Great Smoky Mountains National Park Reviews

It is so beautiful here. We did not walk any trails as there is very limited parking at any trail head but driving through the park you still soak up the beauty. In less busy areas you can pull over and sit by the water to enjoy your surroundings.

Very little of the Park is available from Gatlinburg due to washed out roads. We were bitterly disappointed to have so few trails available to us, and the Sugarlands Visitor Center was overrun along with the trails there.
To Cherokee and Kuohi, over 3 hours would have been required which we could not manage with young kids.
Don’t bother making the trip.

Beautiful park but I like Yosemite and Glacier better. We did 3 of four waterfall hikes and being 64 they were doable, but challenging!!
I would never recommend the Cades Cove Loop. We were there in May and the 11 mile loop took close to FIVE HOURS because the road was so backed up with people getting out of cars to take pictures. On this loop you have NO CHOICE but to wait as it is one lane, one way 😭. In addition there was not that much interesting on the loop anyway IMO. We did see a small bear in a tree on the Abrams trail in Cades Cove…
Recommend Pancake Pantry in Gatlinberg-there will be a line but it moves quickly…

this was our favorite part of the trip…we drove all the way to the top!- quiet, serene,, absolutely beautiful!…very chilly, bring a jacket or sweatshirt….

We visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park during Thanksgiving 2025 while staying in Gatlinburg, traveling with our two kids (11 and 8), and it was absolutely unforgettable. The park is beautiful, huge, and full of things to do for families.

One of the best parts is how accessible it is — you only need to buy a $5 parking tag, and then you can park anywhere in the park. From there, you have endless options: scenic drives, peaceful picnic areas, camping spots, and tons of walking and hiking paths for every level. The kids loved being able to explore safely, and every corner of the park feels like a postcard.

We spent our day driving through the mountains, stopping for short walks, taking photos, and grabbing something to eat in the designated areas. Even during a busy holiday week, the park felt spacious and well-managed.

It’s the kind of place you can visit again and again and still discover something new. We’re already planning to come back on our next trip. Highly recommended for families, nature lovers, and anyone wanting a true Smoky Mountains experience!

We were lucky enough to experience snow falling on our most recent visit and it was gorgeous. There are many overlooks to stop and take in the mountain views. We like to view the elk in Cataloochee Valley - they were very active in the late afternoon on the day we visited. Many options for hiking - something for everyone! Highly recommend visiting - it’s a wonderful way to see nature and history preserved.

Lots of turkeys, we saw some bears and deer. Loved the mountains lots of fun places to stop and just enjoy nature. Make sure to get your passport stamps at the ranger stations and visitor centers!!

I rate my experience a 4/5 because the trails were amazing but we had limited time because of elk crossing and high winds that closed one of the highways down so we could only stay in the park til 5. The bathrooms at Deep Creek Falls trail were very sanitary as well.

This is an amazing park with lots of hiking trails and views. Go hiking early, as parking can be challenging (though it keeps the trails from getting too congested). When we go back, we will look at what lodging options there are other than the crowded, chaotic, commercialized mess that Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are.

Beautiful scenery everywhere! Love the Smokies! Such a nice place to relax and unwind from city life! Laurel Falls trail is a nice hike!

This is such a beautiful national park. Surrounded by quiet nature and gorgeous green trees around every bend. I stopped quite a bit to take it all in. This just brought me back to when I was a kid exploring the woods finding creeks, rocks and wildflowers. Saw quite a few deer and elk too. And we experienced driving through some of those low hanging clouds. And then the sun would just pop right back out to blue skies.

We drove the short loop thru the Smokeys and it took a few hours. Thank goodness the roads are maintained so well . It was a breathtaking drive and spectacular views. There are small pull off places to stop and enjoy a waterfall, a stream, or a view.

I've been down several times and just enjoy the overall experience of the park. The views are breathtaking, and there are a lot of trails for different experience levels. Cades Cove is a great nature loop, and I highly recommend going to Clingmans Dome if the road is open (April - Oct I believe). I always plan on the whole day, but you could probably do a nice drive and maybe a short hike in a couple of hours.

Highly recommend the GPS based audio tour from GuideAlong for this park. We spent 3 days driving the entire park, stopping at many of the landmarks and hiking some of the easier trails. It was very busy in parts even this early in the season, and a few roads were closed until the end of March. However this is a great park to see many sights even from the car, so would be a perfect park to visit with people who cannot hike.

The park is a beautiful place. Love cades cove, some of the easier waterfall hikes, driving thru mountains. At Clingman's dome I would just stop and enjoy the view from the parking area at the top. The climb to the top is brutal and the view is not much different.

What an awesome park this is. What isn't to like there? Nature at is finest and able to soak in all of God's splendor. A must for anyone who loves nature.

We meant to hike the trail to Grotto Falls but the road was blocked so we hiked to Rainbow Falls instead. So call first to see what's open. Nearly 6 miles round trip was a little much for us but it was beautiful along the way. Trail was very well maintained - could be done in good tennis shoes. Trickling springs around every corner. We got to the park at 7:30am during spring break and got a parking spot right at the trail head. I think the whole thing took a good 3 hours (I'm the slow one with 3 kids 15-18) and there were a TON of cars all down the side of the road when we left. It was also nice and cool in the morning.

The views are incredible! Roller coasters are a blast. The food is great! We loved the friendly people. The shops are fully stocked!

What a beautiful, serene place to admire nature and animals of the park. Beautiful hiking trails and stunning views not to mention the fresh air. It’s a must when in Knoxville area.

We went in late October 2023. Fall colors were glorious. Hiking, walking and just taking in the beauty of this area. What a gift to all of us to have a place like this to visit. It was perfect. We went early in the morning and beat the crowds but even if crowded this is a place to go. Beautiful.

What a fantastic experience! Not enough time, though! You can do driving tours and walk a little, or you can hike and walk a lot! There is so much to do and the park rangers shared some of their best experiences with us and secrets on how to avoid the crowds! Beautiful does not even began to describe this place! It is rich in history and wildlife. Look out for the bears (we saw more in town rather than in the park!), wild turkeys and Elk! Stay a week if you are able and take in the whole park. If you get the chance, go out of your way to see Mingo Falls then sit there for awhile on the benches and enjoy the solitude. Go to Kuwohi visitor center for some great hiking trails and view if you don’t mind driving to the 6,000 plus elevation. Cades Cove Loop is nice if you don’t want to hike a lot and just prefer a great history lesson and viewing some phenomenal historic structures. Don’t forget to pack a picnic lunch each day, bring plenty of water and some toilet tissue (they have bathrooms but they are lacking in tissue and cleanliness). Despite the government shutdown this park is open!

Outstanding and beautiful. However, I’d not go during heavy tourist season. We did our waterfall hikes and Cades Cove early in the morning and that helped avoid the crowds.

As with anything you do, it’s what you make of it. We found joy in the wild animals, streams, and the silence of the forest.

Beautiful mountain drive with numerous streams, waterfalls and opportunities for hikes.
The Cade Cove historic farming district is well preserved and offers great information about the settlement of the area.

Our family spent two full days in Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

*Day 1 - Drove the Cades Cove loop with stops for short walks at several historical structures. We were fortunate to spot bears twice along the loop. We then drove to Sugarlands Visitor Center with a stop at The Sinks to view the roadside waterfall.

*Day 2 - Drove Newfound Gap Road between Sugarlands and Oconaluftee Visitors Centers, including a State Line photo op at Newfound Gap, a hike to the Clingmans Dome Tower and lunch at the very quiet Collins Creek Picnic Area. We explored the farm exhibits at Oconaluftee before heading back toward Gatlinburg. On the return trip, we lucked into an amazing roadside elk-viewing opportunity and stopped to explore the creek at Chimneys Picnic area.

We found low-cost audio tour guides for both days within the Great Smoky app. The guides were helpful for providing context, though the pace was slightly mismatched with our drive speed (we needed to stop to hear everything).

We visited mid-week in late April. Both days we entered the park by 9:30 am and felt our timing put us just ahead of much bigger crowds. The only notable traffic we experienced was a single “bear backup” in Cades Cove.

Coming from New Hampshire, we found both similarities and differences between the Smokies and the White Mountains we know back home (loved the log cabins and wide rivers!) Overall, this was a top-notch National Park experience for us.

What an amazing trip! I'll start with a couple of negatives: first, the road to Cherokee is closed due to a landslide, and second, the trails to Laurel Falls are closed until Fall 2026 for maintenance. Despite these setbacks, we had a wonderful time enjoying the majestic mountains, creeks, and wildlife!

We had a picnic along a beautiful creek and completed an 11-mile loop trail, where we visited old churches and homesteads. During our trip, we spotted a black bear right in front of us, a beautiful fox, and several deer. Even my 10-year-old Labrador was mesmerized by the beauty of the Smoky Mountains! ❤️

We also downloaded a guide app called GuideAlong for our trip through the Smokies. It was very informative and included details about the park's history. If you have time, I highly recommend taking a detour to Townsend to float on the river. We also went white-water rafting, which was a 40-minute drive from the park, but it was definitely worth it!

What a great place for day hiking as well as backpacking! You can't go wrong here! Charlie's Bunion is a personal favorite hike!

Beautiful national park with breathtaking views and many ways to enjoy. The parkway runs right through the mountains and pull offs allow for picture perfect views.

I must admit I wasn’t sure how many stars to give this place for the nature and the wild life I would give it a 6 if possible but for the organization of the park I would give it a 2 star. We were here in June and it was way over crowded and I know it’s not the park’s fault that so many people don’t care about others and just park where ever they feel like it blocking the roads. Also people let their kids walk right up to a small black bear cub not thinking about that mother bear probably won’t like them so close to her cub and this so close to a bear being shot after getting to used to people. For me it’s time for this park to realize the number of visitors is getting to large for a self drive they have to stop the self driving and put in busses instead this way people and wildlife will be safe. I know a lot of people won’t like this but going there was like being in a parade not a nature park.

Visit the Smokies, much to do here; getting a bit too crowded, but always find quiet things to do to enjoy nature, quiet places after a day or two of touristy stuff in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN

We have been vacationing in Gatlinburg since 1986 and the GSMNP is by far our favorite attraction! Once we had our two sons and began bringing them along, we spent the majority of our time in the park and now that they are grown and have their own children they all have a love of the outdoors that began with our trips to the park!

This is a free National Park; however, there were notices about needing to pay for a parking ticket if more than 15 minutes. Probably for those hiking the trails. We were disappointed because certain roads were closed pending April 1 opening. Some like the picnic parking areas could be open.

Could use some rest rooms in some of the locations. I saw multiple people pooping almost out in the open. Literally littering poop paper towels along the riverbanks. Just a shame. I know when you have to go you have to go but having some bathroom along the way you would cut down on some of this that litters the beautiful park.

First timer. It's a beautiful park, but too many people and no park staff to assist with crowd control. I was in a stalled line of traffic for over an hour attempting to reach Clingmans Dome. Finally made it, but there were lots of tourists making it difficult to navigate or enjoy the natural beauty. Granted, it was Black Friday. Several fellow tourists who'd visited many times said they had never seen it so crowded. I know I won't be back. I had been advised Gatlinburg is "Myrtle Beach without the beach." True. And sad. The town is overdeveloped and over-commercialized.

Sooooo beautiful and peaceful. Yes, there are other tourists, but so are you. Gorgeous nature, scenic views, wildlife, history - everything you need. We did the Cades Cove drive, and it was perfect.

I've honestly always wondered what the hype around GSMNP was since there really aren't the features other parks boast like a half dome, or Old Faithful, etc... But after visiting, I definitely started to begin to understand the hype. I do still think much of the crowd comes through due to it being a really central place to visit on the East Coast, and is convenient to many cities, however it is an amazing place to view wildlife.
On our short drive through the park, with a handful of stops we saw a Black Bear, and got within 50 yards of an entire herd of Elk. The park also is very green, with tons of natural beauty, and is much cooler in temperature than the surrounding areas due to the elevation. The visitor's center area on the North Carolina side was a fun spot for our kids to explore all of the old timey buildings and also see lots of Elk in the meadow and hiding away by the river. Excited to come back and spend more time here.

Literally, one of the worst experiences of my, and my parents, traveling life. Went to Cades Cove on November 8th at 4pm. An 11 mile loop, with a 20 mph speed limit. Should take at most half an hour - took TWO HOURS!!! This was all due to idiotic drivers stopping to watch grass grow. Just morons as far as the eye could see. At one point rangers were waiving people to move but people ignored them. You were trapped amongst Troglodytes not knowing how to drive and no alternative routes. Even laying on my horn, did no good. Just horrible, horrible people and experience. Would never recommend

Very well kept and clean. They were repaving the road to Clingman's Dome this year, and a few years back were paving 441. You can tell they do put money into the park to keep it clean and in good working condition. I've always really enjoyed the park rangers here, as they're very approachable and informative. The bathroom facilities, even the privys, are usually clean and stocked, and the picnic areas are well cared for and of abundance throughout the park. This is my favorite place to visit, above the beach, and above any other national park. I come back year after year, sometimes more, as I fell in love with the place as a young child.

Such a beautiful park- except, the driving was horrible. Yes, it is fall. Hours to drive a few miles is too much. Wish the park would utilize electric hop on and off buses. We were prepared for slow traffic, but not to this extent. The park itself is lovely.

Absolutely loved going through the Park. So beautiful in the fall, or any time of year really. Positively gorgeous.

