National Park
The Great Smoky Mountains get their name from the blue-like smoky mist that surrounds them. These beautiful peaks make a picturesque backdrop for Pigeon Forge. In the Smoky Mountains you’ll discover 500,000 acres of Southern Appalachian wilderness on one of the oldest uplands on earth! The mountains are 95-percent forest and home to diverse wildlife. Here you can uncover breathtaking streams, waterfalls and flowering plants.
The National Park offers a variety of activities throughout the year including 800 miles of trails for hiking, exploration and plenty of sightseeing. There are countless photo opportunities along the park’s beautiful scenic routes. Weather conditions in the mountains tend to be moderate making it a favorite vacation spot for couples and families alike.
Alerts
Upcoming Improvements
One hundred percent of the funds generated by the Park It Forward program, launched in 2023, will be used to help make your visit to the Smokies even more enjoyable in the coming months and years. Some of these improvements will include:
– Improving visitor safety
– Increase park ranger presence
– Improve roads and facilities
– Enhance the overall visitor experience
The fund the program $40 annual parking tags are available for purchase online through Smokies Life. The $5 daily and $15 weekly parking tags are available for purchase at recreation.gov or by credit card at more than 30 kiosks located in parking lots across the park. All parking tag types are also available for purchase at Smokies Life store locations. Annual tags are valid for one year from the date of purchase.
Sugarlands Visitor Center
Located inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, off US highway 441, the Sugarlands Visitor Center has all the answers to your questions regarding planning your trip to the national park.
Cades Cove Vehicle Free Days
Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials are providing vehicle-free access on the Cades Cove Loop Road each Wednesday from May 4 through September 28, in an effort to improve the visitor experience and to reduce congestion. For more information, click here.
Fishing In The Smokies
Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers visitors and locals alike an abundance of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. For those that enjoy spending time on the water, relaxing and casting a line, you’re sure to enjoy a visit to the Smoky Mountains.
Fishing in the Smoky Mountains is a time honored tradition that has been occurring for centuries. Before the arrival of European settlers, the waters were fished by the native Cherokees. Since the creation of the national park in the 1930s, millions of fishermen have continued this tradition.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to more than 2,900 miles of streams, with nearly 600 miles of those streams containing fish. The park is also home to one of the last wild trout habitats within the Eastern United States. Fishing experiences within the national park range from remote, headwater trout streams to large, coolwater smallmouth bass streams
Podcasts
Podcast lover and want to know more about our beautiful Great Smoky Mountains? Then check out a great podcast from The Group travel Voice as they interview Great Smoky Mountains National Park employee Dana Soehn. Check back for other great podcasts that we’ll add periodically.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Map
Lodging Near Great Smoky Mountains National Park
If you’re planning on “roughing it”, there are numerous camps located within the Smoky Mountains or you can try out one the Pigeon Forge campgrounds featuring sizeable picnic areas that are perfect for any size gathering. Of course, the city also has a variety of other lodging options including cabins, hotels and condos that are priced to suit a variety of budgets.
