The Most Visited National Park — and It's Free
Great Smoky Mountains National Park receives over 13 million visitors per year — more than twice any other national park. The reasons are simple: it's within a day's drive of half the US population, entry is completely free, and the ancient mountain scenery is spectacular. The mist that gives the Smokies their name drifts through valleys that look like they were painted by a landscape artist.
Getting There and Getting Around
Nearest airports: McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville (1 hour), Asheville Regional (1.5 hours), Nashville (4 hours), Atlanta (4 hours).
No entrance fee. Great Smoky Mountains is one of the few major national parks with no entrance fee, thanks to Newfound Gap Road (US-441) being a public road that can't be tolled.
The loop roads: Cades Cove (11 miles), Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail (5.5 miles), and Newfound Gap Road (33 miles) are the most popular drives. Expect slow-going on summer weekends — a Cades Cove loop can take 2-4 hours in traffic.
Book Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge lodging — these gateway towns offer everything from budget motels to luxury cabins.
Must-See destinations
Cades Cove: The most popular area of the park. This 11-mile loop road passes through a broad valley surrounded by mountains, with historic cabins, churches, and abundant wildlife (black bears, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys). Go at dawn for the best wildlife viewing and fewest crowds. On Wednesdays and Saturdays from May-September, the loop is closed to vehicles until 10am for bicyclists.
Clingmans Dome: At 6,643 feet, the highest point in the park. A steep half-mile paved trail leads to an observation tower with 360-degree views on clear days (100-mile visibility). The road is open April through December.
Newfound Gap Road: 33 miles connecting Gatlinburg to Cherokee, NC, crossing the state line at 5,048 feet. Stop at the Rockefeller Memorial where FDR dedicated the park in 1940.
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail: A winding 5.5-mile one-way road through old-growth forest past historic homesteads and waterfalls. Less crowded than Cades Cove.
Best Hiking Trails
Alum Cave Trail to Mt. LeConte (10 miles, strenuous): The most popular route to the third-highest peak in the park. Pass through Arch Rock, along cliff edges at Inspiration Point, and through Alum Cave (actually a concavity, not a cave) before reaching the lodge at the summit.
Laurel Falls Trail (2.6 miles, easy-moderate): Paved trail to a 80-foot waterfall. Popular with families. Best in spring when laurel blooms line the trail.
Charlies Bunion (8 miles, moderate): A rocky outcrop on the Appalachian Trail with dramatic views of the Sawteeth range. Less crowded than Alum Cave.
Abrams Falls Trail (5 miles, moderate): The largest waterfall by volume in the park. The trail passes through forest and along a creek to a 20-foot cascade.
Andrews Bald (3.6 miles, moderate): High-elevation meadow with stunning views and rhododendron blooms in June. Trailhead at Clingmans Dome parking area.
When to Visit
Spring (April-May): Wildflower season. Over 1,500 species of flowering plants — more than any other national park. The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in April is a 70+ year tradition.
Summer (June-August): Hot, humid, and crowded. Firefly viewing in June is a special event (synchronous fireflies in Elkmont). Book cabin lodging early.
Fall (October): Peak foliage draws the biggest crowds of the year. Mid-to-late October for the best color.
Winter (December-March): The quietest season. Some roads and facilities close. Snow transforms the mountains.
Planning Your Time
- Minimum: 1 full day (Cades Cove + Newfound Gap Road)
- Recommended: 2-3 days (Cades Cove + one hike + Clingmans Dome + Roaring Fork)
- Thorough: 4-5 days (multiple hikes + Cosby/Cataloochee areas)
Great Smoky Mountains always ranks highly. See where it lands in our complete national park rankings.
Combining the Smokies with Other Destinations
Great Smoky Mountains + Asheville, NC (4-5 days):
Two hours east of the park, Asheville offers the Biltmore Estate, craft breweries, and the Blue Ridge Parkway connecting the two. The Asheville food scene is one of the best in the Southeast.
Great Smoky Mountains + Nashville (5-7 days):
Four hours west. A music city + mountains combination that works year-round.
Cades Cove Loop timing: The 11-mile loop takes 2-4 hours to drive in summer traffic. Go before 9am for wildlife viewing and thinner crowds. Wednesday and Saturday mornings are vehicle-free (bicycles and pedestrians only from May-September).
Park at a glance: The Smokies are free, close to major population centers, and offer something for every fitness level. It's no surprise they're the most visited park in the country.
The Smokies Are Free — Here's Why
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the only major national parks with no entrance fee, thanks to a deed restriction that prevents tolling on Newfound Gap Road (US-441), which was a public road before the park was established. The NPS cannot charge entrance fees without congressional action to modify the deed.
This freedom comes with a trade-off: the park receives less federal funding per acre than fee-charging parks and relies heavily on Friends of the Smokies and other nonprofit partners for trail maintenance, historic preservation, and educational programs.
Parking tags are now required. Since 2023, visitors must purchase a parking tag ($5/day, $40/year) if they park anywhere in the park for more than 15 minutes. This is separate from an entrance fee and applies even to annual pass holders.