Beautiful park with an abundance of hiking trails and scenic drives. Everywhere you turn you are either hiking or driving near water. Newfound road gap is closed due to a rock avalanche but a Ranger at the welcome center gave us several other trails to hike that were great. There are also many scenic drives to take with many pull offs and small trails along the way. There is no shortage of things to see. We did not have any trouble finding parking at this time of year. We were told by the Park ranger that this is a great time to visit. We were "tweeners" . Here between Labor day and the "leaf lookers" :) when it gets busy again. Cades Cove was a lovely drive with great views after a long morning of hiking. The Foothills Parkway was a beautiful long drive, I think about 30 miles, with spectacular views very high up of the Park. We had a mixed group of hikers and non-hikers so we mixed up the days with different things. We saw bears every day of our visit for a week.

Beautiful views of the mountains. We stopped several times to take photos of the incredible views. We stopped at an information center to ask about scenic route to Asheville. We drove through the Park, then connected to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which was also very scenic. It does cost $5 per car to park, if you are interested in hiking. We drove through.

There were so many people, you couldn’t get into the park or walk around Gatlinburg.
We were so disappointed. We have been to many National Parks and never had this happen to us.

Excellent park. Easy to drive by car. Beautiful views. Very peaceful and tranquil. Hiking on the trail is very enjoyable.

We were expecting road closures in the park as the NPS app said there were closures due to downed trees. We were pleasantly surprised the roads we traveled on were open. So, maybe don’t trust all alerts on the app.

We only had time to do Cades Cove Loop. We got to the park around 9am at the Townsend entrance. There was little traffic. It was a beautiful day. We saw a black bear and wild turkeys. We left the park around noon and it definitely picked up with congestion. There are not a lot of spots to pull over.

Highly recommend going during off seasons.

The park is beautiful. There are trails for experienced hikers and inexperienced parents with strollers. I wish I got to see more of the park, but it is difficult with a one-year-old. Stop at some of the pull-offs to take some pictures with great views.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Lots of wildlife, mountain streams and hiking trails for all levels.

We had great weather for our trip (Oct 19-21). The leaves were just changed enough to add color. We stayed at a major hotel chain on the main highway in Pigeon Forge across from the Island, and very near Wears Valley Rd. If you go to see the Smokies and not the "touristy" stuff, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND going west on Wears Valley to Line Springs Rd. From there, you can go west to Cades Cove, which we did for the half day after we got there. Then we did the same route the next day but went east over to 441, which comes out near the Visitor Center, and went south all the way to Cherokee and back, stopping at lots of overlooks and Kuwohi (formerly Clingman's Dome). The hike up to the Kuwohi lookout is uphill, so you have to go slow, but it is worth it at the top. We did NOT go through Gatlinburg at all. We heard traffic is atrocious and we were there for the beauty of the mountains, not the touristy stuff. The drive that follows the river to the visitor center when you go the Wears Valley way is gorgeous!

Beautiful! Seeing a bear made my whole trip! Had two guided hikes and one on our own. Be prepared for changing weather conditions. It rained so hard at one point, was freezing at the top of the Mt. LeConte trail, and humid on the next day. Cell service very limited. One thing that surprised me was the challenge to get parking at the trailheads. Wow. We were at the park usually by 8:00 am and still had a hard time finding parking. It’s gorgeous. No wonder there are so many visitors.

Love,love,love the Great Smokey Mountains! They are just absolutely breathing! We hiked 3 trails while we were there. A total of 9 miles we hiked! We seen 19 bears total on this trip. Just being in the nature trails, picnicking, the water falls, just everything about the park was amazing. We rather be in the park than in the town.

Absolutely gorgeous scenery, if you have never been here I highly suggest making the trip. This park is literally the people’s national park and entrance is free although you are required to buy a parking pass if you drive through the park. We saw some bear eating blackberries in a field, too many deer to count, birds galore, marmot and woodchuck, two foxes and that’s just a partial list.

We stayed in a small cabin called bear haven in Townsend. This part was great. Saw no bears sadly
Nice hot tub and forest view

Did Ricky top mountain coaster which was lots of fun but long lines

DO NOT GO TO GATLINBURG OR STAT THERE UNLESS YOU LIKE BEING IN TOURIST HELL HOLE

Townsend is peaceful and nice. Try little river pub . So cute and outside area great.

Cades cove a bit disappointing- way way too many cars lined up everywhere and no bears or wildlife.

Too much touristy expensive crappy theme parks in the Smokey’s nothing is authentic except Townsend town

This was our second time here, it, so beautiful! Coming during cool weather was especially nice, not as many people. We were able to take our time and enjoy everything. We plan to come again in spring.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is sensational!! We loved our time in the Smokies as we traversed all the roads and trails that the park has to offer. The smoke coming off the mountains are surreal, and the views are so amazing. Lots of bears, deer, and elk are just the beginning of seeing some amazing wildlife. Can't wait to post some pictures.

The GSMNP is the most beautiful area I have ever visited. The forest covered mountains provide beautiful vistas and hikes. The streams are enchanting & very enjoyable to hear while hiking. The trails are easy to follow and rarely crowded, apart from a few of the crowd favorites. The wildlife is amazing, especially with the occasional black bear. No trip to Gatlinburg is complete without some hikes in the mountains.

I so want to enjoy this park, its the only one we live close to, but it just isnt there. I guess the first hint to the area is the main road, on one end a casino and on the other a tourist trap. Its a pretty enough road with nice turn offs. The major problem as I see it is the amount of bikers on it. Its not just a biker or two, no big deal but more of a line up of bike clubs all out touring. At one of the pull offs, I counted four separate groups and there were more going by. The mountains rumbled loudly with the constant racket of bikes up and down the road. We never saw anything larger than a bird that day, it was likely deaf. I have never lived with back yard that noisey and i felt terribly sorry for the animals who had to deal with that.

I go back, hoping it was a bad day and a yr later, 2 yrs later, this IS the park. Noisey. Ive seen elk there, but they are usually surrounded by people jumping out of their vehicles trying to pet the local wildlife. While this can happen and does in many parks, this has been by far the worst for it.

I just dont get it. Its too commercialized.

We went to drive the Cade's Cove 11-mile loop on a Tuesday early afternoon ... and it took us 3 hours! We were not able to stop at many places along (like waterfalls and historic buildings) because there was no where to park! It was bumper to bumper traffic for 10 of the 11 miles - no much fun. Also we did not see any elk or bear, just 2 lone deer and some crows.

People told us the best wildlife viewing would be very early morning or evening ... so we avoided those thinking it wouldn't be so busy - WRONG. There simply were too many people for the very few parking spots available.

What a beautiful national park! Very peaceful to listen to the mountain water roll along the rocks. Seeing the pretty trees changing colors. This is a must do when here in the fall. We will definitely come back again.

The view from the two famous vantage points are amazing. It is easy to see why this is one (if not THE) most visited national parks in the US. The walk to the Kuwohi observation post is a short test on physical fitness, but worth it.

Words cannot describe the awesomeness of the Smoky Mountains. The beauty of the mountains, tress, wildllife and mountain streams in this National Park leaves you breathless. In Gatlinburg itself we took the sky lift up to the top of Crockett Mountain where the Sky Bridge is located. When walking across the bridge you are afforded a magnificent view of the mountains. About halfway across there is a glass panel you can look down upon the trees and other scenery. There are so many other things to do I cannot mention all of them. If you want to be among nature and beauty I highly recommend a visit to this national treasure. We plan on making a return trip next year.

We were in the area on vacation, and visiting the park was part of our plans. We took a day and spent several hours making our way through Great Smoky Mountains National Park, enjoying every minute of it. Between the amazing scenic views and hiking, it was an all around great time. We even got lucky enough to see a small bear, and also got to experience being up in the clouds. Would definitely recommend splitting things up and making this a place to cover over two days, as one day is definitely not enough!

Such a beautiful huge park. We went in early spring. Snow was on the high peaks the 1st 2 days and was so beautiful. There are so many roads and trails to explore. The boulder covered creeks were 1 of our favorite spots to hike. Lots of wildlife. There is a lot of traffic at times so patience is critical.

See as much as you can! Climb, hike, or just drive by. DW & I saw elk but I was driving and missed the bear in the stream, so I guess we have to go back again. Darn it...

We had a great trip, visiting from England, and did several trails. We had our 8 and 5 year old kids with us and managed to find plenty of family friendly hikes.

Hen Wallows: nearly 10km hike, no views really, but we saw white tailed deer. Nice little bridges and good forest. Was good on a cloudy day when views from higher up were impossible.

Clingmans Dome and exploring on the Silers track: this was brilliant! A clear day which was lucky. GET UP EARLY!! Firstly the sunrise view ok the drive up was spectacular (stop a Newfound Gap for breathtaking views). And secondly the parking at Clingmans was easy, but as we left at lunchtime the queue coming in was at least 250 cars (no joke) waiting on a ‘one out - one in’ parking situation. Totally worth an extra jaunt onto Silers track, was great with the kids - occasional great views, interesting track along the ridge.

Alums Cave Bluff - fab track with kids, nice creek, cool rock arch, friendly atmosphere. Get early to park.

A must do! Beautiful scenery. Momma bears and cubs many with twins and triplets. Deer, turkeys and pioneer buildings to explore.

It was great there's a lot of nature, and the trails are worth it. The waterfalls are fabulous.
Hope they get more support.

spent a couple of hours driving thru. beautiful area. the colors were beautiful. went during the week so was not to crowed. plenty of place to stop and take pictures.

Big Creek Hose Camp is truly one of the worst horse campgrounds that I have stayed at. Before booking, please look at the accomodations for your horse and the road to get into the campground. They horse stalls or whatever they are, are extrememly dangerous. One spook of your horse from a person or even bee sting could put your horse in serious jeopardy. There is a one lane bridge you must go over to get to the campground. It is very tight and my 3 horse Lakota only made it by inches because the bridge is on a curve which makes it very difficult. Clearly, no person with horse experience designed this campground. Additionally, there is no easy way to clean up after your horse. Once you get it into the wheel barrows provided, you need to then empty the wheel barrow by scooping it again into a trailer. There is no easy way to dump it. There is one water spigot in the horse camp that was broken when we arrived. It was repaired in 2 days which was fairly quick. The maintence staff member is extremely rude and nasty. The volunteer and campground host we met was very nice and friendly. It is a 5.1 mile trek to other trailheads. You really need to plan at least a 20 mile ride if you want to do a loop. Most of the horse trails deadend with hiker only trails. Please look at the trail map and the designated horse trails before making the deicsion to stay here. The horse camp is also over flow parking for the non-horse campground and the trail. It is very crowded. There is a bathroom at the campground and it was clean (toilets and sink opnly, no shower) The one saving grace regarding this campgound is the 5.1 mile trail to the other trail heads. It is extrememly beautiful and scenic and some of the prettiest nature I have seen.

The scenery is extraordinary, mountains, streams, and wildlife. Actually, saw bears this trip. Visiting the mountain churches and cemetaries takes you into history past.

We stayed in Gatlinburg the weekend of August 12 - August 14. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is so beautiful and absolutely breathtaking.
We were told a bear had just crossed the road moments before as we were driving through the park for about 2 hours. Even though I didn't see the bear it was great to experience the beauty and the tranquility of the water flowing through the park and the views were amazing!

I can't express how beautiful the scenery is. Breath taking views are an understatement! If you have an all wheel drive or 4 wheel drive and a day to kill, I highly recommend taking the Parson Branch Rd and driving the dragon.

Our history and nation is well preserved in any n all of our national parks thanks to the foresight of some remarkable Americans. The Smokies are a true treasure everyone should see n enjoy. We did several hikes and the trails are well kept and worth every step.

We really enjoyed this park. Over the course of a week, we were able to explore all of the motor trails, many day hikes, and walked around some of the historic structures. We spotted tons of turkeys, a few bats, elk, deer, and even a bear. Around every corner is beautiful examples of temperate rainforest, which was a first experience for me. Next time we are going to search a little harder to see some salamanders and hopefully do a little harder hikes. I wish they had more signage around the park but we got around just fine with a map and a guidebook. Through most of the park, we had very limited cell service. It also got very crowded on the weekends, so best to plan accordingly. It has a wide variety of trails including some paved trails. On almost every one of the trails, recommend bug spray!

Love going to the park. The lookout parking places are great for photos, hike one of the many trails. Good times.

This is a great park in the Southern Appalachians. When I visited in early April, spring had not quite arrived, and thankfully it was not super crowded. I spent most of my time in the Clingmans Dome area. After checking out the observation deck (unfortunately it was foggy and there were no views), I hiked a bit of the Appalachian Trail before trekking to Andrews Bald, when the sky opened up to a pretty vista.

It was quite cold when I arrived in the morning, and parking was not an issue. There were some snow flurries, and later in the day there was even a closure of the main road through the park due to the possibility of ice. If you're not able to hike to a waterfall, Meigs Falls, off Little River Gorge Road, is a nice option. While not as spectacular as other national parks, it's still a beautiful place to spend a day.

Loved driving through the National Park, beautiful country and lots of wildlife. My suggestion is to have a physical map as we lost gps signal and were misdirected several times.

Yes it can be crowded. It is also beautiful. A must see! Enjoy the changes as the sun crosses the sky, never the same view twice!

This is the fourth time I have been to this park over 40 years. Each time I come here, I see how touristy and crowded it has become. The scenery, when you can get to it, is very nice. Been to every waterfall in the park, trails are always crowded and in deteriorating condition. Depending on the time of year and rainfall can be quite disappointing. Need to limit number of people in the park each day like Zion. Gatlinburg has become disneyland and Pigeon Forge worse. This park while is no longer worth the trip...be prepared for long lines and waits, even during off peak times. Best to pick another park or destination.

