Staff

Drive or hike to the higher elevations for sweeping views over the park’s 100-plus tree species painting the hills in bright oranges, yellows, and reds.

Before this was a national park, there were thriving communities here. See photos of the mountain people who made their homes on the land.

Don’t let your Smoky Mountain vacation sound just like your neighbors’. Set your trip apart by staying at unusual lodging options along the way.

The Appalachian Trail (AT) travels 72 miles through Great Smoky Mountains National Park along the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

Feel the mist on your face on one of these top trips to the park’s impressive cascades. Some are seen right from the road. Others require a hike.

For about two weeks each year, Elkmont in Great Smoky becomes the site of the most magnificent synchronized firefly gathering in the world.

How do you pack for the nation’s most visited park? Here are the top 13 items to bring to the park.

LeConte Lodge is the only lodging in the park and is accessible only by hiking a 5-mile trail.

Have a hot meal up on the mountain thanks to llamas that make the hike up to the lodge kitchen three times per week. Read about their reward at the top.

Packed full of attractions, putt putt golf, arcades, and old-time photo shops, visitors might get overwhelmed at the choices. Here’s our top recommendations.

Snow just makes it more of an adventure. See our list of to top things to do in winter in the park and nearby – one of which is just a fun way to get around

Year-round residential environmental education center in the Smokies which offers summer camps, school programs, family camps, and naturalist workshops.

Great Smoky is always free but parks that usually charge an entrance fee will be free on several days during the year. Check our list of dates.

Packed with engaging trivia, historical photos and maps, former ranger quotes, and 40 original hand-illustrated poster designs and paintings.

Go on an unforgettable hiking vacation. Wildland Trekking has a tour that fits nearly anyone who loves to hike in world-renowned, breathtaking landscapes

The three Grand Prize winners are Matt Meisenheimer for Landscape, Roger Twilley for Wildlife, and Tony Prince for Night Skies. Also see 48 Honorable Mention photos.

Don’t leave the park without ticking off at least one of these top ten Smokies to-dos including historic sites, grand overlooks, wildlife, and waterfalls.

The national park and parts of North Carolina are on one of the natural migration routes. Learn more about the annual monarch-tagging event.

Stay in a Gatlinburg timeshare for an unforgettable vacation in the Smokies. Here are the some of the best resorts offering timeshare accommodations.

At the main south entrance, tour the Mountain Farm Museum, pioneer buildings, stroll along the Oconaluftee River, and up the road see a historic gristmill.

It’s our nation’s busiest park, so here are tips on how to see the best of Great Smoky in just two days. Make the most of your time by visiting some of our favorite spots in both the Tenn. and N.C. sides of the park.

Stay cool in summer at these water hot spots including swimming holes under waterfalls, boating in a fingered lake, and floating down creeks.

Personalized guide to help you decide where to spend the night, from car camping paradise and remote backcountry sites to a slice of RV heaven.

Download the official national park map to see the major park roads, rivers, park visitor centers, and the Appalachian Trail which bisects the park.

Whether you are planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains or simply want to stay connected to the national park, our newsletters are a great source of information and are filled with inspiring stories.

Climb the 491 stairs on Outcroppings Trail to get to the top of Chimney Rock and see sweeping views of Lake Lure and Hickory Nut Gorge.

A photo tour of the Cades Cove historic community, its log cabins, churches, and grist mill, inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Here are some great photos found taken by visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding areas.

The weather you’ll find up on the high peaks can be very different from what’s going on in the lower valleys. Always be prepared with warm layers.

Drive up to a classic diner experience right outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Townsend, Tenn. Locals say it’s the best burger in the county.

Here are our picks for historic finds on the quiet side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park: A preserved pioneer village, caverns, and antiquing heaven.

Request your free trip planner and e-newsletter today. It's everything you need to plan the Great Smoky Mountains National Park trip of a lifetime.

This popular valley is known for its abundant wildlife, idyllic scenery, and preserved historic buildings dating back to the late 1800s. Take an auto-tour.

There are four main visitor centers in the park: Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, Oconaluftee, and Sugarlands.

The majority of visitors enter through the Sugarlands entrance on the park’s north side by driving through Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Great Smoky is in the eastern part of the United States on the Tennessee-North Carolina border. Gatlinburg, TN is the most popular gateway town.

Stay in a cabin on the “peaceful side of the Smokies” in Townsend, Tenn., and surrounding towns in Blount County. Here are three of our favorites.

From art galleries to theater performances, plan on spending time on the quiet Tennessee side of the park including the towns of Maryville and Townsend.

Visit historic sites, the beach, and carefree towns before exploring America's most visited national park from its North Carolina entrance.

Explore Chicago's architecture, Louisville's underground, and Nashville's music before making base camp at Great Smoky's closest entrance to Cades Cove.

Full of souvenir shops, restaurants, and attractions, the bustling towns can be a sensory overload or a rollicking good time, depending on your perspective.

When you can tear yourself away from the scenery on this quieter side of the national park, hit these local attractions including museums, breweries, and rafting.

The park is a fantastic place to spend a romantic weekend, celebrate Valentine’s Day or an anniversary, or to just spend time together.

If you venture out on the closed road to Clingman's Dome in winter, you may run into volunteers on cross-country skis, ready to assist visitors in trouble.

Joseph S. Hall recorded Smoky Mountain stories and songs in the 1930s. Purchase the music CD of 34 original recordings from the Great Smoky Mountains Association.

Wildfires burning in and near the national park, closed the park on Monday, Nov. 28, and caused residents in fire-impacted areas to flee from their homes.

On this forested drive you'll see historic cabins and mills sprouting up under the canopy of trees, and possibly Lucy, a ghost looking for a ride.

From one of America’s largest aerial tramways, you’ll see the Smokies rolling in every direction, a view that is especially spectacular in the fall.