Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America's most visited national park. Plan your visit today!
Junior Ranger booklets at every visitor center. Top trails by age — filtered by our hand-checked minimum age, shade and restrooms:
Dogs are restricted to paved roads, campgrounds and parking areas — almost no trails. Where they can't go, we map the nearest boarding and 24/7 vets.
Synchronous fireflies viewing · early-May application for the June event (~22,000 apply)
Official details →Parking tag required · $5/day, $15/week, $40/year (year-round)
Official details →Coverage is spotty to nonexistent across most of the park — download maps before you go.
Gatlinburg — fuel before Newfound Gap Road
Cherokee Orchard Road is currently closed to pedestrian traffic due to bear activity. All visitors must stay in their vehicles. Do not stop or park your vehicle in the roadway.
Park Headquarters Road is closed due to rehabilitation work on the Sugarlands water and wastewater systems.
Straight Fork and the one-way section of Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga Round-Bottom Road) are closed.
More →All vehicles parking for longer than 15 minutes require a parking tag. Three tag durations are available for purchase for all vehicle sizes and types: Daily ($5), Weekly ($15), or Annual ($40).
More →
WEBCAMS
4 cameras working now
Great Smoky Mountains National Park air quality camera · live view
See the park right now →
The sweet spot for Great Smoky Mountains National Park is June & October — right now: foliage peaks mid-to-late october — glorious and packed.
7 trails
| Trail | Length | Gain | Dog | Kids | Stroller | Shade | Restrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gatlinburg Trail | 3.8 mi | 130 ft | Yes | 4+ | Yes | 70% | Yes |
| Oconaluftee River Trail | 3 mi | 60 ft | Yes | 3+ | Yes | 75% | Yes |
| Laurel Falls | 2.4 mi | 314 ft | No | 5+ | No | 65% | Yes |
| Clingmans Dome | 1 mi | 332 ft | No | 6+ | No | 40% | Yes |
| Andrews Bald | 3.6 mi | 900 ft | No | 7+ | No | 70% | No |
| Alum Cave Trail | 4.6 mi | 1125 ft | No | 9+ | No | 60% | No |
| Chimney Tops | 3.3 mi | 1400 ft | No | 10+ | No | 55% | No |
Which side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park actually saves you drive time — with live rates, not "top-10 from nowhere".
Wake up inside the gate — first light at the trailhead, no morning commute.
Check availability →Rooms minutes from the entrance with pools, breakfast and parking.
Check rates →PARTNER LINKS · RATES SHOWN ON THE PARTNER SITE
Where to fly in, as the National Park Service lists them.
TYSMcGhee-Tyson Airportapproximately 45 miles west of the Gatlinburg entrance
Asheville Regional Airportapproximately 60 miles east of the Cherokee entrance
A car is essential at most parks — book early for summer and holiday weekends.
Compare cars →Where lots fill by 8 AM and which shuttle skips the stress — see "Know before you go" above.
Boat, wildlife and scenic tours matched to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
See tours →Vets, urgent care and groceries around Great Smoky Mountains National Park — the block you hope you never need.
Get a heads-up before timed-entry and lottery windows open — plus new guides for the parks you care about.
FREE · NO SPAM · UNSUBSCRIBE IN ONE TAP
7 trails, each with its own page — distance, elevation gain, water and restroom data where the park publishes it. Gatlinburg Trail is the first in the table above.
Chimney Tops — 1,400 ft of gain over 3.3 miles. Gain is what decides how hard a day feels; the mileage on its own is the number that misleads people.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park grades D on our A–D pet-policy scale. Dogs are restricted to paved roads, campgrounds and parking areas — almost no trails. Leashes (6 ft max) are required everywhere.
Our age-rated trails here start at 3+, and 5 of them suit kids 8 and under.
McGhee-Tyson Airport (TYS) — approximately 45 miles west of the Gatlinburg entrance. We list 2 gateway airports for this park.
Yes — 3 official National Park Service webcams are embedded on this page, so you can see the conditions before you drive.
© 2026 StayNear National Parks · About · Methodology · Privacy · Terms · Affiliate disclosure · Refunds