Great Smoky Mountains NP Hiking Map and Guide
Maps!
Great Smoky Mountains NP Hiking Map and Guide
Park Details
Location Information
Address:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
107 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Telephone:
(423) 436-1200
Directions:
Several major highways lead to the Park. The following routes provide access to the three
main entrances.
In Tennessee:
1)From I-40 take Exit 407 (Sevierville) to TN Route 66 South,
and continue to U.S. 441 South. Follow U.S. 441 to Park. 2) From I-40 in Knoxville - Exit
386B U.S. Highway 129 South to Alcoa/Maryville. At Maryville proceed on U.S. 321 North
through Townsend. Continue straight on TN Highway 73 into Park.
In North Carolina:
From
I-40, take U.S. Route 19 West through Maggie Valley. Proceed to U.S. 441 North at Cherokee
into the Park.
From Atlanta and Points South:
Follow U.S. 441 and 23 North. U.S. 441 leads to
the Park.
Transportation:
To Park: The nearest major airport in Tennessee (McGhee-Tyson, TYS) is Alcoa, 45 miles
west of Gatlinburg. North Carolina's, Asheville Airport is 60 miles east of the park. No train or
bus service accesses the Park.
In Park: Personal vehicle, limited trolley service from Gatlinburg.
Operating Hours/Seasons
The park is open year-round. Two of the three visitor centers are open all year, except Christmas Day.
Reservations/Permits/Fees
Fees:
No admission fees. Fees charged at developed campgrounds. Camping fees range from $10.00 to $15.00 per night.
Reservations:
Reservations are required for LeConte Lodge and can be made by calling (423) 429-5704.
The lodge is open mid-March to mid-November. A variety of lodging facilities are available in
the outlying communities.
Frontcountry Campgrounds:
There are ten developed campgrounds. Cades Cove in Tennessee
and Smokemont in North Carolina and are open year round. These campgrpunds and Elkmont
campground accept reservations from May 15 to October 31.
Reservations are made through
Destinet at 1-800-365-CAMP. The other campgrounds are generally open from late March April
to early November.
Backcountry Campsites:
Backcountry camping is free but requires a permit. Most campsites
use self-registration at visitor centers or ranger stations, but shelters and rationed sites require
reservations. Reservations can be made 30 days in advance by calling (423) 436-1231, 8:00
a.m.- 6:00 p.m. daily.
Climate, Recommended Clothing
Spring often brings unpredictable weather, particularly in higher elevations.
Summer is hot and humid, but more pleasant in higher elevations.
Fall has warm days and cool nights and is the driest period, and frosts occur starting in late September.
Winter is generally moderate, but extreme conditions occur with increasing elevation.
Temperatures are 10 to 20 degrees cooler on the mountaintops.
Elevation in the park range from 800 feet to 6,643 feet and topography affects local weather.
Annual precipitation averages 65 inches in the lowlands to 88 inches in the high country.
Facilities and Opportunities
Visitor Centers/Exhibits:
Sugarlands Visitor Center, near Gatlinburg, TN, is open year-round and offers an orientation
program and natural history exhibits.
Oconaluftee Visitor Center, near Cherokee, NC, is also open year-round and its exhibits focus on mountain life of the late 1800s.
Adjacent to the visitor center is the Mountain Farm Museum, a collection of historic farm buildings.
Cades Cove Visitor Center, near Townsend, TN, (closed in winter), sits among preserved historic buildings representing isolated farming communities of the 1800s.
Trails, Roads:
More than 800 miles of trails provide opportunities ranging from ten-minute saunters on
quiet walkways to week-long adventures deep in the forest. There are about 170 miles of paved
roads and over 100 miles of gravel roads. The "backroads" offer a chance to escape traffic and
enjoy the more remote areas of the park.
Programs/Activities:
During the summer and fall, the park provides regularly scheduled ranger-led interpretive
walks and talks, slide presentations, and campfire programs at campgrounds and visitor centers.
