Long Weekend Series: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Welcome to my “A Long Weekend in…” series! In this series I’ll take you through an itinerary for three days in and around a national park or other public land. These itineraries are primarily made for people who enjoy hiking and are visiting a park or area for the first time and want to hit the main highlights. In addition to the highlights, I'll include some nearby alternatives that offer a similar experience.
A Long Weekend in…
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
About the park
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established in 1934 after the US government and private citizens pitched in to purchase and donate land to create one of the largest protected areas of land in the United States. Located on the Tennessee and North Carolina border, the Smokies are part of the larger Appalachian Mountain range, some of the oldest mountains in the world. The superlatives don’t stop there though: the park is famous for its biodiversity, boasting more tree diversity in its half-million acres than in all of Europe combined. It’s also the most visited national park in the US with over 14 million annual visitors.
Entrance Fees
While the GSMNP technically has no entrance fee, as of March 1st, 2023, the park has enacted a parking fee for those planning to park and utilize the park’s amenities and trails for longer than 15 minutes. What this means is that, while you could drive straight through and simply enjoy the scenery for free, if you are planning to do any hiking you must purchase a parking pass. The parking pass is NOT covered by any of the annual park passes like the America the Beautiful Pass, but is fairly cheap at $5/day or $15/week. There is also an annual option for $40. Given that the park has been free for so long and is sorely in need of maintenance and more staff, I think that this is a wonderful idea and a small price to pay to help maintain one of America’s treasures.
Day One
Hike to Charlies Bunion + The Jump Off
The hike to Charlies Bunion is definitely one of the most popular viewpoint hikes in the Smokies, and for good reason. The view from the rocky outcrop features ridges upon ridges and the hike there follows along the historic and beautiful Appalachian Trail. I wrote an entire blog post on this hike so check it out here for more details! The trailhead parking lot at Newfound Gap is huge, has bathrooms, and also offers a great view.
Alternate option: Andrews Bald (easy-moderate)
Take in the view from Tennessee's high point at Clingman’s Dome
At 6,644 feet, Clingman’s Dome is the highest point in Tennessee and is one of those places whose view is spectacular no matter what time of day you go. The official high point is reached via a 0.5 mile one way walk up to an observation tower that offers 360 degree views. While paved and short, this hike is no joke as it climbs a steep 330 feet to the tower, making even the fittest of hikers huff and puff. The good news is that you can still get incredible views from the parking area if you’re not up for or unable to do the climb.
Drive the Newfound Gap Road to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center
Connecting the Tennessee and North Carolina sides of the park, the Newfound Gap Road (or US 441) is a scenic drive that tops out at Newfound Gap which is the trailhead for the Charlies Bunion hike. There are many great overlooks and points of interest along the road, including an 1800s-era grist mill. At the southern/eastern terminus of Newfound Gap Road is the Oconaluftee Visitor Center which has an old homestead and farm here that visitors can walk around as well as a path that follows the creek. This is also a great place to see elk. For your best elk-viewing chances, come early in the morning or prior to sunset.
Day Two
Hike to Laurel Falls
This hike has an excellent effort-to-reward ratio with a gorgeous tiered waterfall and a beautiful view over the rolling hills and mountains that you can reach after 1.3 miles of relatively easy hiking. Due to this combo, the hike is very popular and the small parking lot fills up fast so be sure to either arrive early or late in the afternoon for your best chance at grabbing a spot! For more details check out this post.
Alternate option: Grotto Falls (moderate); Cataract Falls (easy)
Visit Cades Cove
Cades Cove is a stunning verdant valley surrounded by mountains. Once home to several early settler families, it’s a gorgeous place steeped in history, featuring several churches, cabins, a visitor center, a cable mill, and trails. A premier spot for wildlife spotting, crowds of people congregate to this 11 mile driving loop hoping to catch sight of a black bear. On Wednesdays during the summer, the Cove closes to vehicle traffic and is open to bicycles and foot traffic only. Two easy walks worth doing include the 0.25 mile walk to the John Oliver Cabin towards the beginning of the drive, and the 1.25 mile Cades Cove Nature Trail loop past the visitor center. You can purchase a $1 guide to Cades Cove at any of the visitor centers, right outside the loop, or online.