It's an amazing place to go see nature. it has beautiful sceneries to see. Great for families and pets.

Beautiful Mountains. This park is wonderful and it's free. You just need a parking pass. My husband and I hiked Laurel Falls ( 3 miles) and Cades Cove ( 5 moderate miles).Both hikes had water falls and it was worth the hike. I can't wait to return. It's not to cold for February but, dress right and take water and snacks if needed. If you go in the fall take a helicopter ride to see the fall colors. It's awesome!

Our first time to this park. HUGE park that you should really set aside a couple days to explore. We explored Cades Cove, Newfound Gap, and Clingman's Dome. Wish we could have done more. Set aside a lot of hours to drive through Cades Cove because it takes forever to get through with all of the people visiting. Pack snacks and a lunch, water, drinks, etc for that drive. Clingman's Dome is awesome, but take your time and take it easy walking it. It's like a straight up the hill walk to get even get to the dome to start that walk. This park is BEAUTIFUL and so worth it. We saw dozens of bear, many turkeys, and a couple of elk. Did the Laurel Falls hike, too. Got there at 8:00 am before it got too busy. The place was packed by 9:00 am.

In itself a nice park but I have seen nicer locations. The waterfalls where very spectacular is spoken of we found very disappointing especially for the distance that has to run for it such as the gotto. View from clingmans doom is worth it, the route cades cave loop is very busy but there is a good chance that you will encounter bears or other wildlife. Everywhere along the way you have viewpoints that actually all amount to the same thing. Along the way several old buildings, water mills and goidzoekers amenities to see.

This park is incredible and the best part no fees to enter. So many trails , so little time! Incredible views. This place is so special everyone needs to connect with the mountains and nature. This is a great National Park and an American treasure

Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge and neighboring tourist towns, have many restaurants, theaters, shopping, and activities, if you can get in due to the crowds. Visitors have reported sitting in traffic for two hours. Once they’ve driven around looking for something to see/eat, visitors find themselves in the overpriced tourist trap area. The cities are filled with pricy overcrowded restaurants - IF you get in - and there is no parking!
If you’re looking for solitude in the park, it might be hard to find here. You aren’t likely to have an area to yourself anywhere. Wildlife viewing is impossible when there are crowds as the animals are more likely to be hiding.  Numerous people, means numerous cars. Unfortunately, parking is tough. The trailheads have small parking lots, making it extremely difficult to find a place to park due to the overcrowding. It isn’t uncommon for hikers to abandon their hike simply because there was no available parking. Great hikes and viewing Falls aren’t as great if you can’t even get onto the trail. The park's mountainous roads are narrow, winding and heavily traveled. Expect very long traffic delays. Speed limits are generally 35 mph or less. Cars travel much slower because of the traffic jams.
We love Tennessee! This was a beautiful place to visit! What happened? This entire area now is overcrowded!

A must see for everyone. The view is amazing. The visitor centers are nice and bathrooms are clean. You don’t need a map to see most things.

I’m sure this visit would have been spectacular IF we hadn’t gone on Wednesday! We drove all the way there and couldn’t get into or past Cade’s Cove because they close the park on Wednesdays! My granddaughter ( and all of us, frankly) were extremely disappointed! Wish we would have known ahead of time so we could have rearranged our plans!

The National Park is so Great we keep coming back. So much to see and so much to do. If you are young, go Now while you can enjoy it all.
We are seniors so we are limited on hiking, but we love Cades Cove, Roaring Fork, Clingmans dome, Sugarlands visitor center, Oconaluftee Visitors center. Seeing bears, Elk, wild turkey. All great.
We visited for six days, and left with things to do next visit.

We drove and hiked for a couple of days in the Smokies. Countless turnouts and trailheads to explore the mountains but be prepared, the Smokies are steep. A two-mile hike seems easy unless it is one mile straight up on stairs. We are already planning on our return. Please note, there is little service in the mountains so have a paper map on hand.

Beautiful park, especially in the fall with the colors of the trees. Be sure to drive through the park to be able to experience it the right way. The park drive is a little mountainous, but there are plenty of pullouts and places to stop to enjoy the views.

Great views from cabin or while driving. Finding a parking spot in the park is difficult due to most people not purchasing required parking pass.

Lots of great eating places and shopping options. Fun place to visit, heavy tourist traffic.

So vast! This place made me fall in love with National Parks. Looking forward to many more visits. Gets very crowded at times, arrive early and check the weather and any road closures.

As someone coming from a relattively flat area of North America, the hills and vistas of the Smoky Mountains are fantastic. To see them in such pristine condition is just that much better!

This is why we come here!!! Sure the towns are nice...but I come for nature. The wildlife, the breathtaking view, the waterfalls and the fun little roads that my Jeep loves to explore.

The main reason we came here on vacation was to get lost in the woods! We love to hike, and this was HEAVEN!! Streams, creeks, waterfalls, trees, and more trees! Kids had a blast connecting with nature. I carried the gear, family brought there hiking shoes...

Driving thru the park is amazing no matter what time of year you go. If you are lucky you may even see a bear or two ! Lots to do if you like to hike, there are lots of trails. Make sure to take a trip out to Cades Cove on your drive, it's a really cool place to visit.

We always have to go through the loop when we visit Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge! They have some great picnic spots and hiking trails for any persons ability! Also they have restrooms that are decently clean! I love taking my camera for some great pictures!

Had a wonderful time hiking this park. Very relaxed and many of the trails had pavement which I wasn't expecting. The people I ran into were very nice. Lots of families hiking here. I did the waterfall trecks which were very scenic so be sure to bring your camera. Was amazed at how many black bears I saw on this trip so be wary of them and stay safe. Well worth the visit here.

A beautiful national park, very busy place on weekends, but be careful driving Cades Cove on Thursday. Wednesdays are closed to vehicular traffic.

I don't know where to start--the glorious mountain vistas, the variety of trails from easy to expert level, the waterfalls, the wildlife--watch out for the "bear jams." We've wanted to visit Great Smoky Mountains NP for a long time, and this visit exceeded our expectations. Bring your camera, binoculars, and comfortable walking/hiking shoes.

THE views are breathtaking and we saw 5 bears this visit. We went on 3 walks to waterfalls All amazing. What a mighty God we serve!

The Smokies never disappoint. Very nice drive across the Monutain, saw a bunch of Elk and we were nearing Cherokee.

This place is absolutely breath taking. The mountains, big beautiful trees, and beautiful streams of flowing water. We enjoyed just driving through and stopping at the pull offs to look around and take in the views. Be careful not to go too fast because there are bears roaming around. We got lucky enough to see one crossing the road, but unfortunately we were not fast enough to take a picture.
I do recommend stopping by the visitors center and getting a time stamp of your visit. If you don’t have a book, I’m sure you can purchase one similar to mine.

All in all, visiting the national park and Gatlinburg area was a let down. We loved our stay at the Gatlinburg River Inn. It had great river views and was dog friendly. Convenient to walking into Gatlinburg or taking the free trolley. Otherwise, parking was very expensive and hard to find. Same with the national park! There is a daily $5 parking fee, which is the only expense for visitors, but at the time we were there over two days, you couldn’t find a space to park. Several trails were also closed. Scenery was beautiful, but good luck finding a place to park for hiking! Also at Clingman’s, after waiting and finally finding a parking spot, dogs aren’t allowed. I had to wait for my husband to make the hour hike. There were no benches or areas to wait with a dog. Bathrooms were also pretty bad.

This is a beautiful mountain land that has dramatic elevations and lush forest. The road through the park has many observation points that capture the sheer drops and rugged terrain. My wife and I arrive at the east park entrance at about 1 pm. While there is not a park fee, the park service does sell $5 daily parking passes that you will need if you choose to park your car at the many trailheads or viewing areas. Given the park's attraction, there are many visitors. Driving through the park is not an obstacle. However, stopping at the most popular attractions is a challenge if you do not arrive early. Overall, an excellent trip - but, plan accordingly.

What a beautiful park! It does seem unlike the parks we've visited in the western U.S., in that I didn't see any places that visitors could camp. Although my husband and I no longer camp, I treasure the memories of living briefly in various parks, forests, and beautiful locations, communing with nature. Great Smoky Mtns Park doesn't seem to give that opportunity--unless I missed it. And that is possible.

One other problem--it was quite crowded when we were there. For a park--a place where people want to connect with nature--the crowds are disappointing. However, I understand that people from the entire Atlantic seaboard are coming to enjoy their park. No way around this, I guess.

Extraordinary landscapes. Nature's beauty awaits you here. The morning haze as you drive up the mountains is mesmerizing. Bring a picnic lunch, or drop by one of the great restaurants in town. You will experience God's creation up close, here in the Smokies.

Fantastic views, trails, and an am amazing experience. This should be rated number one of things to do in and around Gatlinburg.

We've made a trip to the Smokies for the past 15 years. Love the blend of nature with touristing. This year we were there, as usual, mid October when the leaves are ordinarily in full splendor. Apparently on account of the government shutdown the switch to show the natural beauty of the mountains wasn't switched as the trees were all plain old green leaves. Still a magnificent display of nature's beauty and like no other national park.

Amazing National Park. No matter what road you travel there are views. Hiking was great and plenty of trails, sometimes parking was tight so be sure to have back up trails.

If you want to see bears, Cades Cove in the morning is a good bet. Also, many trails have waterfalls and somewhat easy hikes, even for a four legged animal like myself.

Clingsmen Dome is a nice drive and then you are at the highest point in the Smokies.

Experience the natural beauty of this spectacular National Park. You must hike to Clingman’s Dome and Laurel Falls, visit historic Cade’s Cove and stop along the way at all the houses, barns and churches. In the park be sure to stop and hike some of the “quiet walks”. You might be the only visitor there.

We headed out in the morning to Clingmans Dome. Once to top it was 20 degrees cooler(54!) and foggy. So decided to do Laurel falls instead and come back later.
OMG the traffic on these narrow roads!!! Then had to park about 1/2 mile down road and walk up to the entrance to Laurel falls trail. The trail was crowded and felt rushed to move along. The falls are beautiful but way too many people.
I guess it best to get there as early as possible to enjoy nature without soo many people. We didn’t get to make it back to clingmans dome-there unfortunately was a bad accident.

My family and I try to visit at least once a year! We love it so much. Riding around and looking at all the sights and getting out in nature is our favorite thing. It's just absolutely gorgeous!

We live about 8 hours away so try to come to the park every year-it's our favorite national park on the east coast.

We arrived yesterday & today drove from PF to Cherokee. The leaves are past prime now on the NC side. However, they are still beautiful- brilliant mostly yellow colors.

The park is most crowded from 10-4pm. Arrive at daybreak & there are sparse crowds. Or stay after 5pm. But be forewarned of driving these roads at night as they can be dangerous.

We went today as it had just rained last night so there was beautiful fog in the valleys.

Tip: slow down- the roads are twisty & turny. There is a reason the speed limit is 35mph!

We highly recommend the Cherokee Museum in Cherokee. We have been there before & always go. It's important to understand the history of the American Indian & this museum does a great job of it.

Great park, there are even variety of trails that are suitable for families with small children in a stroller. Everybody in visitor center are very nice and helpful.

Of course, the park is massive, so this is a quick review of the Sugarlands Visitor Center region. Easy enough to get in there, though Pigeon Forge can be a huge bottleneck if entering that way. The visitor's center was nice enough. We went *very* early for the drive through Cades Cove. I'd say the very beginning is the area with phenomenal mountain views, but after that it's like any other valley path of limited value otherwise. No reason to be stuck in your car for hours for that, so turn off asap. The remainder of the park reminds me of other eastern NPS sites, so I don't think there's much unique in that.

Probably a must visit place if are in USA or visiting USA. Plenty of natural amusement and beautiful serene views. Use the guide along app, formerly Gypsy app to navigate.

Excellent experience with hiking trails, local restaurants are excellent , I specifically recommend Local Goats to everyone. TripAdvisor trip plan is very helpful to organize our trip. Highly recommended to everyone, I will use it again for my next trip

Great Smoky Mountains is not the most spectacular national park, but it has a lot of variety that makes it well-worth visiting. The eponymous mountains are definitely a highlight, but can be a bit capricious. The view from the peak on Clingman’s Dome was mostly obscured by clouds, but I got some unexpectedly great views on Alum Cave Trail later on. The bears on Cades Cove Loop were another highlight. I saw multiple adult bears and cubs in a few hours having never seen more than one at any other park. The Park also includes lower-profile features like several small but picturesque waterfalls, old cabins and farm buildings and all kinds of wildlife including elk, wild turkeys and salamanders. The drive through the Park and its roaring creek is an attraction itself. Although the Park is large and has hundreds of miles of hiking trails, I was able to drive the two main park roads and see the waterfalls, wildlife and mountains in 1.5 days; it felt like a thorough visit.

We came at the height of fall foliage and it was gorgeous! Went on a couple of hikes (one easy and one strenuous) and enjoyed them both. The natural beauty and smell of the forest was peaceful. There was only one trail open to takes dogs (apparently there are too many bears in the area) so we had to leave ours back at the hotel. When we went there was no admission fee. It was very crowded in spots (the main visitors center was packed). There are not enough superlatives to show how wonderful this place is.

Based on road 441 between Cherokee and pigeon forge, Tennesse. many tracks, some of them leading to waterfalls. It was busy on Saturday and Sunday in October.

