Walk the Appalachian Trail Appalachian Trail Sign inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park Deposit Photos Hike the well-worn trails to view Grotto, Laurel, Abrams, or Rainbow Falls or drive to Meigs Falls, The Sinks, or Place of a Thousand Drips. Over 100 prominent cascades and waterfalls can be found inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park plus numerous smaller cascades and falls on the 2,000 miles of streams and rivers. Other beautiful drives include the 18-mile Little River Road from the Sugarlands Visitor Center to Townsend, and the Blue Ridge Parkway (outside of the park). For a quieter ride, head to the Roaring Forks motor nature trail with views of rushing streams, old log cabins, another mill, and forested wilderness. Stop to visit historic buildings, a grist mill, and watch wildlife. Deposit Photosĭriving the 11-mile one-way loop road through Cades Cove takes you through a lush valley surrounded by mountains. Go Auto Touring on Historic Park Roads Sunrise at Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Cataloochee houses a school, church, and frame homes from the late 1800s 6. Head to Oconaluftee to tour the Mountain Farm Museum, a collection of structures from the late 1800s, or visit nearby Mingus Mill. In Cades Cove, you’ll find the greatest variety of churches, mills, barns, and cabins dating back to the early 1800s. Today, more than 90 historic buildings remain in the park. Deposit Photosīefore it became a national park, this landscape was home to many settlers who farmed and milled in its hidden valleys. Touch Pioneer History The Mountain Farm Museum at Oconaluftee Valley inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Rent a boat in Fontana Village or from the Nantahala Outdoor Center for a day trip, or load up a touring kayak for a multi-day backcountry camping trip linking the remote campsites on the lake’s north shore. Paddle Fontana Lake The boat ramp on Lake Fontana DepositphotosĪ dam on the Little River forms Fontana Lake along the park’s southern border, a long, skinny lake with 240 miles of shoreline that beckon kayakers, canoeists, anglers, and stand-up paddleboarders. The park’s showy flame azaleas and rhododendrons also burst to life starting in April in the low elevations and into June up high. More than 1,500 flowering plants can be found in the region, including delicate spring beauties, several types of trillium, trout lilies, wild geranium, and orchids visit from mid-April to mid-May for the best blooms. The Great Smoky Mountains have an explosion of wildflowers in spring and summer. Stop to Smell the Wildflowers The Appalachian Trail runs through rhododendron bushes in bloom on Jane Bald northeast of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Drive or hike to the higher elevations for sweeping views over the park’s 100-plus tree species painting the hills in bright oranges, yellows, and reds target mid-September for higher-elevation colors and mid-October for lower ones. The Smokies are famous for their colorful trees in fall. Go Autumn Leaf-Peeping Sunset over the Smoky Mountains in autumn Deposit Photos Strong cross-country skiers and snowshoers can also hit the high point in winter for guaranteed solitude. The peak is popular, so go early in the day to beat the crowds. Don’t miss the view from the spaceship-like observation tower up top. To tag the high point, drive the scenic access road (closed December through March) from Newfound Gap and walk a half-mile to the summit. This 6,643-foot round-top peak sits at the top of the park-and the state of Tennessee. Climb Clingmans Dome Clingmans Dome at Sunset Deposit Photos Don’t leave the park without ticking off at least one of these top 10 to-dos in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including historic sites, grand overlooks and waterfalls.
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