11 of the best things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

24.01.2024 - 15:44 / lonelyplanet.com / National Park

There is no shortage of nature-driven euphoria in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Towering hardwoods, quiet streams and even the odd roaming black bear are accompanied by a steady, rolling fog generated by native vegetation – hence the name "Smoky" – which adds to the visual allure. Hugging the East Tennessee–North Carolina border, there are 150 trails, 2200-plus streams and more than 520,000 total acres to explore within this national park. It's no wonder this is the most-visited national park in the US, attracting up to 14 million visitors in recent years. 

Part of its popularity is that it's totally free to enter. The hikes to peaks in excess of 6000ft, serene jaunts to waterfalls, and winding scenic drives amid vivid foliage and historical mills certainly don't hurt either. And that's just what's within the park's official confines, let alone the bonus landscapes and family-friendly gateway towns waiting just outside.

Prepare for your very own multifaceted adventure with these top experiences in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

Amid the Smoky Mountains' landscape, three peaks reign supreme – Clingmans Dome (6643ft), Mt Guyot (6621ft) and Mt LeConte (6593ft). You can summit them all, each with its own picturesque rewards waiting at the top. 

Clingmans Dome has a paved but super-steep half-mile finale to its peak, where the brave are treated with vistas for 100 miles on a clear day. Mt Guyot is a strenuous trail lover's dream, with a thick forest-filled homestretch that will give any experienced hiker a sweat. As for Mt LeConte, a hike via Alum Cave Trail is among the park's most popular routes, where stone steps guide you through Arch Rock (yes, an arch!) and blossoming rhododendrons greet you in the springtime.

From Maine to Georgia, the Appalachian Trail is a nearly 2200-mile bucket list hike for outdoor enthusiasts, and more than 71 miles of it zigzags through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Starting in the south at Fontana Dam – a kayaking hot spot with a quiet lake – the trail stretches northeast within the park to Davenport Gap. In between, you can hike the likes of Mt Cammerer and Clingmans Dome. 

Planning tip: Should you choose to do the full inner-park stretch of the Appalachian Trail, plan for a six- to seven-day adventure. 

Dotting many of the park's roads – including the principal Newfound Gap Road thoroughfare – you'll see periodic "Quiet Walk" or "Quiet Walkways" signs with quaint parking lots. There is a certain rural charm to it all – in total, there are 14 quiet walks in the park, each no longer than a half-mile and giving visitors a quick taste of the woods. A non-strenuous favorite is the 0.6-mile round-trip Hickory Flats Quiet Walkway, which has a small creek at its end.