Photo:
Missvain / CC BY 4.0
The Great Smoky Mountains are the most visited national park in the United States, a soft, blue-hazed range of the southern Appalachians draped in the richest temperate forest in North America. Ancient rounded peaks, misty coves, cascading streams and a stunning diversity of life, from wildflowers to black bears and elk, make the Smokies a place of quiet, layered beauty straddling Tennessee and North Carolina.
The park is a sea of forested ridges rolling to the horizon, their signature blue haze rising from the trees themselves. Elevation ranges from lowland coves to the 6,643-foot Clingmans Dome, stacking cove hardwood forest, hemlock and spruce-fir like a slice of Canada in the South. Rushing streams and waterfalls thread the hollows, and black bears, elk, salamanders and spring wildflowers abound.
Spring brings wildflowers and rushing water; fall paints the ridges in famous color and draws the biggest crowds. Summer is warm, green and humid, with afternoon storms, while the higher elevations stay cooler. Winter is quiet and often snowy up high, with bare trees opening long views, though roads may close in ice.
Gatlinburg (TN) and Cherokee (NC) are the main gateways, linked by US-441, the Newfound Gap Road, which climbs over the crest. There is no entrance fee, but you now need a parking tag to stop in the park. A vehicle is the practical way to reach trailheads, Cades Cove and the scenic roads that lace the park.
Hike to waterfalls and summits, Laurel Falls, Chimney Tops, and the tower atop Clingmans Dome, and drive the wildlife-rich Cades Cove and Cataloochee valleys for elk and bears at dawn and dusk. Long-distance hikers walk the Appalachian Trail along the crest, and historic cabins and mills recall the mountain communities that once lived here.
This is dense black-bear country, so store food properly and never approach or feed bears. Mountain streams run cold and fast and can flash-flood, weather and fog change quickly at elevation, and trails can be steep and slick. Carry layers and a map, and watch for ticks in the warm months.
There is no entrance fee, but a parking tag is required to park anywhere in the park, and backcountry camping needs a permit and reservation. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report; always confirm current conditions, parking rules and closures with the National Park Service before your trip.
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