Alternate option: there is no alternative, you can’t skip this one!
Hike to Abrams Falls
If you have the time and energy, the trailhead to Abrams Falls is in the middle of the Cades Cove drive. At five miles roundtrip, the difficulty is on the easy side of moderate and ends at the largest waterfall by volume in the park.
Day Three
Hike to Mount LeConte
The views from Cliff Tops and Myrtle Point (first photo above) at the summit of Mount LeConte are some of my all time favorites. There are five different trails you can choose to take up to the summit: Alum Cave, Boulevard, Rainbow Falls, Trillium Gap, and Bullhead. Honestly you can’t go wrong with any of them. The most popular is Alum Cave Trail as it is the shortest route up and has several other cool features such as Alum Cave (actually a large overhang), Arch Rock, and several overlooks. I also have a blog post on this hike so check it out if you need help deciding! If you’re looking for a loop hike that’s a bit longer, consider hiking up the Rainbow Falls Trail and down the Bullhead Trail. The key to this hike is to start early no matter the trail you choose!
Alternate option: turn around at Alum Cave for a shorter hike; Rocky Top (strenuous)
Take a relaxing scenic drive
After finishing your hike to Mount LeConte, take a relaxing drive along one of the several scenic drives in the park. The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail this scenic route and check out some old homesteads, grist mills, a couple of scenic overlooks, and even a roadside seasonal waterfall called the Place of a Thousand Drips. This drive starts along Cherokee Orchard Road which is the same road that you took to get to the trailhead if you hiked either the Bullhead, Rainbow Falls, or Trillium Gap trails to LeConte. Being right outside the bustling streets of Gatlinburg, this is a great activity to do right before or after a meal in town. If you're looking for more scenery and less history, consider the Foothills Parkway outside of Wears Valley.
If you have more time
Consider getting a map and checking out some of the lesser visited areas of the park. Most visitors visit only the stretch of the park that’s near Gatlinburg along the Newfound Gap Road or along the road to Cades Cove, but the GSMNP is absolutely massive and reaching different areas of the park can sometimes take up to 2-3 hours! It is surprisingly easy to get away from the crowds and find solitude in the most visited National Park. Some of my favorite hidden gem areas are Greenbrier, Deep Creek, and Cosby. Some of of the best hikes in each of the other park sections include:
Greenbrier: Porter Creek; Ramsey Cascades
Deep Creek: Deep Creek Waterfalls Loop (or go tubing!)
Cosby: Mount Cammerer Lookout Tower
Twentymile: Shuckstack Fire Tower
Big Creek: Mt. Sterling Fire Tower; Mouse Creek Falls
Cataloochee: Hemphill Bald Trail; Boogerman Trail
While you’re in town
With how expansive the Smoky Mountains are, there are several gateway towns into the park, the most visited being the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg area. Gatlinburg is one of those places that one either loves or hates. It is essentially a town that caters to tourists with activities like go carts, mountain coasters, dinner shows, mirror mazes, and more souvenir shops than one could ever want. It’s kinda crazy, but if you acknowledge it for what it is, it can really be a lot of fun. Some of my favorite places to eat are Culver’s, The Apple Barn (amazing apple fritters that you can get to go!), The Old Mill Pottery House Cafe, and The Donut Friar. If amusement parks are your thing, don’t miss Dolly Parton’s Dollywood!
Where to Stay
There are several campgrounds throughout the park that are all pretty nice. The most convenient campgrounds to the places mentioned in this itinerary are the Cades Cove (only one open in winter), Elkmont, and Smokemont Campgrounds. If you prefer to stay in a hotel, there are plenty in the nearby towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Townsend, and Cherokee. This area is known for amazing cabin rentals which is another fantastic option for lodging.
As I’ve mentioned several times on my blog, the Great Smoky Mountains is my favorite park and it makes me a little sad to limit this itinerary to just three days because that just simply isn’t enough time to explore all the incredible trails and beauty this park has to offer. I’ve hiked over 150 miles of this park and I STILL have trails on my list that I’ve been dying to do. So fellow hiking enthusiasts, this is definitely a park that you’ll need to return to again and again. I hope you find as much joy in this park as I have!
Planning a trip to the Smokies for the first time? Pin this for reference!
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