Experience the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Smoky Mountains Are Very Romantic

Play in the mountain streams in the morning...

Then, dinner and a play at night. Or, shop in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge.

See Why They're Called SMOKY Mountains?

Great Smoky Things To Do & Places To Go

Smoky Mountain Attractions-Events-Auto-Touring- Bicycling- Fishing- Hiking-

Bring your camera. You'll want to capture the waterfalls, sunsets and sunrises.

Stop in at the modern Park Headquarters where videos, brochures and helpful park rangers will answer all your questions about safe wildlife viewing and where to see the wild animals.

Sunset photo by Robert Crootof/overlook along highway US441 and Clingmans Dome Road.

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Clingman's Dome Inspires Artists

Inspire a Room With Clingman's Dome

See How Mountain People Lived

Ancestors of the Southern Appalachian mountain culture have inherited pride of place and ingenuity of character, which are as much a part of the mountain populations as their popular candy kitchens, primitive art, and quaint mountain crafts.

Mountain Farm Museum, Cades Cove, Cataloochee, or the Roaring Fork area are open for tours. Homes, farms, churches, and other structures built by early settlers.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park's official online store has books, maps, and guides to the park. Operated by the nonprofit Great Smoky Mountains Association, proceeds generated by purchases at the store are donated to educational, scientific, and historical projects in the park.

Photo of Smoky Mountain Farm Museum by Kent Cave.

Leave Your Troubles at Cades Cove

Cades Cove is a lush valley nestled within the Great Smokies.

Deer are almost always in the fields.

One mid-afternoon, when I was at work, I had to take a break to shake off stress that was getting the best of me. I drove over, parked my car not far from one of the old homesteads at Cades Cove. Breathing in the mountain air and watching the Little Pigeon on my 30-minute drive already working miracles. I walked up the hill away from people, cars and any other sign of life, to the old house known as "Oliver's Cabin," and sat down on the porch. Deep in thought. Eventually, I looked up.

Much to my surprise, I was surrounded by about 75 deer all facing me, staring at me, most of them chewing. I had been sitting still so long, they must have not been sure I was alive.

Other wildlife, including bear, Wild Turkey, and fox roam the Cove. Park officials ask that you use pullouts when viewing wildlife so not to block the road, and never approach or feed animals.

Tip: Plan at least one day to arrive at Cades Cove at dawn to see more deer than you can count. When my husband and I drove over one day a couple of years ago, we found ourselves waiting in the car for a little fawn to finish eating the acorns in front of us on the road before we could drive on.

Historic buildings dating to the late 19th and early 20th centuries are scattered through-out the cove. These include a grist mill, a variety of barns, three churches, and a many log homes and outbuildings.

An 11-mile one-way road takes you around the cove. Traffic is heavy during the tourist season in summer and fall and on weekends year-round.

A visitor center (open daily), restrooms, and the Cable Mill historic area are located half-way around the loop road.

Numerous trails originate in the cove, including the five-mile roundtrip trail to Abrams Falls and the short Cades Cove Nature Trail. Longer hikes to Thunderhead Mountain and Rocky Top (made famous by the popular song) also begin in the cove.

You'll find designated back-country campsites (camping by permit only from the rangers stations) located along trails.

Only bicycle and foot traffic are allowed on the loop road from sunrise until 10:00 a.m. every Saturday and Wednesday morning from early May until late September

A campground with 159 sites is open year round in Cades Cove. Tents and RVs up to 35 feet can be accommodated in the campground. Call (877) 444-6777 or visit http://www.recreation.gov to reserve a site.

The Anthony Creek horse camp is located nearby and offers easy access to the backcountry. Call (877) 444-6777.

A Few Of the Gorgeous Scenes in Cades Cove

A Favorite Area For Visitors to the Park

Foggy Road, Oak Tree, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountain National Park Buy at Art.com


John Oliver Cabin in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountain National Park Buy From Art.com



Sparks Lane, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountain National Park Buy From Art.com



Grist mill, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountain National Park Buy From Art.com



Horses Grazing in Meadow, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountain National Park Buy From Art.com

See Lovely Little Pigeon River

Have you got a Brook in your little heart,
Where bashful flowers blow,
And blushing birds go down to drink,
And shadows tremble so --

And nobody knows, so still it flows,
That any brook is there,
And yet your little draught of life
Is daily drunken there --

Why, look out for the little brook in March,
When the rivers overflow,
And the snows come hurrying from the hills,
And the bridges often go --

And later, in August it may be --
When the meadows parching lie,
Beware, lest this little brook of life,
Some burning noon go dry!

~ By Emily Dickinson

There are other rivers and streams in the Smoky Mountains. The Little Pigeon Is The Most Photographed

Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountain National Park Buy From Art.com

Water Flows over Rocks, Little Pigeon River, Smoky Mountains Buy Art.com

Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mtn National Park Buy From Art.com

Alum Creek, Great Smoky Mountain National Park Buy From Art.com

Oconaluftee River, Smoky Mt. National Park Buy From Art.com

Touring the mountains by car has been popular among visitors since 1934.

No one can resist getting out of the car at a pull-over. Introduce yourself. People are here from everywhere in the world

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 800 square miles, is one of the most pristine natural areas in the East. An auto tour includes panoramic views, tumbling mountain streams, waterfalls, weathered historic buildings, and mature hardwood forests stretching to the horizon.