Lodging and Camping Facilities:
LeConte Lodge, accessible only by foot or horseback, sits atop 6,593 Mt. LeConte, the
Park's third highest peak. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (423) 429-5704.
The lodge is open mid-March to mid-November. A variety of lodging facilities are available in
the outlying communities.
Frontcountry Campgrounds:
There are ten developed campgrounds. Cades Cove in Tennessee
and Smokemont in North Carolina are open year round. These campgrounds and Elkmont
campground accept reservations from May 15 to October 31. Reservations are made through
Destinet at 1-800-365-CAMP. The other campgrounds are generally open from late March or April
to early November. Camping fees range from $10.00 to $15.00 per night.
Backcountry Campsites:
Backcountry camping is free but requires a permit. Most campsites
use self-registration at visitor centers or ranger stations, but shelters and rationed sites require
reservations. Reservations can be made 30 days in advance by calling (423) 436-1231, 8:00
a.m.- 6:00 p.m. daily.
Food/Supplies:
There are no food facilities in the park. Numerous convenience stores and restaurants are located in outlying communities.
Other Concessions/NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and
Opportunities:
Horse rentals are available in season at five horse stables in the park in Tennessee and North
Carolina.
Education Opportunities:
There is a
year-round residential environmental education center in the Smokies which offers workshops
and programs for everyone, from grade school children to Eldershostel groups and teachers.
Programs may include hiking, slide shows on flora and fauna, mountain music, living history,
and wildlife demonstrations. A fee is charged. For more information, call (423) 448-6709.
The Smoky Mountain Field School offers weekend workshops, hikes, and adventures for adults throughout the year. In cooperation with the National Park Service and University of Tennessee, experts in the fields of Smoky Mountain flora and fauna lead programs. A fee is charged. For more information call 1(800) 284-8885.
Accessibility:
Wheelchair accessible facilities, including restrooms, are located at the three major
campgrounds, Cades Cove and Elkmont in Tennessee and Smokemont in North Carolina, visitor
centers, and many picnic areas. Campsite reservations can be made for the period May 15 to
October 31 by calling Destinet at 1(800) 365-CAMP. A five-foot wide paved and level
trail, Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail, is a quarter mile south of Sugarlands
Visitor Center. Specially designed communications media, including tactile and wayside
exhibits, large print brochures and a cassette version are part of the trail.
Recommended Activities/Park Use
Camping, hiking, picnicking, sightseeing, fishing, auto touring, horseback riding, nature viewing, and photographic opportunities abound.
Basic Visit Recommendations:
Plan your visit to the park by stopping at one of the visitor centers or writing ahead to
obtain information. Also be sure to acquire safety information/tips pertaining to your planned
activity, especially if you are not familiar with the area.
Visitation
The most visited national park in the National Park System, with nine million visitors a year. The peak months are June to August and October during spectacular autumn color. Lowest visitation occurs in winter months, November to February, and early spring.
Visitor Impacts:
In winter during hazardous weather conditions, the two main roads will close. Do not
leave valuables in your car. Adhere to Park rules and regulations.
Special Events Programs
The park holds a variety of annual events, including Old Timers' Day, storytelling, a quilt show, Women's Work, Mountain Life Festival, sorghum molasses and apple butter making, as well as living history demonstrations.
Adjacent Visitor Attractions
There are many and quite a variety of visitor attractions. Contact area Chambers of Commerce.
Additional Information
Obtain a $.25 copy of the park newspaper, Smokies Guide. It offers current information on interpretive programs and services. It is available at visitor centers and campgrounds or write Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738.
A sales publication catalog listing books, videos, maps, guides, and more is available from Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association by writing 115 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Items are also available for sale at the visitor centers.
Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Organized in 1993 to help the park through direct funding and outside financial support,
the Friends operate under a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service. Dedicated to
restoring, preserving and enhancing the park, their partnership provides needed help in the
current fiscal atmosphere. To contact Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
write them at 134 Court Avenue, Sevierville, TN 37862, or call (423)436-2428.
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