Big disappointment.
Mid- June 2025 and it’s crowded with cars and people whenever you go.
Many places/points of interest are closed for maintenance.
Forget about finding parking near a major attraction - even the visitor center’s parking lot were overflowing.
Hundreds of car wondering in and out the park looking for parking polluting the air - why not a trolly?
There is no active movie theater. The only one they had was discontinued for Covid and was never reinstated…

The park is beautiful. Both informative without distracting from the nature. The hiking trails are well maintained and the park rangers are very helpful.

Yeah the mountains were nice but there was no krystals . I was looking forward to having my little mini burgers and looking at the mountains. Bummer!

Great times, with so much to do. Clingmans dome, roaring forks motor trail, great scenic overlooks. Hope to do cades cove next time.

If you want a day stuck in traffic- this park is for you. We love to go to National parks and this one was the worst! Yes, it is beautiful, and yes we did get to see a few bears, but that got very overshadowed by the people that visit the park. If you want to sit in traffic all day and not move for 10-15 minutes at a time, then maybe go 4 to 5 mph when you get to move, then you may enjoy this place. There needs to be more signs along cades cove to not stop and block traffic. It’s an 11 mile loop that you will be stuck on for hours (it took us 2.5 hours)!!!! Senior citizens even got out of their car and walked faster than we drove. I thought this would be a day of peace and tranquility and I left the park absolutely stressed out!!!! I had a much better time enjoying the Smokey Mountains from the cabin we rented in the woods.

I will say that the park rangers are very nice and informative if you get a chance to talk with any of them. To visit the park is free, you only need to purchase a $5 parking pass (be sure to have your cars license plate number to enter it at the kiosk). It’s sad that we didn’t even get to do a hike because all we wanted to do after we drove through cades cove was to get out of the park as fast as we could.

Amazing Fall Color Drive... You may have your drive interrupted by Fog at times. But depending on the time of day and weather conditions, you may see for miles.

Our daughter started out the journey saying Starved Rock in Illinois was the best natural wonder to see. Now she wants to Live in or around the Smokies.

I went in the Spring Break of April 2023, in my junior year, and despite the weather being cloudy and rainy, i got to see the beautiful mountains and loved the view of seeing them.

This place is so wonderful !!!! If you have the time to visit, we highly recommend … the scenery was above and beyond anything we could have thought. We can’t wait to visit again.

Breathtaking views. Bring binoculars, trail shoes, water, sunglasses, walking stick. Pickup map at welcome center. Flowers, trees, deer, birds. Hiking trails. Hollows, mountains, valleys, tunnels. Overlooks. Picnic tables.

Its a massive park. Very pretty with many areas where you can stop and take a look. You pay $5 for a day pass for parking. The pamphlets are $1 each. Trails aren't marked the best. It was very busy on a weekday in early May. The Laural Falls (?) hike was a no go becuse there was no parking spot.

Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Dollywood are all one huge circus, a tourist trap; strictly made for picking your pockets. Here the SMOKEY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK is the ONLY real deal! The PARK with its beautiful vistas, historical attractions, numerous hiking opportunities, and bears is a destination worth visiting. Just driving around we saw 3 sets of mamma bears with 2 cubs each grazing in the fields; really up close! Seriously, we were about a hundred yards from a couple encounters! Scary but wonderful! The wedding we came for and the PARK made this trip very memorable! The tourist traps are a waste of your time, but the PARK is a wonderful destination. Many B&B’s can accommodate your visit; don’t forget your hiking boots/shoes!

There is a reason this park is the most visited national park, it is BEAUTIFUL! There are so many hikes to go on, and plenty of waterfalls as well. There is also different hiking paths for different skill levels as well. The park does get VERY BUSY, so go during the off season, or go very early in the day! The park rangers are all very helpful and friendly as well!

First time visit! We entered from the south through Cherokee. Stopped at the visitor's center. Talked with a ranger about the wildlife in the park. Very informative! The drive was amazing. Stopped at scenic outlooks along the way. Also stopped at Sugarland visitor's center and hiked to Cataract falls.

Cute tourist town. Walkable, beautiful in the fall. Parking is $20 and limited. Get there early. Crowds are plentiful.

It was before the crowds hit. Middle of May
The hiking was good and the bear spotting in Cades Cove was a lot of fun. We saw 17 bears in 3 days. It’s an 11 mile loop .
I recommend going in the spring before the summer and fall traffic

Great hike. Scary fun with my kids to the first waterfall. 2.4 there and back. Straight drops. Beautiful sites. Amazing areas to rest and play on the mountain. Take your time and enjoy the moment. Let yourself go and breathe the mountain air. Come early to get a parking spot. Other than that. WOW.

Absolutely breathtaking and massive national park. The trails were so cool, waterfalls weee beautiful. So many to pick from, we will have to go back. Saw many rivers and bears and just had an amazing time. Started at Sugarlands entrance and there is a waterfall right there.

The Smoky's are a place that has been on my bucket list for years. I'm older now and thought enough talk, I am going!
I rented a Harley in Nashville, (of course that was a choice), and off I went.
The ride from Nashville to Gatlinburg is long. (abut 3 1/2 hours, but it was the only "near" location I could find a bike rental.
Here are my key thoughts:
1) The place is spectacular
2) It is built for bikes but cars are certainly welcome
3) If you are a timid driver, this is not the place to go, as most of the roads are 2 lanes and filled with turns, some quite sharp
4) Most of the really great roads require you to come back the same way as there are few alternate ways to return. I learned this the hard way when I did the ":tail of the dragon part of rt 129. This is 11 miles long, 318 turns, and extremely sharp turns. When I completed the run, I stopped to eat and asked the manger the best way back to Gatlinburg, as I didn't want to repeat the run I had just made. He gave me the old Poland Spring answer, "you can't get there from here", meaning, the only way, or the simplest way was to backtrack and that is not an easy task.
5) The Blue Ridge Parkway, 441, and many other roads are just simply mind boggling, but, the driving isn't like a day in the country.
6) Gatlinburg: Nice little town, all the typical touristy shops, t's cups etc etc., tough place to park, but, many good options for eating, and they do have a good trolley service at your disposal for free. Traffic on main street to pass through town either way is quite difficult.
7) I rented a cottage which was very close to town, and it was very good and worked great for my needs.
I could discuss places to eat etc., but won't in this note, but, if you like BBQ, Jerky, trout, pancakes and waffles, you'll be in pig heaven!! There are many other choices, but the number of these type of places is a little overwhelming.
To summarize, Ioved this trip. I am thrilled that I did it, and doubt I would return. I feel like this was a one and done adventure, but, one of my favorite
trips I have ever done, and I have done many.
If you go, be sure to pack your driving patience and confidence.
I absolutely recommend for anyone who is a confident driver, because this park is magnificent, huge, clean, and amazing.
Go, enjoy, and drive carefully!!

jdc

An absolute must-see! While there are many options for hiking and exploring the national park, driving to Clingman's Dome was an unforgettable experience in and of itself. Driving up through the mountains, we stopped at multiple outlooks and take in the views of Gatlinburg and the surrounding landscape. Along the way, there is even a place that marks the Tennessee-North Carolina border. The hike to Clingman's Dome was a bit challenging, as young, fit women, we were huffing and puffing our way up the mountain. Though an enjoyable and relatively short hike, it is important to note that it is incredibly steep. It was well worth the sweat when we were able to climb up Clingman's Dome and see a breathtaking view of the Great Smokey's. Recommend spending some time here!

We visited on Wednesday July 17. We had just spent the previous 3 days driving the Shenandoah Skyline and the Blue Ridge Parkway (which was awesome!!!) and we were really looking forward to going to the Smoky Mountains and continuing our drive on the newfound gap road. What a disappointment!! We expected it to be busy but this was just crazy busy! There were not enough pull offs, the pull offs were terrible condition. ALL the pull offs were full, the road was not well maintained. They did not have a free map of the park. Just the newspaper flier. No signage on pull offs.

Not as great as all the hype!

Very pretty. Super hot. Super crowded. Super pricy. Would love to go back in the off season, and certainly when it’s cooler.

We really love Smoky! Beautiful greenery! Bear crossed right in front of our car at Cades Cove! We hiked many beautiful, well maintained trails. There are so many thing to do and see; we will be back!

If you are in the area, stop by the park. They do not charge admission...the only National Park I know that is free.

I highly recommend using the Little River Gorge area. Less travel and spectacular scenery.

Also, use the Townsend entrance...you will avoid Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

You're in the Smokys, so know that when you have completed that uphill walk to the dome you may not see anything. So check the clouds/mist before you go up and as you go up. If you're not paying attention you could end up looking at the inside of "fog". But ... if you are lucky the view is impressive. A small visitor area at the bottom of the trail is a respite. And there are benches and resting places aplenty along the way. Warning - parking is a bear and not the four legged kind. We were in a long line of cars waiting for a spot because people would not take a chance and drive around the lot to spots that were open on the far side because they would not be able to get in line again. We were lucky and pulled U-turn and took the place of a car alongside the road on the way up. Maybe go early or late.

A most amazing experience in the midst of tough times! What beauty to encounter on a journey through this park! Everyone who you meet at the visitor centers are helpful and knowledgeable! I was super blessed by Kathy at Sugarlands , as she provided an incredible plan for our days walking through the park! Kathy was so full of excitement when I shared our personal journey. Her encouragement provided just what we needed to experience the beauty and opportunity to see bear, Elk, turkey, waterfalls and so much more! My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 aggressive cancer in many areas of his being last year
We were not sure how this trip would happen or be enjoyed! Kathy and so many others encouraged us to KEEP going! We did! Out of this experience new life and encouragement for others! May you get yourself some hope in the mountains and even the valleys of this awesome handiwork of a divine creator! Just beyond what we ever imagined! Make sure you layer up for cold mornings and very warm days during this fall season! Cannot wait to return God willing! Dress with many layers, chilly start, but warmth comes quickly around 12...the body, soul and spirit! Absolutely amazing! Enjoy

So pretty and an amazing place to drive thru and hike! I love coming here, and renting a cabin. Always something to do.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a special place. Be advised - although there isn't a fee to enter, they do expect you to purchase a parking pass. $5/day. The loop to the Cove was a great choice. We saw turkeys and bears. It was educational to visit the small collection of buildings. It was extremely helpful to download he GyPSy Guide and learn so much about the park we would have never known. I makes all the difference!

This beautiful park should be on your short list of National Parks to visit. It is America's most visited park and can be very crowded especially when the trees turn. We enjoyed the breathtaking vistas, the old mill, seeing the elk and bears and the waterfall. There are old cabins and churches. Parking is a problem, particularly at Clingmans Dome, the picnic area and at the waterfalls. We sat in several traffic jams for up to an hour.

The views are amazing! It's beauty is, no matter what season you visit, is fabulous. Several places to pull over and enjoy the view or make pictures.

This writing is dated 10/21/2023. Today we drove the higher elevation as was a very clear day. We didnt even make it to Cherokee. It is the height of leaf color changing season. I am writing so you know what to expect and if you are not ready for this during the next few days, get ready or don't do it. The colors and views are spectacular. The traffic not so much. It took us 2 hrs and 45 miutes bumper to bumper over 80% of the time just to reach the look out tower. We were at a stand still alot and for a long time. Parking there is uncontrolled. There is parking at the end of the circle but no one will move forward because they think they won't get a spot (even though you can see the spots) once at the parking area. On the way back we decided to count cars standing still and miles as entertainment. There were 300 cars standing still in the last 2 miles before parking. Coming back is not better. There are so many places that say do not park but people were parking there and it was not enforced. Also we did not see one $5 parking pass displayed in the parking lot from where we parked all the way to the visitor center-store. So why bother buying it if it is not enforced. And they were not only parked for 15 minutes believe me! Takes longer than that just to use the porta potties and definitely at least 45 minutes to climb the tower.

So beautiful and breathtaking. A great variety of trails for any level of hiker. The best part was seeing all the wildlife, especially the black bears! We will definitely be back again

It was an unbelievable experience getting to drive all through the Smoky Mountains. They do an amazing job upkeeping the park. We saw so many bears, elk and turkey with fantastic views.

Wonderful park. Clearly, Fall and Spring are the best seasons to visit, but we had a nice experience in the winter. Fewer crowds. Quiet trails. Fewer bear encounters (we had none). Surprisingly beautiful weather. I must admit, though, I'm not a huge fan of the gateway town of Gatlinburg. Too crowded and too touristy. I think next time I'll take advantage of the NC side of the park.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park was very busy Christmas Day; all buildings and Visitor Centers were closed for the day. Starting March, 2023 a fee of $5/day was instituted for anyone parking more than 15 minutes in the park. The park itself is a non-fee admission park.
We encountered rain in the park followed by a full, spectacular rainbow with a smaller double one.  We went on the 1-way, 1-lane 11-mile Cades “Cove driving loop, but about halfway we, and perhaps a hundred other cars, had to turn around due to a tree downed across the road.  Consequently, we all drove the wrong way on a one-way road.  The road to Newfound Gap was closed due to high hurricane-force winds. Beautiful park even in the winter. Loved the rushing river along side the road.

The mountains are really majestic and really something beyond expectations.

The animals you see in their natural habitat are pretty amazing. There are a lot of things to see in the mountains the sun rising and the sunset are a memorable sight.

Really just something you have to see and experience to get the full effect. If you like nature you'll love the Smoky Mountains.

