Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States. With over 12 million visitors in 2019, it is easy to see why this park is so popular. With fireflies, elk, black bears, and the Appalachian Trail, it is not a destination to miss. Discover the meadows of Cades Cove, climb the overflowing waterfalls all throughout the park, and catch a glimpse of the mountain range at Clingmans Dome.
Where To Find It:
The Great Smoky Mountains run along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the South East of the United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains and form part of the Blue Ridge Province
Where To Stay:
There are several campsites throughout the Smokies. Here are a few you should visit!
Cosby Campground: A great place to get away from the business of the park. Choose from nearly 100 sites on loops A and B. There are several hiking trails accessible directly from the campsites. At $17.50 Cosby does have restrooms, but no showers or camp store. Be sure to buy your firewood before entering the site. I highly recommend sites 44 or 63 on loop A.
Elkmont Campground: A more popular campground, it has a large number of sites to choose from (over 200!), plus it is closer to the visitor center and Gatlinburg, TN. At $25 a night, the campground has a store plus vending and firewood. It does have several restrooms, but no showers. Little River runs through the campground, so if you choose sites on the B-loop you can fall asleep to the peaceful sound of a laughing brook.
If you are wanting a more location try the Cataloochee Campground (and even get an up-close view of elk).
Where To Eat:
There are limited food and grocery services throughout the park. I recommend bringing a cooler and loading up on groceries! There are plenty of places to stop for a picnic or grill on your campsite fire ring. Vending machines can be found at Sugarlands Visitor Center and the Cades Cove Campground Store.
Climate and Best Time to Go:
The Great Smoky Mountains is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. However, there are some seasonal road and facility closures.
Spring – March through April brings unpredictable weather. It can go from sunny skies to snow flurries in a few hours – especially in higher elevations. Temperatures in the lower elevations have a high of 61ºF.
Summer – June through August is heat and humidity. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms are common. In higher elevations, the weather is much cooler.
Autumn – September through November: Warm days with cool nights are the main theme throughout the Fall season. By November, the lows are usually near freezing. The fall colors here are especially breathtaking due to the diversity of over 100 species of trees.
Winter – December through February: Winter in the Smokies is tolerable, but it can get quite cold, especially in the higher elevation. Snow falls more in the higher mountains and can be up to two feet.
Bucket List Activites:
Hiking
Charlies Bunion – if you are bold enough for the 8-mile hike to Charlies Bunion, you will be rewarded with extraordinary panoramic views of the Smokies. This was a challenging hike, to say the least, but worth it in the end. Hiking on the Appalachian Trail, about a mile to the overlook it is a steady downward incline. Once you are past this part, the rest of the hike is fairly moderate.
Grotto Cave Trail – Drive through the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and start the climb to the Grotto Falls. Find the trailhead on the Trillium Gap Trail, it is considered a moderate 3-mile round trip. This is a fairly popular hike, so be sure to get there early!
Boogerman Loop – This is a 7-mile loop through the old forest. This easy trail look is just perfect for a peaceful stroll through the woodland.
Watch elk graze in Cataloochee – the path to Cataloochee is probably the scariest road I have ever been on. A winding road, blind curves, and no rails! Not to mention, unpaved roads. If you are brave enough to travel up to Cataloochee, be sure to watch for elk in the early morning or late evening.
Drive or bike the beautiful Cades Cove Loop. Cades Cove is a must in the Smokies. Lush green fields are enveloped by mountains. The best wildlife viewing is in the very early morning before the bumper-to-bumper traffic starts. During peak season it can take as long as five hours on this 11-mile loop. The road is open from dawn to dusk, except Wednesdays and Saturdays. Reserved for bikers and hikers during that time until 10 am.
Raft down the Big Pigeon River
Climb Clingmans Dome. At 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is the highest point in Tennessee and the third-highest mountain east of the Mississippi. The observation tower on the summit of Clingmans Dome offers spectacular 360 views of the Smokies and beyond. If you are willing to climb the steep half-mile walk to the tower at the top. The tower is open all year long, however, the road leading to the tower is closed seasonally from December to March.
Instagram Worthy Spots:
Just driving through the Smokies, you will be rewarded with many stunning Instagram-worthy shots. But here are a few of my favorite spots!
Trail Head for Boogermans Loop – how cute is this bridge? I could stand there all day, listening to the sound of the water and the forest.
Overlook at Charlies’ Bunion – mountain views like this just never get old. If you are brave enough, climb on top of the rocks for an incredible photo op!
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is such a fun park with so many things to see. I highly recommend spending a week (or more!) exploring.
Thank you for reading!
If you have any specific questions, do not hesitate to comment down below! Or you can email us!
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