National Park Guide: The Great Smoky Mountains

June 29, 2018
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United States
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With lush forests, rolling hills, and scenic drives, it is no surprise that The Great Smoky Mountains claims the title of the most visited national park in the country.

The Smokies had 11.3 million visits in 2017!

The Great Smoky Mountains straddles the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, including over 522 thousand acres of the Appalachian Mountains, and a 70 mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail.

Despite the large number of visitors, the Smokies is a great park to visit if you want to spend a week or two (or more) car camping. The park is big enough that you’ll be able to find a quiet corner while still being close to some action. It is the perfect summer retreat.

Getting there

There are three main entrances to the park: Gatlinburg, TN; Townsend, TN; and Cherokee, NC. There is no entrance fee, so just drive on in ya’ll.

If you don’t have access to a car, the city of Gatlinburg does have a trolley service to the Sugarlands Visitor Center and to Elkmont during the summer and fall.

Where to Stay

Frontcountry Camping

There are 10 campgrounds in the Smokies, which together have nearly 900 individual campsites!

Fees for campsites range from $17-$25; unfortunately, no discounts are given for America the Beautiful Pass holders.

Our first stop in the park was Cades Cove, one of the most popular places to stay in the park.

During our cross-country road-trip, we reached the Townsend entrance at dusk. We hadn’t made any camp reservations, and we didn’t want to drive too far into the park while it was dark. Cades Cove was the closest campground that we could find.

The Cades Cove office was closed when we arrived, but the rangers post all open campsites on their bulletin board before they leave. If you arrive afterhours, you can follow the instructions to claim a spot (either paying the following morning or by a drop box).

Even though it was mid-summer, it wasn’t an issue; there were plenty of sites available.

The following morning we headed to Cades Cove Loop, which is one of the park’s most popular activities. There are several trails and swimming holes to check out along the loop, as well as some historic sites. It can be a bit crowded in the summer, but still feels easygoing.

We hiked to Abrams falls, which has a pretty, little swimming hole if you need to cool off. The hike was about 1 ½ hours each way. It was pretty busy, but despite the steady foot traffic, we still saw a huge rattlesnake. That was a highlight for me!

As we made our way eastward, we moved to the Crosby campground, which is located on the opposite end of the park. Crosby is closest to the Gatlinburg entrance. Gatlinburg is a big town, with loads of restaurants and hotels, so we were happily surprised to find out that Crosby is one of the quieter campgrounds in the park. We basically had the entire place to ourselves!

Backcountry Camping

Backcountry camping is also permitted in the Smokies. However, reservations and permits are required and cost $4 a night per person.

There is only one tent site, while all other backcountry spots in the park are primitive shelters. Although some have fireplaces, so they seem kind of lux to me!

This type of camping requires a bit more planning, since you’ll be responsible for carrying in all of your gear and supplies. For additional information on backcountry camping see the national park services guide to camping (here and here).

Activities

The best way to enjoy the park is to go for a hike or a swim. There are tons of hiking trails of varying length. We love the REI National Parks App because of the user ratings; it makes picking a trail so much easier.

Still don’t know what to do? Talk to a ranger and ask them about their favorite spots!

If you’re looking for an activity that’s a bit more “thrilling” than a hike, check out Gatlinburg, it’s like the Disney of Tennessee! There is something for everyone: theaters, mini golf, zip lining, a water park, arcades, an aquarium, alpine sledding, themed shows, rafting, breweries and wineries!

Where to Eat

Part of the fun of camping is cooking in the great outdoors! There are fire pits at the campgrounds, which you can use to grill. We also brought a portable stovetop. Pair your fire-cooked meal with a can of beer or wine; yup, they make wine in cans! (we got the infinite monkey theorem)

If cooking isn’t your thing, Cades Cove and Elkmont both have small convenience stores that sell snack items. Cades Cove also has a snack bar that has soup, sandwiches, breakfast, and beverages.

If you’re looking for a relaxing summer vacation, or if you’re just getting into forest bathing, the Smoky Mountains are a great place to start. We like to bring our ENO Hammock with us whenever we camp. Just find a couple of sturdy trees, rig it up, lay back and enjoy life!