(Federal Highway Administration Photo)

There are 384 miles of road to choose from in the Smokies, according to Park Headquarters. Most are paved, and even the gravel roads are maintained in suitable condition for standard passenger cars. Travel speeds on most of the park's paved roads average 30 miles per hour.

Inexpensive booklets are available as guides along many park roads.

Please check for seasonal and weather-related road closures before planning an auto tour.

See the Mountains from Your Horse!

Guided horseback rides are available at four concession horseback riding stables in the park from mid-March through late November. Rides on scenic park trails are offered lasting from 45 minutes to several hours. All rides proceed at a walking pace.

Waterfalls Suggest Enchantment -

Every time I see a waterfall from the road I have to stop!

The enchantment of a waterfall hidden deep in the forest is a great reason to pick up one of the trail maps provided at various visitor centers.

"The Great Smoky Mountains abound with the two ingredients essential for waterfalls -- ample rainfall and an elevation gradient. In the Smokies high country, over 85" of rain falls on average each year. During wet years, peaks like Mt. Le Conte and Clingmans Dome receive over eight feet of rain. This abundant rainfall trickles and rushes down the mountain sides, from high elevation to low, sometimes dropping more than a mile in elevation from the high peaks to the foothills at the park's boundary." Find waterfalls here, at the National Park website.

Photo by Robert Crootof.
Mingo Falls is located just outside the park on the Cherokee Indian Reservation.

Anglers of All Ages Are Welcome in The Smokies

Newly Married? Hold Hands and Fish!! The Smokies sees brides and grooms galore!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has about 2,115 miles of streams, according to park brochures. The Park protects one of the last wild trout habitats in the eastern United States. You will find remote, headwater trout streams as well as large, coolwater small-mouth bass streams. Most streams keep capacity of fish. Moms, pops and kids, or honeymooners can depend on catching these species throughout the year.

"Fishing is permitted year-round in the park, from 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset. The park allows fishing in all streams EXCEPT the following streams and their tributaries upstream from the points described:

"North Carolina
Bear Creek at its junction with Forney Creek.

"Tennessee
Indian Flats Prong at the Middle Prong Trial crossing

"These streams are closed to fishing to allow fish to repopulate following restoration work. For the exact location, consult the appropriate USGS 1:24,000 Quadrangle Map available at park visitor centers. Detailed information, including a complete list of regulations and a map of fishable park waters, is also available at any visitor center or ranger station.

"License Requirements -- You must possess a valid fishing license or permit from either Tennessee or North Carolina. Either state license is valid throughout the park and no trout stamp is required. Fishing licenses and permits are not available in the park, but may be purchased in nearby towns or online (links provided by state below). Special permits are required for fishing in Gatlinburg and Cherokee."

For more fishing info, the Park website has it here.

Photo by Don McGowan courtesy of Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Everybody Has To Eat, Sometime!!

Come to think of it, I feel a shopping spree coming on!

I have enjoyed the food and the atmosphere in all these restaurants.

Since it's been over a year since I was last in The Smokies, I went to a current source of recommendations to make sure none had ceased opening its doors.

#1) The Peddler Steakhouse
820 River Rd
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-5794

#2) Best Italian Cafe & Pizzeria
968 Parkway # 9
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 430-4090
(865) 436-3600

#3) Log Cabin Pancake House
327 Historic Nature Trail
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-7894

#4) Smoky Mountain Brewery
1004 Parkway # 501
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-4200

#5) Calhoun's BBQ
1004 Parkway # 101
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-4100

#6) Cherokee Grill
1002 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-4287

#7) Pancake Pantry
628 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-4724

#8) Wild Plum Tea Room
555 Buckhorn Rd
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-3808

#9) Donut Friar
634 Parkway # 15
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-7306

#10) Park Grill
1110 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-2300
(865) 436-3800

Bicycling is a Favorite Way to Enjoy The Great Smokies

Bicycles can travel on most roads within the park.

Cades Cove Loop Road, an 11-mile one way road, is a popular bicycling area. During summer and fall, bicycles may be rented at the Cades Cove Campground Store (located near Cades Cove Campground). For information call (865) 448-9034.

Beginning the second week in May, Loop Road is closed to cars Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10:00 a.m. to allow bicyclists and pedestrians to enjoy the cove. This closure continues through the second-to-last Saturday in September.

Get more details about biking in the Smokies here, at the Park website.

How Did The Great Smoky Mountain National Park Start?

Franklin D. Roosevelt officially dedicated the Great Smoky Mountian National Park.

Teachers Love The Great Smokies -

The U.S. National Park Service has resources for teachers in all grades. When my children went on field trips to the Smokies, they enjoyed the recognition of places with which they were familiar. They also found out they had more to learn than their parents knew or had access to.

The Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob is one of 17 National Park Service research learning centers in the United States. The purpose of the center is to increase the amount of scientific research in the national park and make it accessible to the public.

"Middle school, high school, and college students, along with their teachers, work with scientists and park staff on projects ranging form salamander population monitoring to air quality research. Students are also recruited to work as research assistants on extended scientific projects, especially during the summer field season," according to the national park service website.

Planning a field trip in the park? The Education Office at (865) 436-1713 has important safety information and help with advance planning.