Trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA

East Tennessee and Western North Carolina

General:

Smoky Mountains Park is part of the Blue Ridge Mountains range and is located at the southern end of this range. The park is made up of 16 mountain peaks which are almost always covered in a bluish mist (smoke-like), which gave it its name. The Smoky Mountains are among the oldest mountains in the world. This is the most visited park in all of the USA. Every year about 10 million tourists visit it (more than twice as many as any other park!). Its area: 2100 sq. km. Half is in the state of Tennessee and the other half is in North Carolina. The park's terrain ranges from 250 meters above sea level to more than 2010 meters at the high peaks. The park is located at the meeting point of northern and southern vegetation and climate. Thanks to these two facts, the park has an extremely rich variety of flora and fauna and was recognized as an international biosphere reserve. In the park there are over 4000 types of plants (including over 120 species of trees - more than in all of Europe!) and 230 species of animals, including 65 species of mammals. The most famous ones, which became the symbol of the park, are the black bears, which you can see up close during your visit to the park. In the park there are streams and rivers, waterfalls and forests. The park is also rich in history and cultures. People from completely different cultures lived there, from Cherokee Indians to Scottish-Irish settlers, all left their mark in the park, where many historic structures are located. The park was also declared a World Heritage Site. It was declared a national park in 1934.

The park is open all year round. The visitor centers are open all year except Christmas. The summer season is the busiest; in the months of June-August, the park is very crowded. Most visitors prefer to see the scenery from the car window, so the main roads in the park are jammed and busy. If you are looking for peace and quiet, you can find it in abundance on the many hiking trails. In the fall you can see lovely fall colors, painting the park in yellow-orange. Even during this period, the crowd of visitors is large. Therefore, in the months of June to mid-October, it is recommended to visit the park mid-week. It is also advisable to wake up early and arrive as early as possible. In the spring the bloom is at its peak, but at the high peaks, you can see spectacular blooming even in the summer months.

There are 380 km of paved roads in the park, 230 km of dirt roads, and 1280 km of hiking trails at all difficulty levels, ranging from easy trips of about half an hour to grueling journeys of a week or more. The famous and challenging Appalachian Trail also passes through the park.

Entrance to the park is free!

 

Park Location:

The park is located in the eastern part of the state of Tennessee and the western part of North Carolina. The nearest airports to the park are located in Alcoa, Tennessee (code: TYS) about 70 km west of the park and in Asheville (code: AVL), North Carolina about 100 km east of the park. The nearest large international airport to the park is in Atlanta, Georgia (code: ATL), to which there are direct flights from Israel by Delta. It is located about 260 km from the eastern entrance of the park (about three to three and a half hours drive).

 

Accommodation:

In the park itself there is only one hotel called: LeConte Lodge, located at the heights of Mt. LeConte, the third highest peak in the park. Access to the hotel is only by a 5 to 9 mile walk or by horseback, which makes it unsuitable for the average traveling family. There are also 10 campgrounds in the park, some open year-round and some closed in the winter months. In the settlements adjacent to the park entrances, both in Tennessee and North Carolina, there are many and varied accommodation options:

♦ It is highly recommended to stay in Tennessee in one of the two towns adjacent to the park: Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge

Both are charming tourist towns full of accommodation of all types and kinds at attractive prices and have plenty of family attractions.

 

Booking tours from GetYourGuide.com

Weather:

The weather in the park changes significantly depending on the seasons and also the altitude above sea level. Also, there are often sharp changes in weather within very short periods of time. Be prepared for any weather in any season. Always check what weather conditions are expected for you at the time you visit the park.

The elevation difference between different areas in the park significantly affects the weather. Temperatures are 5 to 10 degrees lower at the mountain peaks. Precipitation amounts are also higher (by over 30 percent) at the peaks. The most volatile weather is during the spring months, especially at the peaks. The summer is hot and humid, but more pleasant and comfortable at the mountain peaks. Autumn is characterized by warm days and cold nights and is considered the driest season in the region, while the winter is usually mild, although occasionally blizzards and severe weather conditions may prevail at the peaks.

Where to visit in the park:

The park has three visitor centers: The Sugarlands Visitor Center located about 3 km south of Gatlinburg (Tennessee), on Highway 441, which has a display of the park's flora and fauna. The Oconaluftee Visitor Center is located about 1.5 km north of Cherokee (in North Carolina) and has a display focusing on the changes in the environment and economy in the area over the years. Near the center is a small open-air museum called: Pioneer Farmstead which allows a glimpse into the lives of the first people who lived in the mountains. Further down the road leading to the park is a large water mill called: Mingus Mill which was used to grind corn. Today it operates for demonstrations from mid-April to the end of October. Anyone interested in Indian culture is invited to visit "Cherokee" where you can view an Indian museum, typical structures, and Indian performances.

