Spanning over 800 square miles, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park showcases the ancient and mist-covered peaks of the Great Smoky Mountains, which lend the park its name. The mountains are part of the larger Appalachian Mountain range, characterized by their rounded peaks and dense vegetation. The park's elevation ranges from around 875 feet to over 6,600 feet at the summit of Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the park.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is renowned for its biodiversity. It is home to an incredible array of plant and animal species, including over 1,500 types of flowering plants, dozens of species of mammals, hundreds of bird species, and a diverse range of amphibians and reptiles. The park is particularly famous for its synchronous fireflies, which light up the forest during their mating season in late spring.

Visitors to the park can explore its natural wonders through an extensive network of hiking trails, ranging from short and easy walks to challenging multi-day treks. These trails lead to stunning waterfalls, panoramic viewpoints, and serene valleys. Scenic drives, such as the Newfound Gap Road and the Cades Cove Loop Road, offer a chance to appreciate the park's beauty from the comfort of your vehicle.

We have done some of them but we still have a lot to discover. My favorite app to search for trails/hikes is AllTrails.
For updates on road closings/road conditions or even for just more information about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, please visit the park website.

Abrams Falls Trail

Fairly easy trail, we would recommend starting early in the morning to avoid traffic both on the Cades Cove Loop and on the trail itself. We walked it in around 2h - 2h 30min.

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Charlies Bunion Trail

Start at Newfound Gap parking lot (entrance for the trail by the rock at the entrance of the parking lot when coming from Gatlinburg). Be prepared for a longer hike (it took us around 4h 30min and 5h), the tougher part was actually on the way back from the end of the hike. There is a nice shelter on the way, and personally, I also enjoyed the idea of walking on the Appalachian Trail, even for a little bit :)

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Laurel Falls

Very easy hike, one of our first in the park. Would recommend if you don't have a lot time ahead. We did in Winter the first time and we were actually kind of disappointed. We did it again in May 2019 and it was very different :) Not at all disappointing, so would highly recommend hiking this in Spring-Fall times!

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Alum Cave

We discovered this hike (which is a very popular one) this summer and we did it twice in three days :). It is a moderate hike, around 2h and 2h30. We particularly enjoyed following the river at the beginning then discovering the cave halfway through and then the wonderful views at the end of the trail. We haven't tried to keep going to Mount Leconte but would like to :) it is better to arrive early as the parking lot fills up pretty quickly. Our favorite trail so far in the park!

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Walker Sister Home

This hike was recommended by a friend, and it didn't disappoint! Very easy to find, you park at Metcalf bottom picnic area and cross the bridge to start the hike. It is a very nice and easy hike with not much traffic, which was very nice. The first interesting stop is the school and then the walker sisters home. We saw a bear on our way back, it was crossing the trail behind us, very quietly.

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Chimney Top Trail

So, this is a hike I am happy I did but won't probably do again, it was a bit too hard for me! :) The first part of the hike is very nice (following the river) and then you start to climb.... The view was very nice but maybe not worth all the stairs. On the way back, we saw a bear, probably 20 feet away, standing up ! I was so stressed; I didn't even think about taking pictures!!

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Ramsey Cascades Trail

We did this hike back in February 2020, following a friend's advice. It is a moderate hike in the beginning and it gets harder when you get closer to the cascades, both because of the incline and the rocks. The trail offers lots of scenery and stunning trees along the way. We love the area, the river on that side of the park is wonderful, and it is a bit more quiet than other areas of the park. It took us 5h30 including multiple breaks for me to breathe and time to enjoy the fall.

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These are just a few examples of the incredible sights and experiences you can enjoy in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Remember to check for any current park advisories or trail closures before visiting.

Any questions?
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Our Favorite Trails