping and dining. For a self-guided tour, head out onto Asheville’s Urban Trail. It takes about two hours to walk, and the stops include several sculptures that are accompanied by plaques displaying info about the city's history.
The most popular thing to do in Asheville is the Biltmore Estate, a mansion commissioned by the Vanderbilt family. Construction was completed in 1895. You can take guided tours of the mansion, do a tasting at the winery and stroll through the gardens.
Bryson City, North Carolina
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Bryson City is located near the South District of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This portion of the park that is home to one of the park’s main elk herds and a notable trail in the area is the Deep Creek Waterfall Loop Trail. It's about two and a half miles and has three waterfalls.
A must-do in Bryson City is a trip on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad that has scenic routes through the mountains. If visiting when the weather is warm, take a leisurely float trip down one of the nearby rivers. Companies rent inner tubes and provide transportation back to the starting point. And if you or your kids are feeling lucky, try your hand at panning at one of the gem mines in town. Who knows, you might be heading home with a few rubies!
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