Top Things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Top 10 Free Things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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1. Little River Road
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 218 reviews
Scenic road through the Great Smokies.
Reviewed By crystalm37 - Gatlinburg, United States
It snowed our first night in town so we decided to venture into the Smokies. Little River Road had amazing views of the mountains. Most of the ride from Sugarlands Visitor Center to Miegs Falls was a Winter Wonderland with white fluffy snow! It was beautiful!
2. Alum Cave Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 418 reviews
One of the most popular hikes in the park, it is the quick route to Mt. LeConte Lodge.
Reviewed By explorcation - Florida, United States
This trail is known to be the most hiked trail in the Smokies and for good reason. It follows a river in the beginning, takes you through a naturally formed rock arch and leads you to the Alum Cave Bluffs. You can decide how far you want to take the trail. If you want to do a full day hike you can take it all the way to the Mount LeConte peak! Hiking to the peak can take between 6 to 10 hours depending on your pace and how frequently you stop. The whole trail is so beautiful it would be hard to not stop frequently. This area is very popular, so arrive early to get a spot in the parking lot. During our visit many cars had to park along the side of the road. If you are planning a trip and want to see some video footage of the Alum Cave Trail check out our Alum Cave Trail hiking video on our YT Channel Explorcation. The link is in our bio. It also includes some more tips for visiting. Happy trip planning!
3. Mount LeConte
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 280 reviews
One of the most popular hiking mountains in the park.
Reviewed By Bee_Keeper_05 - Crossville, United States
We hiked Mt LeConte yesterday, and it was worth the soreness I am feeling now. Such a challenging day! We took Bulls Head up to LeConte Lodge (7.82 miles)and came down toward Rainbow Falls. There are a lot of views on the Bulls Head Trail, a lot more then the Rainbow Trail. The fires cleared the trees for amazing views! The burnt trees stood like statues refusing to fall, and surprising like art themselves. There are not a lot of switch backs on the way up and it is a climb to summit. I was surprised of the temperature drop, once on top. It was was pretty cold, and. Was glad I had hiking pants on. LeConte Lodge was so neat to see, and a must see. Rainbow Falls was good, but very crowded and I did not stay long. Highly Recommend
4. Newfound Gap Road
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 744 reviews
Reviewed By MaryKop - Colorado Springs, United States
Being from the west, we miss all the deciduous trees turning green in the spring..such a beautiful drive, winding road with pull outs to enjoy all the creeks and waterfalls, etc...worth it--we spent hours wandering along this road.
5. Charlies Bunion
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 123 reviews
Reviewed By Susie1028 - San Diego, United States
This is a great hike in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The trailhead is on the North Carolina/Tennessee border. There is plenty of parking a restrooms. From Newfound Gap, you will take the Appalachian Trail through the mountain's knobby divide to the stone outcrop called Charlie's Bunion. The rocky, treeless summit affords wonderful panoramic views of the Great Smoky Mountains. The hike is 8.1 miles roundtrip. In November when we hiked, there were many sections of snow and ice.
6. Chimneys Picnic Area
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 325 reviews
Reviewed By melissabubash - Cincinnati, United States
I ended up in Chimneys Picnic Area because my husband and I were going to hike the Cove Hardwoods Nature Trail (our legs needed a break...the trail was disappointing after the massive hikes we'd already completed). The picnic area though was absolutely beautiful. Great sites to hang out for the day including picnic tables and grills. We were there Memorial Day weekend and at the trail head around 9am and people were already staking out spots for the day. So I would recommend going very early to get the prime spots along the stream.
7. Ramsey Cascades
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 172 reviews
Reviewed By Travel_Addict_Cyprus - Michigan, United States
We loved this trail! Beautiful scenery on the way to the Ramsey Cascades, with the reward of the stunning waterfall at the end! This trail is in the Greenbrier area of the park. While researching this trail, i saw that it was described as an 8.0 mile RT trail and rated moderately strenuous. It seemed longer than 8 miles to me, and my fitness app showed close to 10 miles, so i am not sure if the 8 miles is accurate. Regarding the difficulty level, I would say it is moderate, because the 2,190 feet of elevation gain is spread over a long distance (approx 4 miles). The road to the trailhead is a bit rough, with some pot holes, but nothing too bad; just drive carefully to the end of the dirt road and you will find the parking area. As at most trailheads, if the lot is full you can turn around and park along the side of the road. Beautiful scenery along the trail, which starts out very easy. Even though it's a steady uphill, it's a gradual climb that only gets steep the last mile and a half. At the sign that says there's 2.5m to the Falls, you'll start a more difficult ascent, with the terrain being rocky and rooted. You will cross a couple of foot bridges over the stream. The last 1.5 miles is pretty steep and rocky, but definitely doable by anyone in average shape. Once you reach the waterfall, the rocks are slippery, so watch your step. If you plan to stay a while and enjoy the waterfall, make sure you have a jacket; it's cold up there. I brought a hiking stick but the rest of my family did not and had no issues.
8. Foothills Parkway
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 577 reviews
Reviewed By CountryChick94 - Velpen, United States
Did a June motorcycle trip in the Smokies, and the Foothills Parkway was great. The "missing link" was our favorite stretch. The missing link has enough curves and hills to give you the joy of a mountain ride without the challenges of the Tail of the Dragon. The road is very well cared for, not much traffic, and a lot of pull-offs for site seeing. Ask the locals if you need to know how to get to the missing link. They're happy to tell you why it's called that and how to get there!
9. Roaring Fork
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,313 reviews
Reviewed By tgny23 - Alexandria, United States
Definitely worth driving through Roaring Fork! A one way drive through the Smoky Mountains with so much to see! We went over several bridges and were able to enjoy Little Pigeon Stream before it became an actual river. There are several old abandoned structures from yesteryear to explore and appreciate. There are are few great spots to stop and take a photo of downtown Gatlinburg from above the town. We were intent on seeing a bear, but we never did locate one, but several others I talked with did see a bear. Take it all in, it’s breathtaking.
10. Spruce Flats Falls
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 130 reviews
Reviewed By Alex0518 - Fort Mitchell, United States
A moderate trail. Rocks and stumps so watch your step. A couple of nice views along your hike. Somehow uphill both ways lol. Beautiful waterfall makes a perfect place to cool off and have a snack. Not as trafficed as some of the other Smoky Mountain trails
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