Like so many of our National Parks, this park was very crowded. The views are amazing & the hikes were spectacular, but the parking - oh the lack of parking! We got to Cades Cove on a Friday at 8:45 am (mid-May). By 10 am, parkway was jam-packed. We hiked a 5-miler into the hills & it was also crowded, not horribly, but definitely lots of people. TAKE WATER ON YOUR HIKES!!! Back out on the loop, regardless of posted speeds or "do not stop", people flat-out stop on the road, go 5 mph while riding in lawn chairs in back of pick-ups. kids in front seats standing to look out, etc. It is a definite sight-seeing loop - understandably so due to the views. Just pack your patience & take snacks because post-hike when you are hot & hungry, you cannot get anywhere on the one-way, one-lane road. ;). It's about 25 miles on a 35-mph road back to Gatlinburg. Yes, it is beautiful!
We also did a driving tour thru another area of the park & parking was impossible. We arrived at trailhead 9am (Saturday) & no parking for 1/2 mile prior or 1/2 mile after trailhead. We drove around the very long loop again (1-way, 5mph) and luckily found a spot (this took an hour). The scenery is GORGEOUS & the waterfalls worth the hikes.
We love our National Parks & love that people are visiting. Not complaining - just putting the info out there. This park is Free... but donations are accepted in a few areas.

Driving through several roads of the Park, we never saw a bear.
Most of our enjoyment came from the fantastic views of the mountains and the fog (clouds) hanging over the tops of the peaks.

Don’t waste your time. Our family makes a point to travel to national parks each year so our children can experience the beauty of nature and see different regions. This year we decided to rent a house between Gaitlinburg and Pigeon Forge so we could visit the Great Smokey Mountains NP. Shouldn’t have. The traffic wad bumper to bumper stand still on the parkway every day during our visit due to rock slides. In the third day we suffered thru to make it to the Sugar Land visitor center. We expected it to be packed but we didn’t expect the bathrooms to be filthy. Once we left we went to find some trails to hike inly to find that ALL parking had been blocked off except three small lots that could only accommodate maybe 30 cars total . I mean we went to Elmont and back and nothing. I’m a huge supporter if our parks but this is the WORST national or state park we’ve ever visited. If they can’t do better than what we’ve experienced then funding from this park should be yanked and given to other parks.

My daughter and I did most of the exploring here for our family and we were constantly amazed. Our favorite trail was the Alum Cave Trail. Crystal clear waters, green everywhere and the air you breathe is for lack of a better word healing. I hope I make it back here to explore more!

On our journey from Florida to Gatlinburg, my family and I drove through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and it was truly breathtaking. The stunning views left us in awe of the natural beauty surrounding us.

The winding roads were well-designed, making it manageable to haul our 32-ft Jayco trailer, though I must admit the drive had me gripping the wheel tightly at times. Despite that, it was worth it.

I highly recommend taking the time to drive through this incredible park. Be sure to pause at the scenic overlooks to take in the views and, if possible, explore the trails to immerse yourself in the beauty of the Smokies. It’s an experience you won’t forget!

We hiked Cascade Falls first. This is a paved, very easy, flat trail. The next day we hiked to Laurel Falls. A lot more challenging uphill 2.6 mile rail, but worth the hike. It has been paved, but many places the trail has eroded.
The Sugarlands Visitor Center has great taxidermied animals that can be found in the park. They are in natural looking settings in glass cases.

While I've never been disappointed by any of our national parks, Great Smoky Mountains will always be one of my absolute favorites because of its beauty, its environmental diversity, and its history. There are activities here for every level of physical ability, ranging from relaxing scenic drives to strenuous back country hikes. Though the most popular areas, such as Cades Cove, can get crowded during the summer, there are still plenty of less-visited places that are just as beautiful. If you've never been, put Great Smoky Mountains National Park on your bucket list immediately!

We entered the park at the Gatlinburg gateway and stopped at the Sugarlands Visitor Center. We were early, around 8:30 am and it was hard to find a spot to park at the visitor center. We did grab a spot and went in and toured the visitor center. There was a small museum of the animals we could see in the park. Rangers were plentiful for questions, but we didn’t plan on hiking, we were just driving as it was pretty cool and had snowed at high elevations overnight. Parts of the park roads were closed due to the weather. We didn’t spend a long time in the park, just drove a way to see some beautiful views even though it was quite foggy/overcast. Yes the visitor center was very busy, but we didn’t have any problems driving and did not run into stopped traffic, and that may have been due to weather and the time of year we visited which was the first week in April 2024. We definitely would love to see more here as it is an incredible park, but also don’t want to deal with nightmare traffic.

SYNCHRONOUS FIREFLY LOTTERY: Definitely worth entering the lottery to get tickets for this event. I have been trying for years and was thrilled to get in this year! From what I understand, they have changed it up a bit from prior years, allowing people to spread out all along two trails and trail offshoots nearby so it's not as crowded as prior years. Our 2024 lottery tix were for a Sat night and everyone stayed pretty well-spaced along the two recommended trails. We were dreading crowds as my spouse is retired military with PTSD, but our experience was actually REALLY lovely, and not crowded in the least. We went to the back porch of a nearby restored historic cabin and it was really magical. Our family had the area pretty much to ourselves. Be sure and stay until 10:30 pm so you can see the various firefly species and get the full "the wave" effect of the synchronous fireflies. Bring a camping chair and walk as far down the trail as you can get to avoid people, then walk back in the dark. No need to get there until close to 8 pm (cutoff time for parking). People who got there at 6 had to walk the farthest to get back to their vehicles later in the dark.

Awesome views, but very crowded. Limited parking in the park so plan in advance, get up early to get your parking spot on the hiking trail you want to hike. Then slow down and enjoy the wonder of the mountains.

We visit the Smokies with several friends every October. We usually do some light hiking, although we have hiked to the top of Mt. Le Conte, too. We often see some bears in the park. We drive the Cades Cove loop, but the traffic is usually backed up - don't be in a hurry or on a tight schedule. The Visitors Centers are top notch, and may also be crowded at times. Sometimes the fall leaves are an array of colors. A beautiful park.

The park is beautiful and riding through the area has many breathtaking views and trails as well as waterfalls

This was an amazing drive. The views were absolutely gorgeous. The road through the park was challenging but fun to drive. It was so pleasant with the Sun filtering through the trees onto the surrounding area as we drove through it. Its probably one of the nicest scenic drives on the east coast.

The four year old with us had the best time in the park. he waded in the creek He hiked to the waterfall. He saw mini animals (worms and insects).

This is just an amazing place. We've seen bears, elk, turkeys, horses, and skinks. Get out of the car and follow the trails - you will not be disappointed! Each trail is unique.

We wanted to get away from the city. That wasn't possible. We wanted to see nature but it is one big amusement park. Tasteless amusement.
The park is nice and we had a beautiful hike to rainbow falls, butt then we where recommended to go to cades cove loop. We where driving in a train of cars standing still most of the time. Wast of time and nature.
We normaly love the national parks. The are beautiful with respect to the inviroment and nature, butt here the are missing the point what a np is for.

Well it was July so very warm. We went on different hikes in the morning early afternoon and besides my being out of shape and not use to the incline (and it was very humid) it was beautiful. The waterfalls are lovely and just walking thru the woods to them was beautiful. I will say it can be hard to breathe with the humidity and surrounded by trees (and two people almost 40 years younger than me going too fast). Driving thru Cades Cove was great also -stopped and took a closer look at some of the old buildings. Did see a few bears-once it was 3 youngsters. It is also very affordable-$5 per day for a vehicle pass-that is all. Not sure Clingmans Dome was worth the walk-we could see better from the parking lot. But you just never know about the fog. Would love to go back and see more sometime-I think fall would be the best time.

Did a driving tour one day and then hiked at Cades Cove to see Abrahms Falls. Took Rich Mountain Road back to Knoxville one day and enjoyed the scenery on this road (closed during winter) .

Best trip ever! We stayed in a cabin air bnb, went out on Lake Norris, and drove through the National park. We stopped to see a heard of elk which was awesome. Fall time was the best time of year to go. Can’t wait to go again!

Long drive and no cell serine what so ever. Nice but be careful, there are bears to be sure around. Expect to walk a lot even from your car if you want to really see it.

What an amazing week we spent in the Smokies. We visited several sites within the park and stopped at multiple visitors centers to learn about the history of the area. The hiking trails are well maintained & marked. The historic sites are wonderfully preserved & encourage visitors to reflect and learn. The Park Rangers are helpful & informative. My kids had such a great experience reviewing & discussing their Junior Ranger guides for their badge and gained some bonus knowledge in the process. Overall this was an educational, interesting, and fun trip for our family.

This was our first time visiting the park. I can truly say that this place will take your breath away. The views are amazing!!!! We spoke with park rangers that were extremely knowledgeable about everything! We met really nice travelers from other states. My kids were disappointed that we didn't see a bear while we were there but I wasn't disappointed about that at all!

We Love the Great Smoky Mountains, we stay in Gatlinburg usually. Saw bears, went to Cades Cove saw 7 bears, went to Elkmont. Love looking at the history. Gatlinburg needs to stop putting in all those parking lots, your taking away from the old Gatlinburg people goes to walk & shop and eat. Not to see parking lots where motels & business used to be. Roaring Fork we saw 3 vehicles with the rear of cars in roadway. Need to patrol this area. In downtown Gatlinburg in the old days there used to be seating on both sides of Streets it lined the Streets. Now you have to search and find one really? Seniors need areas to sit and relax. The doggy parents need to understand the pets pads can get burned while walking on those hot sidewalks, was sad. I saw one man holding his fur baby.

Sooo, sooo glad to have visited only a small portion of this park.

We drove into the "old part" of the park, visited the visitor's centers and fortunately got to bike the 8-mile portion of the Cade's cove Loop.

Saw tons of wildlife - turkeys, raptors, birds, a deer and 5 black bears.

I've been tons of bears all over the US - but this was the first time I'd seen a monther and 3 cubs. Three!

Would recommend: Yes
Would re-patronize: Yes

One of our BEST family vacations ever! I was here as a child and had wonderful memories. Coming back with grandchildren it was even better. A beautiful place full of adventures around every corner! Checkout the park ranger special events. Informative and fun! Hiking the park is an amazing experience. We saw several of the waterfalls, wild turkey and a small bear. The bear we saw was while we were driving. We had a picnic lunch and our six year old grandson did a little fishing and absolutely had a blast! We spent two full days in the park and could have spent two more.

This is such a beautiful park and some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see! I highly recommend this destination. A few tips:
Very little food available in tne Park. Bring food in, or you will be hungry all day.
There are very few bathrooms too! Mainly at the Welcome centers.
The roads are curvy and slow.
I highly recommend starting your days early and seeing all the best hikes and destinations. They are all worth it!
Get good hiking shoes
All the accommodation is outside the park. Gatlinburg is fun but nuts. However, it's very close to the park and hikes. Probably your best bet

We love the Smoky Mountains... We will always return and enjoy our time every time we come.... We highly recommend a visit...

Have visited the Great Smoky Mountains close to a dozen times since I was 13 years old. Now at 70, it is still one of my favorite national parks. Cades Cove, Newfound Gap, Clingman's Dome - I love it all. My favorite thing to do is take the drive from Gatlinburg all the way to Cherokee and back. This year, we went a little later, hoping to see the colors of the change of seasons. There was some, but if we had waited another two weeks, we would have seen more.

Plus, you can't beat the price. We have visited more than half the national parks in the United States, and this is possibly the only one that is free.

Oh, heavens no. First off, it's hardly the most beautiful place on earth. Even as mountains go, nobody is going to mistake it for the Canadian Rockies, Yosemite, the Sognefjord, or the Dalmatians. It's scenic, but not a bit more than the Blue Ridge or the Berkshires. Second, the crowding is insane. By which I mean absolutely lunatic. The traffic on the narrow paths through the park is bumper to bumper, at a walking pace. To get a few miles to a trailhead is a journey, literally, of hours. Third, getting there (from the east anyway) invariably requires getting through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, which are among the most crowded, seedy, paved-over tourist traps in the land. Seriously. We're talking blight on the level of Ocean City, Niagara Falls, and the Wisconsin Dells--combined. If you're looking for natural beauty in East Tennessee, visit the battlefields at Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge, the utopian community at Rugby, or the Jasper Highlands.

Love the Park coming from Gatlinburg. Hate getting through Gatlinburg because of traffic.
Coming from Gatlinburg, going towards Cherokee NC, you will run across an Awesome Fully Accessible Trail called Sugarlands. There are a lot of sites to see. Some old Foundations, etc from past settlements in the area. The Trail is about a quarter of a mile and completely paved. I was able to go through it all with no trouble. The trail is by the Creek. You can get some great photos throughout the trail. Ample Parking is available for Vans with Ramps. The Park has done a great job on this for those of us who use Wheelchairs. I love the old Foundations !! There are signs telling you to lock your vehicle up and protect your belongings. You will really enjoy this stop !! Thank you Smoky Mountains National Park !!

First time visitor. Did some great hikes, Alum Cave, rainbow falls (both not easy). Middleprong hike to the falls nice easier hikes. Beautiful park. Eventually would be nice to get a shuttle in the park like Zion. Parking lots fill very early and difficult to do loop hikes without a shuttle. Rangers were helpful at welcome center.

We spent a week here in August. We were able to drive almost all of the park in our automobile. The views are beautiful. On the Roaring Fork trail we saw 3 bears. The overlook at Newfound Gap is spectacular. Don't miss taking the Cade's Cove Loop. Each of these tours takes about a half day to fully enjoy. Stop and see the historical churches and cabins on this loop. Also cabin on the Roaring Fork loop. There are hiking trails on all of the loops. ENJOY.

