Ready to see the most popular park in the whole country? As one of the only national parks without an entrance fee, it’s no surprise that the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is one of the hottest destinations. This park is full of extraordinary mountain views, the cascading waterfalls, and the lush forests that abound. While there are plenty of things to do, you can easily see most of park in a long weekend.
I have been to over half of the national parks, but the Smokys will always have a piece of my heart. I have been to this park twice and each time it simply blew me away. In the fall, the leaves change and you can capture panoramic views full of varying red and orange hues. In the spring, wildflowers bloom and wildlife is abundant. Find out the perfect smoky mountains itinerary read below!
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Table of Contents
The Perfect Smoky Mountains Itinerary
Day 1:
Drive Newfound Gap Road
On your first day in the park, you can take Newfound Gap Road from Gatlinburg to Cherokee. This scenic road is 31 miles and it takes you through the center of the park, passing by many of the notable sights. The drive winds its way up into the mountains and then makes its way back down through the beautiful woods. You can stop along the way to go on a hike, take in a scenic viewpoint, or watch the elks roam the fields.
Make sure to stop at the Newfound Gap Overlook where the border of North Carolina and Tennessee sits. At this stop you can see breathtaking vistas and see where the Appalachian Trail meets the park. This is one of the most crowded parts of the park, so you may have to wait for a parking spot!
Visit Clingmans Dome
Turn off of Newfound Gap Road to make your way to Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the park and Tennessee. There is a large parking area and a visitor center near the dome. The walk up to the dome is a steep .5 miles on a paved pathway. I recommend wearing sneakers. Make sure to bring water and take breaks if you need it!
We saw plenty of visitors stopping along the path to take breaks, because the walk can be tiring. Once you get to the top, you will see the Dome where there is a curved pathway up to the very top. You’re supposed to be able to see 100 miles all around on a clear day. Unfortunately, there are many days where air pollution or cloudiness get in the way. When we got there, we only saw fog all around us. It was still fun to visit.
Explore the Roaring Fork Motor Trail & Grotto Falls
If you’re staying in Gatlinburg, then ending your day on Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is perfect. You’ll find this road outside of the main entrance to the park. My partner likes to refer to this drive as a hike for your car. This 5.5 mile one-way loop takes you on a slow, serene drive through the thick forest. This road is named for the mountainous stream that runs through the area. After heavy rains, this stream is especially voluminous and the waterfalls are astounding.
Stop along the loop to take a hike, see the old wooden cabins and historic buildings, or wander around the creeks. Don’t make the same mistake my cousin did and watch out for poison ivy! We didn’t have time for Rainbow Falls, but completed the short Grotto Falls trail. Parking was a bit tough, but we were able to find some along the side. The trail takes you up the mountain to the small falls. You can walk behind them or take a dip in the swimming hole below. This is a family friendly hike and plenty of tourists enjoy this spot.
Day 2 in the Smokys:
Hike Mount Leconte
On the second day of your Smoky Mountains itinerary the main focus will be the long hike up to Mount Leconte. Try to arrive early, because this hike is very popular and you may have to park along the road. There are two ways to get up to Mount Leconte: one leaves from Newfound Gap Road, takes you past the Alum Caves and is 10.5 miles, the other leaves from Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and is longer at 14 miles. We chose to take the longer route up the mountain.
The trail starts along the river in the forest where you will make your way over steps through a cave. After about 2 and a quarter miles you will find yourself at Alum Cave. Many of the hikers come to this spot and then turn around. This impressive cave is high and has a wide eroded portion. If you climb up a bit on the sandy ground, you can turn around and get a great view of the cave with the mountains in the background.
After you leave the cave, the trail gets a bit harder as you make your way up the mountain. There are many areas along the path where you will need to climb over slick rocks and some spots have chains to hang onto for stability. You may find yourself needing to take many breaks as you walk up the steep trail. Luckily, there are plenty of stunning viewpoints where you can take a photo, a sip of water, and a deep breath.
You will finally get to the top once you are 3 miles past the cave. There are a few options of things to see once you get to the top. You can stop at Mount Leconte Lodge where visitors have the opportunity to sleep in rooms at the top of the mountain. The only way to get to the lodge is to hike, so llamas carry supplies up to it. You can stop there for a bite to eat from the restaurant or use the restrooms. From there, we chose to take the .5 mile steep trail up to the Cliff Top viewpoint. Once you get there you will see rocks where other hikers are perched looking out at the scenery and eating snacks. The view from here was unbeatable! You feel like you’re on top of the world.
After you’re done taking the view in, you can make your way back down the mountain. It’s mostly downhill from here, so you can enjoy your walk. We saw a cross country team run up and down the mountain, which was incredibly impressive. When we were done my Apple watch said I had walked 12 miles in a little more than 5 hours. It was an amazing hike and a wonderful day!
Day 3 in the Smokys
Chimney Tops Trail
On the last day of your Smoky Mountains itinerary, take one last hike before you go. The Chimney Tops trail is right off of Newfound Gap Road. A few years ago there was a huge fire, which took out many of the trees near the peak. So you can no longer walk up to Chimney Top, but you can see a crazy view of it at the top. The trail makes its way along the river, up through the forest, and then to the view.
As we climbed up the hill, we saw a female black bear with two cubs feeding in the forest. The bears were uninterested in us hikers and we were far enough where we could observe them safely. It was a highlight of the trip! We left the bears and went to the top, which was beautiful! The view of the sharp mountain tip with dead trees all around was quite a view. I really enjoyed this hike and I highly recommend it for any trip.
Drive Cades Cove
We ended our trip with a drive through the historic Cades Cove. Even though this loop is only 11 miles, it takes a very long time to get through it. You should allow at least two hours if not more to explore this area of the park.
Along the drive you will see valleys full of flowers, historical buildings, plentiful wildlife, and hiking spots. There was lots of traffic when we drove through, so we chose to only stop a couple of times. I definitely want to explore more of this area next time I go visit, because there were a lot of gems!
Final Thoughts
Great Smoky Mountains is a great park for a family trip to get out in nature. There are so many things to do from observing wildlife to taking long treks through the park. I can’t wait to explore this park another time!
Was this Smoky Mountains Itinerary helpful? Let me know in the comments and pin it for later!
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