Connecting these two visitor centers is a scenic road called: Newfound Gap Road. It is 53 km long, crosses the Smoky Mountains, and has many lookout points. This is the most impressive area in the park with the most beautiful views. In the summer months, the weather there is much more pleasant than in the lower areas of the park. During the drive on the road, due to the high elevation differences, the climate and vegetation change. In fact, you will feel that within an hour you moved from the state of Georgia to Canada. Almost all year round it may rain at the high peaks.

About 8 km from the Sugarlands Visitor Center, it is recommended to stop for a picnic at Chimneys and take a short walk of about 1.2 km on a hiking trail called: Cove Hardwood Nature Trail. From there, after a short drive, you should stop at an observation point called: Chimney Tops Overlooks which offers an impressive view of the mountain peaks. Continue driving until Newfound Gap, an observation point at an altitude of 1600 meters where the border between the state of Tennessee and North Carolina passes. A section of the Appalachian Trail also passes there. On a clear day, you can see the summit of Mt. LeConte, which is 2100 meters high. From there continue on a road called: Clingmans Dome Road which winds through a coniferous forest for 11 km until you reach a parking lot from which an 800-meter steep trail departs ending at an observation tower. This is the highest point in the park, its altitude: 2100 meters, and from it on a clear day, a magnificent panoramic view of the many hills that form the park is seen. But don't worry, even in foggy weather (typical for this place) you will see a great view of a sea of clouds from which unique and rich vegetation emerges, including a variety of wildflowers.

The third visitor center, The Cades Cove Visitor Center, is located inside the park in its western part and features a display of the history and culture in the area (this center is open in the winter months on weekends only). This center is located in the middle of a circular road called: Cades Cove Loop Road which is 17.5 km long, surrounding a vast flat area where many wild animals can be observed, mainly deer and wild goats. The main attraction in this area is the historic buildings that survived in the place, which mainly include residential houses, churches, and a water mill. At the peak of the tourist season, this road is busy and jammed and the drive on it can be long and exhausting, so if you are not history buffs, it is better to skip driving on it. This flat road is very popular with cyclists. In the summer months, it is closed on Wednesdays and Saturdays to car traffic until 10 AM to allow cyclists to enjoy the valley undisturbed.

Another scenic road worth driving is Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail which is 8 km long. This is a one-way route in a wild forest abundant with water (streams, flows, and waterfalls). The sound of flowing water is heard all along the way. Along the road are many hiking trails at all difficulty levels. This road is closed to car traffic in the winter months.

One of the best ways to escape the crowds visiting the park is to walk on the many and varied hiking trails in the park.

The popular trails for families are:

Laurel Falls – these are the most accessible waterfalls in the park. A paved trail 2 km long in each direction passes through a forest rich in vegetation and arrives at its end to the center of a series of waterfalls. The total height of the waterfall is about 19 meters. The starting point of the trail is from Little River RD road near Elkmont between the Sugarlands visitor center and Cades Cove.

Abrams Falls - the most photogenic waterfalls in the park, where the largest volume of water in the area flows. The length of the trail leading to the falls: 4 km. Difficulty level: medium. The trail starts at the back of Cades Cove road (not far from the Cades Cove visitor center).

Grotto Falls – a trail about 2 km long in each direction reaching waterfalls that you can walk behind. The trail passes along a river in a pastoral landscape in a forest rich in vegetation. Starts from the road: Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail near the town of Gatlinburg.

Balsam Mountain Trail - this is the easiest climbing trail in the park. A 2.4 km circular route departs from the "Balsam Mountain" campground and passes through diverse vegetation of trees and wildflowers. Throughout the route, there are explanations and identification marks of the different plants.

Additional activities

Another popular activity in the park is horseback riding. Several commercial stables operate inside the park, for example: Cades Cove - phone: 865-448-6286, Deep Creek - phone: 865-497-7503 and McCarters - phone: 865-436-5354.

Bathing and swimming in the park: In the park there are many streams and rivers, some quiet and some more turbulent and rocky. Officially, the National Park Service does not recommend swimming in them. In no place in the park are there any rescue services. At the same time, all along the way, you will see many people swimming or splashing in the water. On the very hot and humid summer days it is very refreshing and tempting to enter one of the streams. The two most popular areas for swimming in the park are at the "Big Creek" and "Abrams Creek" campgrounds. Remember that the water is quite cold and that bathing is at your sole responsibility.

 

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