No trip to Gatlinburg is complete without a trip into the park, even if you just drive around it's so beautiful. But if you can, get out and take a hike, you will not regret it.

Fabulous Park but traffic is horrible In October
Cades cove loop was a 3 hour bumper to bumper ordeal — this was on a weekday
Advise you to start your day EARLY
Clingmans dome road — a delight to reach the end and see the views- but prepare for bumper to bumper for 5 miles.
Trailheads parking packed by 9 am
No bears to be seen but lots of elk!
Next time we will visit in September

My suggestion is to go to the visitor center and ask for a trail that is less traveled. That is what we did and we had a nice hike to a waterfall and while there were other people regularly it wasn't a constant flow of traffic. I can't imagine how crowded the popular trails are because there are people all over the roads and visitor centers.

We drove thru the park on the way to gatlinburg. It was beautiful, lots of areas to pull over to picnic or just to see the gorgeous views of the mountains.

Stayed at one of the Mountain Laurel Chalets and had an absolutely wonderful time. Visited Dollywood and loved the Christmas Store across from the Christmas hotel. Could have stayed in there for hours! We saw a total of nine bears on this three day trip!

Stop at the Mountain Farm Museum and let your kids check out the chickens and see how the pioneer families lived. We hiked the Kephart Prong trail , 4 miles round trip, then drove up to Newfound Gap for great Mountain View’s and snapped pics of us at the TN/NC border sign and Appalachian Trail marker.

Do not fall for sat nav thinking it will guide you to this place. You have to do old style map reading and drive without relying on any road signs (there were none) to get here without getting lost.

My husband and I enjoy taking on the many trails offered within the park. The rangers keep the areas clean and trails cleared. All levels of hiking experience are available. You can visit numerous times and still not see it all. We love the Smoky Mountains!!

A beautiful national park that's great for road trips and for short hikes. We saw some wild turkeys on our recent visit.

This park is pretty big, and the first time we drove through we were coming from Cherokee. Later in the week we drove out to Cades Cove, and on another day we spent time in the eastern half of the park. In June it is green and beautiful. Nice stops along the way, and the river you drive along will appear on either side of the road at different times. Definitely pack a picnic lunch and if you think of it, chairs are not a bad idea either. We saw a lovely bunch of horses in a meadow along the way, and at one point saw a bear and her cub. Nice except when people stop in a way making it difficult to get around. The park seems to be mostly run by volunteers who are sincerely dedicated to their tasks. We only encountered a single park ranger giving a talk about bears. Cherokee offers a lot of food choices if you drive in that direction, or Gatlinburg if you are in that direction. The park was the calm we sought and we really enjoyed our visit.

Beautiful views, very clean and a lot of places to pull over, jump in the water and views to take pictures. We had so much fun navigating. Only downside is that the reception in the park is bad which was a little disappointing.

Whoever named this national park didn't have to be too creative. We rented a house up in the mountains and each morning and evening it is readily apparent why Great Smokey is the perfect description for these mountains. Besides it being accurate, they provide some of the prettiest landscapes in this nation.

visiting the Smoky Mountains. Super bummed that the ENTIRE stretch of Newfound Gap Rd and Scenic View Dr was closed. My family didn’t get to experience some of my favorite views. However, we did get our own unique BUTTERFLY experience!!!

We visited this national treasure at the perfect time of year, the end of October. I would recommend stopping at a visitor station before you go too far into the park. They were very helpful sharing what was closed. They knew exactly what trails would be best for us. Best condition of trails, length of trails, etc. it's a great bathroom stop too.

The roads we traveled through the park were in great condition. The roads are well marked.

Be sure to have lots of time allowed for the park visit. Most of the roads we traveled were 20-30 miles per hour with lots of curves. There were many visitors, they were driving slowly....which is good. But that also meant lots of cars driving very slowly in lines. If you drink lots of liquids you may be in for long bathroom wait.

The scenery is breathtaking. Pictures do not do it justice. We viewed several wild animals including a bear, deer, eagles, turkeys, squirrels, and pastured horses.

Don’t forget your parking pass and be prepared for the winding mountain roads. Simply stunning views any session but fall was exceptionally stunning.

We dedicated 2 full days to visiting this park, which may be the most visited in the states but it didn't excite us. First stop at Cades Cove, an 11-mile loop at walking pace: unnerving, especially because there was nothing else to see except trees, while in the rest areas there were several 19th century buildings that make it clear how they lived at the time. Second stop of the day is Clingmans Done, a platform at 2024m which embraces the Smoky mountains at 360° (suggestive due to the fog). The next day we saw the Motore Nature trail, a 10km loop with the grotto falls to see a waterfall from an unusual point and wild animals such as deer and bears. We were certainly most impressed by the town of Gatlinburg, very lively and active until 11pm.

The views were amazing. We did lots of trails. Awesome scenic drive in the smookees. Awesome pics of picturastic views of mountains.

This was our first trip to Gatlinburg and TN. Here are the good, bad & ugly.
Good: Great Smoky Mt. National Park - worth the visit and very beautiful and affordable. I would definitely recommend this for families and any visitor.
Bad: Gatlinburg is extremely commercial. Lots of shops that are not that nice (in my opinion). The restaurants are very over priced and not really worth it.
Ugly: The Ripley's Aquarium. This was terrible. It cost 87 with a senior discount. There was one sea turtle who we didn't see because she was removed from the tank. There are tons of little areas set up to sell food and other things along the way. So not many fish. More about selling trinkets and very expensive. It was very disappointing.
There are mountain experiences via trams and chair lifts that we did not partake of. I am told those are nice but I have no idea how expensive those are. It may be a place for some people but wasn't really worth the effort except for the park.

We were on a coach tour. This area is definitely worth a visit. The scenery is stunning and keep an eye out for the wildlife. We were lucky enough to see bears a mother with two cubs. Not quick enough to photograph.

Various excellent stopping places to pull in and admire the views. Not too busy with other tourists in May.

Lovely NP. Few things:
- Beat the crowds. Get up early to avoid traffic and crowded trails. I reached Cades Cove at 7 and people were there, but only a few. I was able to explore without people around at a few intriguing sites.
- Go up to hike. On hot days, do trails at high elevation. In July, I hiked part of the AT, and it was under 80 degrees at 2pm. In Gatlinburg, it was over 90.
-Be nice. Pull over if you want to drive 5mph.
- Common Sense. Water, electrolytes, sunscreen, be bear aware.
-I brought bug spray prepared for a swarm, but while there were insects, it was not bad.
-Gatlinburg itself was hectic, terribly crowded, and an absolute tourist trap.

We come from Florida every year to see this beautiful National Park. So many trails, there is something for all ages and abilities. We especially love the winter months when the forest turns into a winter wonderland. Everyone that loves National Parks needs to see the Smokey Mountains.

I grew up in Knoxville and made many consistent family outings to the Smoky Mountains. There’s a kind culture among the people from here.

I recently purchased a home in the area because I fell in love with the beauty of the smoky mountains! I highly recommend to visit this park during the fall for the autumn foliage is stunning! The winter time is also breathtaking, but quite crowded. It's a beautiful winding road that leads to the city of Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge with all the tourist attractions. Also make it a point to visit Cades Cove that offers a few hiking trails. It's pretty remote area without any restaurants or food stops, so pack some sandwiches and water and plan for a picnic at some beautiful spots. There is a small market by the campground that offers some quick bites and drinks. Thank God because we were starving!! You may spot some wildlife in the area!

We spent a couple of days in the park, exploring and just taking our time. It is a must see if you truly want to see God's creation and/or unplug (cell service is dicey). Make sure you've gassed up if you're driving because you could be sitting and idling for extended periods of time depending traffic conditions.

Definitely going back! There is so much to see and do! This was our first time visiting. We only spent 2 days in the park itself. We went off-season which I highly recommend - I read how jam-packed it can get and no parking. We did Clingman's Dome, Cades Cove and Newfound Gap. We had no trouble in stalled traffic and no trouble finding parking - went early May (after school breaks and before summer breaks). Visit the park starting in the early morning. Breathtaking vistas everywhere! Recommend doing most of the pull-offs and taking in the majestic views. We dipped our feet in crystal clear water from the mountain....gorgeous. Amazing place for photographers! Stop at the visitor centers, they are a wealth of knowledge. All the rangers were kind and helpful. We saw elk, wild turkeys, over a dozen bears. We didn't take the trails because we had our dog with (very dog friendly place otherwise) but the trails were very crowded. Everything was marked clearly, had no trouble navigating this huge park. Take your time ENJOY THE JOURNEY. We met many nice fellow travelers. There are bathrooms at the Visitor Centers, campgrounds and some picnic areas but that's it. Pack a cooler with water and snacks for a daily car trip there is little to no food in the park. Next time we will download one of the apps on our phone that have a guided tour that talks about the park. Daily parking pass is $5 or $15 for the week. Great trip for families. Be aware that if you get hurt, they are limited in helping you. So follow the rules and signs because you are on your own (some lady fell off the rocks). If you love nature and being outdoors this is the place to visit - one of our great National Parks!

The road slide last week caused road closures so it was very disappointing to visit. From gatlinberg we could still visit ramsys cascade trail (but grotto falls and rainbow falls was way to crowded)and drive the new scenic hwy past pideon forge that has stunning views. But the road closures caused us to miss all the good trails unless we wanted to drive 3 hours to get to them.

First time visiting with my family of 3 kids aged 7-15. The park is beautiful! We hiked Clingmans Dome, Laurel Falls, Grotto Falls, and drove Roaring Fork Motor trail and Elkmont River Trail. Parking can be tricky but we got lucky. Can't wait to go back to do more hikes. Don't waste your time in Gatlinburg-everything is crowded and expensive . We stayed in Sevierville, which was a bit far from the park so will definitiely pick another town on next visit.

We went on Thanksgiving Day which apparently is the busiest day of the year. The place was packed which was a bit of a bummer. We went to the crowded visitor center. We stood in line to speak to a ranger and when it finally was our turn we told her we wanted to do the Laurel Falls hike. We learned it would be very very tough to find a parking spot and parking is not allowed on the side of the road. Another hike we were considering had the same problem. So then we asked her what she would recommend. She directed us to an area we never would have discovered on our own. We went and were the *only* people on the trail, we didn’t see another soul. When we passed the entrance to the Laurel Falls trail, sure enough it was packed to the gills, with tons of cars parked along the side of the road even they weren’t supposed to. So grateful to our ranger! Gorgeous park, terrific rangers!!

I am glad that I saw an ad stating a parking pass was now needed. There were many getting parking passes but the line went quickly - remember to take your license plate number with you when you get the pass. I didn’t see any signs as we entered the mountains. It was a beautiful drive and we stopped at a few spots to take short hikes. The falls we saw seemed to be flowing more than we'd seen them previously.

Not our first visit, but it’s been several years…the beauty never disappoints. Even knowing it’s the most visited National Park, I was surprised by the number of people…so many more than our last visit 10-15 yrs ago. Many side roads to explore; don’t be in a hurry and just enjoy.

Love national parks and the smokeys is one of the best. Saw a couple bears on the roarng fork nature trail drive. also did clingmans dome, newfoundland gap, cades cover and a few hikes.

Biodiverse paradise in the oldest mountains on earth! With 3000 miles of pure water, more species of life than anywhere in the northern hemisphere, 900 miles of trails, more human artifacts than any other national park, these ancient mountains never fail to impress!

We spent hours in the park each day we were there. We drove thru Cades Cove 3 different days and were rewarded with bear sightings on all three days. The visitor centers were awesome. Every time we went in one, we found something new to buy. Our favorite parts of the park were Elkmont, Newfound Gap road, Cades Cove loop, walking thru the woods and relaxing at one of the picnic areas. Love this park!!

The reuben sandwich at Tennessee Jed's was excellent. Yelp said it would be. I made a quick pit stop on the way to Cashiers NC and had a very scenic time. I stayed at the Howard Johnson Wyndham and it was very nice with a central location. I want to go back for at least a week now. They had a Jeep convention in town with over 4000 Jeeps in town.

Lot of trails for everyone. More crowded or more wild... choice is yours. Early morning you can find more quiet and space and low traffic . Is very important in the summer time and a chance to meet a bear... Not enough luck for this time...

An amazing beautiful park! There's multiple hiking trails of varying levels of difficulty. We spent about 2 hours hiking some of the easier trails located near the Sugarlands Visitor Center. Plenty of naturesque scenes to see along the trail. We even saw some of the local fauna among the various trees and other plants. There were some hills and streams as well, although these did make the hike more challenging (and may be an issue for those who have mobility issues/impairments).

Well worth the visit, which is technically free. Park does require a parking pass, which was about $5 for the day. Well worth the money for our entire family to have several hours of enjoyment in the outdoors of the Smokey Mountains.

Decided to go to the Aquarium of the Smokies on Wednesday June the 4th, unfortunately so did half of Tennessee. Our fault, got a late start and by the time we got there, it was pushing 11:00 AM. No parking in the garage and most of the lots were also filled. So we decided to go for a ride up the mountain, our destination was Cade’s Cove. If you have never taken a drive into the park, you don’t what you’re missing. We were only able to go about 25-28 miles up, but what breathtaking scenery. About 8-10 miles up, there is a photo opportunity of the mountain and the valley down below. Then you come upon the Little River, flowing so beautifully and at some points majestically, moving with the mountain, truly awe-inspiring. Unfortunately could not go all the way to Cade’s Cove, but we’ll try next time we’re in Gatlinburg. If you go be careful, roads are winding and sometimes narrow. Can’t wait to get back.

