Attractions / Activities

Hiking

Traverse the more than 150 hiking trails that the Smoky Mountains have to offer. Hiking trails range from easy, for those that prefer more of a mountain stroll, to more strenuous trails with names such as Charlie's Bunion which will take you for 8 miles to the rocky crags along the state line.

A Walk in the Woods offers guided hiking and backpacking tours through the Park and can teach hikers everything from the history of the Native Americans that called the mountains their home to the medicinal and edible uses of the plants in the area.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN OUTFITTERS -Phone: 865-430-2267 -Gatlinburg's newest and most experienced outfitter and staff. Outdoor gear featuring The North Face, Marmot, and many other brands of outdoor accessories. Located only 1/4 mile from traffic light #3 on Hwy 321 at traffic light 1-A in Winery Square.

The Happy Hiker – We offer a full line of outdoor equipment from major manufacturers and we great customer service. We can assist you with trip planning and provide bear proof storage while you're enjoying the outdoors. We'll properly fit you in the items you buy and show you how to use them. Located in Gatlinburg, TN, at 905 River Road, Suite 5 only 21 feet from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park boundary. Plenty of free parking right at our front door. P.O. Box 1236, Gatlinburg TN 37738, 865-436-6000

Black Bear Information

It is estimated that more than 1800 black bears inhabit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While an encounter with a bear is unlikely it is very important to know what to do should it happen to you. For information click on Black Bears or Appalachian Bear Rescue.

Trail Information

NATIONAL PARK - ROADS, TRAILS, CAMPGROUND AND PICNIC CLOSURES

Families can enjoy hiking on the more than 800 miles of trails guiding them to cascading waterfalls, beautiful vistas, and quiet meadows. Miles and miles of trails wind through deep forests, on high ridge tops, and along rushing streams. Quiet walkways serve as the perfect avenue for families to get out of the car and take an easy stroll into the wilderness.

Cades Cove

Cades Cove, is a 6,800-acre valley near Townsend, Tennessee that provides a representative sample of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park's natural and cultural history as well as its recreational opportunities. There are many things to see and do here.

• An eleven-mile, one-way loop road encircles the valley floor. It can be traveled by private vehicle, hay wagon, bicycle, or foot.
• A system of hiking and horseback trails offers a wide range of possibilities from a short nature walk to a multi-night trip.
• Visitors may camp only in the developed campground or in designated backcountry sites.
• Abrams Creek offers excellent fishing for native trout and its two main branches, supports a wide diversity of plants and animals.
• The valley floor has approximately 2,400 acres of largely open fields surrounded by forests. Currently, native grass and wetland restoration is being undertaken in the fields. Bison, elk, mountain lions, and wolves are among the animals that have been extirpated from the Smokies. Whitetail deer are seen on most early morning or evening visits to Cades Cove. Black bear and wild turkey are less frequently sighted. River otters and barn owls have been reintroduced into the Cove.
• The Cove also contains a nineteenth century grist mill, homes, and churches. More modern buildings were removed at the time of the park's formation. The remaining buildings and surrounding landscapes begin to tell the story of Cades Cove's cultural history

The window of Cades Cove allows approximately 2 million people to peer into the Smokies each year. Such a high level of visitation means that each visitor needs to follow LEAVE NO TRACE principles for this national treasure's continued preservation and for the enjoyment of future generations. Remember to leave all natural and cultural objects in their places, to remove everything that you bring with you, and to respect the animals as wild. They should be observed from a safe distance and may not be fed.

TRAFFIC IN CADES COVE

Cades Cove is the most heavily visited destination within the most heavily visited national park in the United States. The abundance of wildlife and an unmatched collection of historic churches and cabins in the cove attract more than two million visitors every year, causing traffic jams that can rival those of any major urban area. A trip around the 11-mile, one-way Loop Road can take 2-4 hours. EXPECT DELAYS!

· On Wednesdays and Saturdays, from early May to late September, the Loop Road is closed to motor vehicles until 10:00 a.m. for bicycle and pedestrian use.

· There are no gas stations or restaurants in Cades Cove. No food or drink is available on the Loop Road. A concession operated camp store with limited grocery and convenience items is located near the campground.

DIRECTIONS:

From Traffic Light #3 in Gatlinburg go south on Hwy 441 approx. 2.7 miles. You will be in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and will see the Sugarlands Welcome Center on your right. ( It is a good idea to stop at the Welcome Center for all your National Park information.) Turn right on Little River Road and continue for about 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. You will come to Cades Cove Road. Continue on Cades Cove Road to the entrance for Cades Cove.

Greenbrier

Greenbrier is known as “The Local’s Entrance to the Park” because it is rarely visited by tourists. This area offers some of the finest, most convenient, and least crowded fishing, hiking, jogging, picnicking, birding, waterfalls, tubing, wildflower observation, and spectacular natural settings to be found in the Smoky Mountains. 

 Let this be our little secret! In early June, the trailhead to Ramsay Cascades is the site of the “Fire Fly Phenomenon”, a spectacular display of rare fireflies that seem to light up in a synchronized rhythm that rolls through the forest. Arrive just before dusk at the Ramsay trailhead and wait for dark. Remember to sit quietly two or three hundred feet up the trail and as dark falls the show will begin. (Please remember to be quiet and not shine flashlights around so that all can enjoy the spectacle.)

Ramsey Cascades, arguably the best waterfall in the Park, is located within the Greenbrier area.  The hike is 8 miles roundtrip and is challenging. (Take extra water.) A lesser visited area of the Park, the Greenbrier section is one of our favorites. Besides the Ramsay Cascades, the visitor has the opportunity to view large stands of virgin growth such as northern red oak, eastern hemlock, and red maple that are disbursed among a prehistoric boulder field left over presumably from a prior ice age. In fact, the Great Smoky Mountains are home to 21 champion-size trees. When the Park was created in 1934, old-growth forests were saved from the lumber companies and preserved for our visitors.

Directions:

From Traffic Light #3 in Gatlinburg take Hwy 321 North (East Parkway) for approximately 7 miles. You will see a bridge. Just before the bridge on the right you will see a sign, “Greenbrier Entrance to Smoky Mountains National Park”. Turn right into the park and you will enter the Greenbrier area.

Table of Hiking Trails

It is very important to check in at the Sugarlands Visitors Center in order to get up to date information prior to planning your route. NEVER HIKE WITHOUT LEAVING A HIKING PLAN WITH SOMEONE SO THAT THEY WILL KNOW WHEN YOU SHOULD RETURN AND WHERE YOU ARE GOING!

All of the National Park trails listed below are ranked according to their difficulty: S - strenuous; M - medium difficulty; E - easy. Park officials advise hiking during daylight hours only and caution hikers to always stay on designated trails. During summer months, be sure to take along plenty of water, and in any season, a sturdy pair of hiking shoes is helpful.

All of the mileages and hiking times listed below are round-trip figures.

Self-guiding nature trails are ideal places to explore the Smokies' forests and learn about the area's rich natural and cultural heritage. Numbered stakes found along the trail are keyed to leaflets available at trailheads which describe points of interest along the way.

Waterfalls are popular destinations for day hikes, especially on hot summer days. The trails range from easy to strenuous, but no matter what the effort required, the reward justifies the endeavor.

Back Country Trails are for the more experienced, adventurous hiker. They offer an in-depth, backwoods experience.

Balds are mysterious treeless areas high in the mountains. Some speculate that they were caused by ice storms, insects, woolly mammoths, dry wind or fire.

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