Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The park contains some of the highest mountains in eastern North America, including Clingmans Dome, Mount Guyot, and Mount Le Conte. The border between the two states runs northeast to southwest through the center of the park. The Appalachian Trail passes through the center of the park on its route from Georgia to Maine. With 14.1 million visitors in 2024, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States.
The park encompasses 522,419 acres making it one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States. The main park entrances are located along U.S. Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) in the towns of Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Cherokee, North Carolina, and also in Townsend, Tennessee. The park is internationally recognized for its mountains, waterfalls, biodiversity, and forests. In addition, the park also preserves multiple historical structures that were part of communities occupied by early European-American settlers of the area.
The park was chartered by the United States Congress in 1934, and officially dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940. The Great Smoky Mountains was the first national park having land and other costs paid in part with federal funds; previous parks were funded wholly with state money or private funds. The park was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, and an International Biosphere Reserve in 1988.[10]
As the most visited national park in the United States, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park anchors a large tourism industry based in Sevier County, Tennessee adjacent to the park. Major attractions include Dollywood, the second-most visited tourist attraction in Tennessee, Ober Gatlinburg, and Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. Tourism to the park contributes an estimated $2.5 billion annually into the local economy.
Details About Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Location: Eastern Tennessee & Western North Carolina
Established: June 15, 1934
Size: 522,419 acres
Visitors: 12,095,720 (2020)
Entrance Fees: None
Where is Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is nestled into the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. The park is about an hour southeast of Knoxville, TN and an hour and a half west of Asheville, NC.
Navigating the Park
The most popular way to enter the park is from the bustling tourist town of Gatlinburg.From there the park spreads out before you to the south, east, and west. Heading west will take you along the scenic Little River all the way to Cades Cove.
East will take you to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, an assortment of historic cabins, waterfalls and hiking trails. South will take you through the heart of the park on highway 441. Southbound on 441 you’ll come upon Clingmans Dome, numerous scenic lookouts, and eventually the Oconaluftee area.
Popular Roads
US 441 is the main road and will take you to many of the destinations on your park map.
Little River Gorge Road is a scenic winding road where you’ll have a chance to spot black bears, river otters, and eventually end up at Cades Cove..
Cades Cove Loop Road is perhaps the most popular road in the park and provides visitors with opportunities to see historic cabins, rare wildlife, and misty mountain beauty.
Things to Keep in Mind when Visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited national park in the country.
- The Blue Ridge Parkway begins in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Take care of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
- Synopsis
Getting to the Park – Directions & Location
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is conveniently located around the mountain tourist town of Gatlinburg, TN, which is just south of the larger tourist town of Pigeon Forge.
Closest Airport: TYS – McGhee Tyson Airport (Knoxville)
The fastest way to get to Great Smoky Mountains National Park depends on where you live as the park is quite drivable for large populations in the Eastern US. You can fly in to McGhee Tyson Airport (Knoxville) on most domestic airlines, from there you can rent a car and make your way into the park which is a little more than an hour away.
Best Time to Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The best time of year to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park is October when the park displays it’s world-class fall foliage. The very busy summer season is over and much of the park tends to breath a sigh of relief giving way to quiet autumn scenery and plenty of wildlife sighting opportunities.
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park Seasons
- Spring in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Summer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Fall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Winter in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Best Things to Do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Go Leaf Peeping
- Take in the View from Clingmans Dome
- Tour the Historic Cabins and Mills
- Ditch the Tourists and Head for Cataloochee
- Watch the Elk Rut
Voyageurs National Park | A land of water, sky, and wilderness
Where to Stay – Camping & Lodging
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a whopping ten campgrounds, each offering a different type of camping experience. On top of this the park also offers backcountry camping for those looking for a more primitive and quiet experience such as:
- Abrams Creek Campground
- Balsam Mountain Campground
- Big Creek Campground
- Cades Cove Campground
- Cataloochee Campground
- Cosby Campground
- Deep Creek Campground
- Elkmont Campground
- Smokemont Campground
Bryson City and Cherokee offer plenty of lodging options on the south end of the park. We’ve listed the most popular ones below. For tent options see our camping section above.
Lodging options around the park include:
- Courtyard by Marriott Gatlinburg Downtown (Gatlinburg)
- The Park Vista DoubleTree by Hilton (Gatlinburg)
- Hampton Inn Gatlinburg Historic Nature Trail (Gatlinburg)
- Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Gatlinburg (Gatlinburg)
- The Lodge at Buckberry Creek (Gatlinburg)
- Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg (Gatlinburg)
- Hilton Garden Inn Gatlinburg Downtown (Gatlinburg)
- Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Cherokee (Cherokee)
- Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort (Gatlinburg)
Restaurants in the Great Smoky Mountains
The nearby town of Gatlinburg is a major tourist hub in the region and offers plenty of dining options. The other park-adjacent towns of Cherokee and Bryson City also have options.
You’ll also find lots of Black Bear themed dining as it’s more or less the unofficial symbol or mascot of the area. We’ve linked the most popular spots below:
- Local Goat (Pigeon Forge)
- Crockett’s 1875 Breakfast Camp (Gatlinburg)
- Old Mill Restaturant (Pigeon Forge)
- Cherokee Grill (Gatlinburg)
- Wize Guyz Grille (Cherokee)
- Brio Italian Grille (Cherokee)
- The High Test Deli & Sweet Shop (Bryson City)
- The Bistro at the Everett Hotel (Bryson City)
Nearby Attractions
- Cherokee National Forest
- Nantahala National Forest
- Pisgah National Forest
- Blue Ridge Parkway