Our walk on tour guide provided wonderful knowledge of the creation of the park and its historic ties to the area. Breathtaking views

Smoky Mountains National Park is absolutely beautiful! It is easily accessible through several entrances and has several visitor centers in different areas. The rangers were helpful and informative. We visited the Clingman's Dome, Elkmont, and Cades Cove areas. They were all different and great experiences. I highly suggest a combination of driving and walking tours in various areas to get the best feel for the park.

The smokeys are beautiful. Highly recommend everyone visit at least once. Stop at a visitors center for maps and directions. The staff are very helpful.

We have been to this national park twice. One big pro is it’s a free activity. There is a lot of wildlife. Be mindful this is a mountainous park so many hikes will change in elevation.

This National Park is absolutely beautiful. If you are in this area, take a day in your schedule, pack a picnic and spend some time with nature.

This is a beautiful park & very nice and helpful rangers.
Short enough trail for beginner, like myself. Also decided to do a driving tour as well. Took a drive to Clingmans Dome. Walked 1/2 mile to top of Dome, no joke, didn’t realize walk would be 95% uphill, but well worth it.

great family trip. we rented atvs to get around as certain parts of the park the roads are narrow and easier to get around with atv versus regular vehicle. trails were well marked and not too difficult to navigate

We go to the Smokys every year at least once. Camp on one trip and stay in Gatlinburg on the Parkway the other.

Outstanding views, line was long but doable. You need to get to the park before 9 to see some of it. Expect delays in October thru November

We are within 8 hrs drive time of the park so it makes it easy for us to visit. Considering that, for our 1st visit we enjoyed the park very much, recommend it and most likely will return someday. It has scenic hikes and historic buildings you can drive to. The park is very popular and thus can get very busy. We dislike crowds so went mid-Sept Sun-Sat. Mon-Thu the crowds were not bad. But Sun night was busy and Fri was bumper to bumper traffic in the park on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature trail and on the main drag. Walking after dinner on the parkway on Fri was wall to wall people too. We were very happy to leave bright and early Sat morn. For hiking we got up no later than 7am to get to hiking trailheads early and did not have a problem finding parking. The two times we went to trailheads in the afternoon were more problematic with one having a couple spaces left and the other completely full so we had to skip it. The trails we did were overall very scenic, not too crowded and well marked. Fellow hikers were very friendly and helpful. Driving the Cades Cove loop was nice but Roaring Fork Motor Nature trail was too busy. Staying in Gatlinburg is very convenient to the park.

Beautiful views, nice trails, nice visitor centers. It is crowded and parking in many places was inadequate even though we were not there in peak season. If you drive over the mountain between Tennessee and North Carolina, expect delays and slow travel.

Really enjoyed staying just outside Gatlinburg in a nearby cabin / condo and a couple of days' visiting local Smokies landmarks in Tennessee and North Carolina. Beautiful views but also a helpful visitor centre just outside Gatlinburg and the quality of roads and picnic areas was exceptional. Made the whole trip easy to manage and very enjoyable

The views from every road within the park are absolutely stunning! The pictures you take along the way will not do it justice. There are so many pull over spots where you can take in the surroundings. There are all kinds of hiking trails to chose from but go prepared as there are varying degrees of challenge and the park is home to a large black bear population so do your research in advance. The park is free to travel through but if you are intending to stop to enjoy a trail, you will need to purchase a parking pass from the visitor centre when you first enter. The roads through the park are windy and there are several tunnels where they ask you to turn on your vehicle lights - I suggest you do that or else others will honk at you like crazy!

Beautiful view! Wildlife viewing is abundant. Scenery is amazing but traffic is slow. Do not think you will zip through. Many curves

We loved every aspect of the park. We were on a family vacation with our children and grandchildren. We did the Laurel Falls, Grotto Falls hikes in the early morning, before the park got busy. We also drove the Cades Cove loop in the evening and spotted turkeys, whitetail and we were lucky enough to spot a black bear as well. We drove up to the Cherokee entrance twice to see the elk....such a magnificent site for those that do not have elk in their area. A great trip....we'll be back!

The wildflowers were in bloom, picture perfect weather and scenery, and the wildlife was out. Great month to visit the Park!

We had a wonderful time at this park! It's a beautiful, well-maintained space with plenty of natural beauty to enjoy. The park rangers were incredibly helpful, offering friendly advice and ensuring everything was in top shape. Accessibility is a big plus—it's easy to navigate, with clear paths and facilities for everyone. The park was spotless, making it even more enjoyable to explore. If you're looking for a relaxing, accessible, and clean place to connect with nature, this park is a perfect choice!

this park is full of scenery, rolling streams, waterfalls hiking trails. We did not hike this time of year. We hit weird weather from snow and cold to 70+ degrees. We were able to see a black bear that has great gift stores and worth supporting this national Park even if you just take a ride through the park there's so much to see

There is so much to see and do inside the national park. you can have a relaxing day or an exciting one. the choice is yours. the scenic drives through the park are also beautiful and if you pay attention you can find little waterfalls or access points that are not crowded. gets you away from the hustle and bustle of downtown gaitlinburg and into the peace and tranquility that nature has to offer.

I've visited Times Square in NYC, the National Mall in Washington, DC and the Las Vegas Strip. However, the most crowded place I've been is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a Tuesday in October!
If you are looking for tranquility, this isn't the place.
Bumper to bumper traffic. Long lines to use the few bathrooms. Don't bother!

Besides visiting Clingman's Dome, reviewed here separately, this park has amazing vistas. Parking at the various hikes is very difficult as there is not much of it. We did the Grotto Falls Hike also and enjoyed that a lot; also did the drive by the Trillium Gap Trail and visited the Ely Mill.

This is a place away from the hustle and bustle, with distinct seasons and suitable for all ages. Visitors can hike, camp, fish, sightsee, and enjoy many other activities. My family and friends often go together and it is a truly soul-cleansing journey.

There are a lot of fun attractions to go
 Cades Cove: This is an excellent place to learn about the culture and history of the Great Smoky Mountains. There is an 11-mile one-way scenic loop road (Cades Cove Loop Road) with 19th-century log cabins, churches, grist mills, and other attractions. Surrounded by mountains, there are various wild animals such as black bears and elk that may appear.
 Clingmans Dome: This observation tower is the highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains. From here, you can have a 360-degree view of the surrounding area, see the ever-changing dense fog, and the clouds in the sky seem within reach, making you marvel at the wonders of nature.
 Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail: This is a mountain loop road specifically designed for hikers and climbers. It features numerous boulders and waterfalls, with the beautiful Rainbow Falls also along the route.
 Gatlinburg town: This is the closest town to the Great Smoky Mountains, and many visitors choose to stay here. Although it is not large, it is highly commercial, with restaurants and amusement facilities lining both sides of the street. There are also the Gatlinburg SkyLift Park outdoor cable car and SkyBridge, which are enjoyable for children.
 Tuckaleechee Caverns: There is a cave near the park with various stalactites and stalagmites, as well as trickling water and waterfalls, making it well worth a visit.

There are many accommodation options in the Great Smoky Mountains. If you like a lively atmosphere, you can stay in Gatlinburg town. If you want to get away from the world, you can stay at the mountaintop, but transportation may be inconvenient. Therefore, I have always preferred a small cabin halfway up the mountain. These cabins can be booked on various platforms such as Vrbo or Airbnb, with various styles available. This time, I chose a cabin on 2216 Quiet Valley Way, Pigeon Forge, which is in a good location, close to the surrounding towns and shopping areas. It is also at the end of the road, very quiet and private. The view from the back of the cabin is also very nice, and there are various entertainment facilities inside, making it suitable for several families with children to stay together

Tips:
 The temperature in the mountains can vary greatly between day and night, so remember to pack appropriate clothing.
 Bring mosquito repellent, band-aids, a power bank, basic medicines, water, and emergency snacks.
 Admission to the park is free, and camping accommodations range from approximately $15 to $25. Camping reservations should be made in advance.

We spent five nights at "A River Runs Through It" quiet airbnb located outside Gatlinburg and close to the Sugarland Visitor Center and the Newfoundland Gap road (which takes you to spectacular sights and elk within about a half hour.) We loved the river running under our deck (we saw a bear right there!) Also there is a convenience store in easy walking distance.
We briefly enjoyed Gatlinburg. It is bustling but very congested - lots of road traffic, especially now with the Bypass shutdown. And you'll pay to park to shop or eat at restaurants which are plentiful.
We enjoyed Cades Cove Road, but the views from Newfoundland Gap are outstanding. Go early to watch the fog lift like wisps of smoke!

We love visiting National Park Service sites. Yellowstone and Acadia were our top sites with Olympic close. The Great Smokey Mountains are in that category. Stunning, tranquil. Super helpful staff, clean visitor centers. So much to see. We noticed park slows in early evening allowing more time to view and way more parking.

It's a tragedy that THIS is the most visited National Park when it pales in comparison to so many others. We have visited over 25 NPs and this one is a dull disappointment. Seriously consider the Grand Tetons, Zion, Yosemite OR Arches National Parks. If you must visit Smokey Mountain NP, Don't visit in the winter months because the majority of the sites and access roads are closed. The towns on the entrance (Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg) are Coney Island-esk and are an embarrassment to the National Park system. The town parking charges abusive rates, as do the hotels. Unless you desire tacky souvenirs I would avoid both towns. There's a lot of gimmicky rides that children might enjoy, but go hike in the Park instead. If hwy 441 is open you can drive thru to Cherokee land in North Carolina. It's a pretty 45 min drive but there's a great pioneer farm at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. There's also a Cherokee People Museum in Cherokee.

Smoky mountains are amazing. Probably the most scenic part of this National park is Le Conte mountain. It usually take about 7-9 hours to make a round trip to Le Conte along Alum Cave trail

Absolutely gorgeous and lots to do! We hiked Charlie’s Bunion, Alum cave, Grotto Falls, Abram Falls, Andrew’s Bald, Clingman’s done, and historic Cades Cove and saw lots more!

Beautiful scenery in Great Smoky NP! Although it’s disappointing with the latest road closures in the park, we made the best of our day trip and there’s lots to see! Don’t take much stock in the reviews bashing the park with the closures.

Cades Cove was the spot Rangers suggested visiting. Our drive there from Sugarlands Visitor Center was along the river through a forested scenic gorge. Upon getting closer to Cades Cove, it gets crowded and is very slow moving within the loop - be wary if you are on any time frame. Scenery was a nice valley framed by distant mountains. Some historic cabins. Was nice, but not a must-see in our opinion.

We found the best views on the outskirts along the Foothills Parkway - breathtaking!

My boyfriend had never seen a bear in the wild (only at the zoo). Took the Cades Cove Loop Road and saw 7 bears. I had never seen that many bears on any of my previous trips to the Smokies.

This is the most visited national park in America. Once inside, you know why. It is so green and beautiful! When you think of Tenneessee, THIS is what you think of. Be prepared to spend some time here. There are so many hiking trails, rivers and campgrounds to explore. Pack a lunch. You won't find a more beautiful place to stop and eat. Consider this: when I visited last summer, it was at the height of tourism, yet I NEVER saw another person! That has not bern my experience at other national parks in the summertime. As a result, I was able to drive slowly, stop as often as I wished and take my time on the teails without feeling like I was holding up others. This is a must do national park. HINT: The Blue Ridge Parkway has connections here too.

Without a doubt one of the most beautiful places you will visit. Hiking for every skill level. The visitors center is very helpful and knowledgeable. We come to hike 3 to 4 times a year and never get bored.

I Loved this Place , Besides All of the other Mostly
Hotter Places in America !!
BRING A Water-Bottle with You In Case , You'll be Breath-Less Soon !!
I Took Many Photos With my Family : And Added
To my Social Media Videos !!

DO NOT OVER Exercise Yourself ... TAKING It Cool And Also
Inhale the Fresh Air After You've Been Climbing around Half
Way Up There !!

I love the place and wish I could have stayed longer. There is so much to do in the area. There is hiking, whitewater rafting, sightseeing, and so much more. It's one of my favorite national parks so far!!!

This park is absolutely gorgeous if you love the wilderness of Appalachia. The scenic drives here are breathtaking for the east coast, and there are tons of great activities here. If you like hiking this is a great place to seek out a few trails. There are many awesome places where you can hike to some incredible waterfalls. When you're in the park though, you're only ever a short drive back to town, and Gatlinburg is such a gem for wonderful food, drink, or a stay.

Our family of 7 hiked to Rainbow Falls, despite a torrential downpour during the entire hike, it was an amazing day. The hike to the falls is a slow but rocky incline a little over 3 miles in length. We would do it again in a heartbeat.

Smoky Mountains consistently ranks at the top of the most visited NP list for good reason. This is the largest park on the east coast and perfect for families, couples and adventurers of all types. We just completed our third trip to this beautiful NP with our children ages 8, 10, and 11. In the winter it's the perfect wonderland filled with snow when you get lucky. We loved coming the week of MLK and always find that after Monday everyone leaves and the park tends to be empty the entire following week. This is a great park to pick with children and offers some trails that are family friendly even in the cold months. We love staying in cabins near by and exploring everything Townsend, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Wears Valley, and Sevierville have to offer along with this national park. A must see for all NP fanatics.

We went to Rainbow falls, and it was absolutely magical! The trail was a bit rough at times but other than that, it was totally worth it!

My husband and I had a great time in the park. The views and hikes are excellent. There is a lot of traffic congestion, and parking is a problem in a lot of areas. I know it is the most visited national parks , and it really felt like like it. For reference, we have visited 31. I do wish they could do more to alleviate some of the traffic issues. It is still worth it to go, just be prepared to be patient.

This park is so peaceful and green with the river following the road. Many pull outs to stop and see the view. We drove out to Cases Cove, drove the motor trail twice on different days and drove up to Clingmans Dome. The low clouds and rain stopped us from walking up to view point. We then drove down and drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We were blessed with pretty flowers and wildlife. Yes we saw a bear!

Beautiful scenery, definitely a place for photographers! I just wish we went whenever it was warmer! It was too cold! It was cool seeing snow on the top of the mountain tho

It goes without saying, but this place is truly amazing. It is the first national park I've visited, and it did not disappoint. It's so unbelievably gorgeous, and even the easy trails offer lots of great sites. We just walked from the visitor center to the John Ownby Cabin, about a mile or so away, and we saw a mama black bear and her two babies on another hill nearby! It was INCREDIBLE.

The park rangers offer free guided hikes. We took the Porters Creek. It was great! We found it by going to the calendar at the Sugarlands Welcome Center.

We very much enjoyed our few days in the Smokys, the people were friendly, the scenery was wonderful and the roads were generally quiet and easy to navigate around. Until we got to Gatlinburg that is, which rammed full of cars and people. We didn’t have any inclination to stop, so continued onto the Roaring Forks nature trail drive which was very good. Dolly did good in deciding to make this area her home!

This park was spectacular in the morning. The gray mist surrounding the mountains and inverted clouds in the valleys from Kuwohi Visitor center were really pretty. We went early and glad we did. Parking was easy - but a few hours later there was a line just waiting for a spot to open up.

We did the uphill hike on paved trail to the Kuwohi Observation Tower - but honestly, you see the same magnificent views from the edge of the parking lot without the 1/2-mile hike uphill, which could be quite difficult for some people with a steep elevation change.

The hike from Elkmont Historic District was nice along the river. Continue on the Cucumber Gap Trail to Jake's Creek trail. The NPS website shows this route direction but it's mostly uphill - recommend taking it the other direction. The Cucumber Trail was full of many roots and rocks.

We drove the Roaring Fork Nature Trail (one way road) later in the day. Was nice and not near as crowded as Cades Cove.

If U are looking for an amusement park with 14M visitors annually than this is for U. Roads R compatible to LA freeways, hiking trails the same that is if U can find a place to park. Some falls/streams had nothing but toddlers peeing & pooing in the water. Sad to see how humanity can destroy anything of beauty. Maybe in the next life!!!! Not recommend, greatly disappointed.

This park is absolutely beautiful. Everyone can experience it in some way. Hikers, via UTV, jeep or car.
It is a very busy park on the narrow roads. Helps that 20-35 mph
Sadly not all stops had enough space to hold all the visitors. (Parking)
Understand why.
Still worth every minute. Each time you turn a corner you see another beautiful site.
We spent all day with a rented UTV (razor) and loved it.

Visiting the Smokey Mountains is always a great time. Spending time and relaxing with family and friends.

Beautiful scenery and great trails. No cell service through most of the park, so be prepared. We saw several beautiful waterfalls and a few black bears. It's a busy park, though, with lots of people visiting.

The drive from Gatlinburg, Tennessee to Newfound Gap and then to Clingman's Dome is one of the best in the Eastern United States. Enjoyed a short walk on the Appalachian Trail and even observed a black bear peacefully grazing a few yards from the Newfound Gap Overlook,

Beautiful fall colors. We arrived at trailheads by 7:45 each morning for open parking. Always packed when we were leaving. Trails not busy early but crowded in the afternoons. Lots of cars. Many pull off places on the roads to take photos. All roads and trails were in excellent condition and well maintained. Very clean.

Great experience for our first national park. Hiked grotto falls, laurel falls, and clingmans dome. Wish we had spent more time here. Will definitely go back

This park is beyond stunning! There are hikes that are simple, and ones that are challenging, or you could even do a sight seeing tour from your !

Despite the very busy holiday traffic, we loved our time at this park. We found some great hikes that our 5 year old granddaughter could easily manage. We visited Clingmans Dome on Thanksgiving Day - the traffic getting there was horrific and I don’t recommend going there on a holiday if you can avoid it (we couldn’t.) However, the weather was amazing and the view from the top was outstanding!

My first time here in 20 years did not disappoint! There's a reason this park is the most visited in the country; it's extremely beautiful and has something for everybody. History, hiking, waterfalls, paddling, scenic drives, wildlife, biking, the list goes on. Somehow pictures are never able to capture the "smoky" part either, it has to be seen in person.

I went with extended family, which included young children. We hiked Clingman's dome bypass to the AT and hooked back around to the dome, which was much better than the ridiculously steep walk up Clingman's Dome trail. We also did Mingo Falls, Tom Branch Falls, and Indian Creek Falls. Mingo Falls specifically did not disappoint. These hikes were manageable with the kids while also being rewarding. We were only able to spend one day in the park this go-round but I can't wait to go back!

Don`t just drive through. Stop and enjoy the beauty of the most visited National Park in the U.S. Visit the pioneer village on the east side of the park, where you can experience a taste of what life was like before the 20th century. Sure makes you appreciate what we think of as everyday items, like refrigerators, or tv`s, both of which were non existent to the people of the time. Stop at pull off`s and just enjoy the magnificence of this beautiful park. Go horseback riding, and of course hiking. You will not be disappointed. Take in Clingman`s Dome, the highest point of the Smoky Mountains and make sure to take the Cades Cove loop road for another example of early American life. You will definitely enjoy yourself so much more by taking a little time to actually see the sights along the way.

My wife & I just returned from a trip to the GSMNP. Drove up US 441 from Cherokee to Gatlinburg. During October it is one of the most scenic drives in America. Multiple overlooks where you can pull off and enjoy the breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains & the spectacular fall foliage. Nothing compares to the tree leaves that have changed to brilliant colors. We also made stops at the both the Sugarlands & the Oconaluftee visitor centers as well as the overlook at NewFound Gap which straddles the North Carolina / Tennessee State line. At 5,046 it is the lowest drivable pass through the park.The Appalachian Trail passes through the gap so if you are into hiking there are many opportunities along the way. If you are not one of the 12 million plus people who visit some part of the GSMNP every year, then you owe it to yourself to do so. Just absolutely breathtaking during this time of the year. Also recommend driving Little River road & the Roaring Fork Nature Trail.

Smokies were awesome and truly amazing everywhere you look! If you never been there it's got to be on your bucket list. The different animals are truly a sight, if you have never experienced wild life up close this is the place to experience your wild side!

If U r Nature Lover, fond of Hiking,Trekking,roaming around natural scene scenery,landscapes then the Great Smoky Mountains is the right place.it’s called ‘Place of Blue Smoke’ every day about 3.30/4.00 pm lovely bluish mist starts hovering over the mountains giving thrilling fantastic enchanting experience.many living species and plants are found there. While hiking a trail U May encounter with a bear as there are more than 1500 bears are living there and other breathtaking sights are here-waterfalls,winding valleys and century old architecture.A magnificent Cades cove drive, scenic motor trail, camp areas, so many hike /majestic falls trails one can not forget.Clingmans Dome,Laurel falls,Grotto falls & many more falls.Start from Sugarland Visitors Centre.take must Parking Passes/Tags- 1 day $ 5/- 3days or week $ 15/-. Quite cheaper for such a heavenly experience. So friends do visit for thrilling life long love-The Great Smoky Mountains-Tennessee 😀👍

After booking our tour Chadd responded and was extremely helpful with what to expect and what to bring with us. Picked up on time, and spent a fantastic day in the park. Chadd was knowledgeable and informative throughout.Saw lots of wildlife and learned about their daily routines.Highlight. Momma bear and cubs getting ready for winter! Lots of great photos. This is a must tour to take ! Great way to spend a day.

Don't pay the $5 parking fee until the park service enforces the laws that were on the books BEFORE the parking pass fee i.e. noise. Why pay a $5.00 fee to hear loud motorcycles cruising the park?!?

As you can guess from all the reviews it is a beautiful area. Was our first time to visit and it seems we visited in a peak time with the changing of the leaves. 3rd week of October. Was a bit challenging to move around and had to skip some of the drives due to the # of cars in area as we have no desire to sit in our car for hours to move around.

The drive from Sevierville to Cherokee was beautiful with many spots to pull over and enjoy. Stopped at Clingsman Dove (check that review individually for hints) and stopped at Mingus Mill which is a easy stop.

Hope to visit again in the future to take in more of the area.

If you enjoy nature and love fall follege this is the place to be in late October and early November. The Smoky mountains are Wonderful. Thre are many trails for hiking. I recommend the trip across from Cherokee NC to Gatlinburg TN. I posted a few fall photos as you can't describe it in only words.

Cades and some federal lands closed due to government shut down since Oct 1 in congress so check before you go. We made the most of everything else in the area though.

We’re on vacation in the area and it BARLEY snowed the morning of our event we came to town for. Within an hour the sun came out and melted anything that was away. I wouldn’t mind if it was a 5, 10 or even 15min delay. The park officials closed one of the main roads south from gatlinburg (Newfound Gap) causing us a 4 hour detour (2 hours each way). If you have the only road heading south then you need to be more careful about when you have to make the hard decision to close it. I understand wanting to avoid incidents but at this rate these people are creating them. Big thumps down for ruining our trip. All the roads have been clear for over 8 hours and they still have it closed.

Visited May 9 - May 13 2022. Awesome park. We stayed on the Tennessee side and enjoyed that so much we will be staying on the North Carolina side in September of 2023.

When visiting one of the big POPULARE National Parks the key is planning. Ideally, find out what the peak season is and don't go then. :-) This is why we chose the middle of May, schools are still in session.

Anything that you do, start early. Day 1 we went to the visitor center and checked that out and got some brochures. When we got there we arrived early, no line. When we left there was a line of people waiting to get in. We then spent time just driving around soaking it all in.

Speed limit is no more than 35 MPH. If you are in a hurry, go somewhere else. I drive at least the speed limit or 5 over, don't tailgate.

Cades Cover got there early had no traffic issues and had no issue pulling off at pull overs to see what we wanted to see.

Laurel Falls, got there early and had a parking spot ight at the trail head. When we were done there were people parking a long distance a away and having to hike to start their hike.

We did ONE thing on a whim, the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and wished we hadn't. It was mid afternoon and by the time we figured out it was a mistake, this happened about 50 feet after starting, there was no turning back. If we had gone early, no problems.

For our time there I considered early as between 8AM - 9AM. Peak season I am sure that wouldn't help. Late would also work, say dinner time.

The key to ALL National Parks is doing lots of research and lots of planning. Visit the National Park websites as they have all the latest information such as road closures.

3 in our party did an early morning hike. The road was fill of cars of hikers who were walking. They came back 3 hours later and said it was just enough challenge to make it enjoyable.

The hikes were amazing, the views were amazing, it all was amazing. We stayed in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and had the time of our lives exploring the shops near by. Everything astonished me(probably because I just spent twelve hours in the car) when I first saw a singular mountain. The mountain was tiny, it probably was just a hill. It was so pretty though. It only got better from there.

Beautiful trails, hikes, and plenty of wildlife. Chimney Tops trail was challenging but worth it, and the Cades Cove area is spectacular. National parks never disappoint.

The fall colors were stunning!! Make sure you Give yourself plenty of time as lots of cars, lots of delays and parking hard to find. Would recommend getting an early start to the day to try to beat some of the traffic!

The Great Smoky Mou8ntains National Park is one of God's mk0st beautiful creations. The stunning mountain views, winding streams, abundant wildlife, exciting adventures to be had and fun-filled memories to be made are absolutely priceless. To our family, the Smokies feel like, "Home."

Can't beat these National Parks. Great Smoky Mountains NP will not disappoint. Great experience. Do not miss Cades Cove loop. Actually saw a bear there. A lot of structures to see not to mention the wildlife. Besides the bear, saw deer, foxes, and turkeys. Visitor centers are well staffed and the personnel are very helpful. Highly recommend this park.

Very pretty National Park and highly recommend seeing. There are spots pretty to watch the sunrise/ sunset in the mountains. The streams are nice to stop and listen to. We will be back again!

This is a very cool national park. We saw a black bear! This is a MUST DO while in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge!! We will definitely come back again while in Gatlinburg!!

We visited The Great Smoky Mountains National Park twice during our visit. The scenic drive is so beautiful. We did a little hiking. We saw the falls and the animals. It was heaven on Earth. We love national parks and plan vacations around them..

Cades Cove did not disappoint. It is a beautiful drive with abundant wild life. We saw bears, turkeys, deer and heard an elk bugle.
The historic cabins were amazing and the signs tell their story wonderfully.
Enjoy the 11 mile historic loop and take some extra time to step out of your vehicle, breathe in the fresh mountain air and take in the beautiful scenery. You can actually feel the stress melt away.

miss this national park so much and cannot wait to return. May was a great month to travel here and the people were minimal.

This park is amazing! The views are breathtaking and if you love nature the natural springs and rivers are so beautiful and refreshing. The kids loved stopping at Oconaluftee Visitor Center and seeing the historical farm and learning about the early settlers. My oldest got to make a corn doll as they had a event that day that we happened upon. I took our younger kiddos to play in the stream and we all had a wonderful time. We saw many elk crossing the road as we were traveling home so it was a great treat for us all to see.