The Beautiful Smoky Mountains And 11 Reasons to Visit Them

Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is best known for its elegant beauty in North Carolina and Tennessee. It also happens to be the most visited national park in the US and remains popular with the outdoorsy types each year. So why should YOU pack up the family and head to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

…Besides the incredible landscapes, roaring cascades, huge rocks, and a chance to have a family adventure? The Smoky Mountains are a worthy getaway any time of year, and as a bonus, it’s also an affordable trip. This is one of the few national parks in the US that doesn’t charge an entrance fee.

While it’s fun and cheap to visit year-round, those who are picky and visit in April or May will be rewarded. After all, Shoulder Season is upon us, and it doesn’t get much better than this. Mild weather, empty hiking trails, and scene-stealing wildflowers are just a few great reasons to visit the Smokies. Let’s take a look at our 11 reasons you should visit The Great Smoky Mountains National Park as soon as possible!

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Fall Foliage

Most people associate fall colors with New England. However, more and more people are noticing that the Great Smoky Mountains offer just as brilliant a show and a more extended day to view them, being in the south. The park is home to over 100 varieties of native trees, making the array of colors on display nearly endless. Each bend in the road brings you to a new and spectacular view, whether it be open rolling fields, mountainscapes, or beautiful color-speckled streams.

The Cades Cove Loop road gates open at sunrise and close at sunset each day except Saturdays and Wednesdays during summer, May through September. Also, the road is only open to foot and bicycle traffic until 10am. But you should get there right before sunrise and wait until the gates open. Most mornings, there is mist rising in the valleys and flowing through the mountains. The low rising sun creates surreal light on the fog and sparkles on the grass, making for a picturesque view.

Cades Cove

Cades Cove is a remote valley located on the Tennessee part of the Smokies. The valley was home to many settlers before the national park was formed. Today it’s the most popular destination for people who visit the Smoky Mountains. It draws in more than two million visitors every year because of its well-preserved homesteads, scenic mountain views, and abundant wildlife.

This 11-mile loop is a peaceful driving tour and can also be used for bicycling. Throughout the Cove, you will see historical buildings, including the rustic log homes of its original residents, churches, a grist mill, molasses-making equipment, and cemeteries. Its historic district is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Wildlife

Wildlife is plentiful in the Smokies. In fact, The Smoky Mountains have the most biological diversity of any area in the globe’s temperate zone. This includes black bears, mountain lions, wild turkeys, bobcats, white-tailed deer, elk, wild boar, foxes, mink, and exotic wild hogs. The perfect time to catch a glimpse of the animals is in the early mornings and evenings. Foxes, mountain lions, wild hogs, and bobcats are more frequently seen after dark and before sunrise.

If you’re driving around early in the morning, you will undoubtedly see many deer feeding and frolicking in the dawn’s light. Also, spotting bears is pretty easy in this National Park, with a population of over 1500 black bears, that’s 2 per square mile, black bears are frequently spotted all over the park.

Clingmans Dome

Standing at 6,643ft, Clingmans Dome is the highest peak in the Smokies and the third highest mountain east of the Mississippi. Walk the steep half-mile path to the 54ft observation tower for a 360-degree view of the park from the parking lot. Sunsets and sunrises are particularly spectacular to view here. The area has the most beautiful views in the park, and it also accesses The Appalachian Trail.

The Appalachian Trail crosses Clingmans Dome, marking the highest point along its 2,144-mile journey. Just be aware that the road to Clingmans Dome is generally closed from December 1 until April 1, and the trail to the tower is unfortunately too steep to be wheelchair accessible. Pets and bicycles are also not permitted on this or any other paths in the area.

Hiking

Going for a hike in Smoky Mountain National Park is just amazing. Around 800 miles of preserved hiking trails are in the national park featuring everything from straightforward, short walks to over 80 miles of the Appalachian Trail beside the highest peaks. Some feature waterfalls and water crossings, as well as unbelievable mountain vistas.

Some of the most popular trails include an 8-mile round-trip to Charlies Bunion, located on the Appalachian Trail, Mt. LeConte, the Chimney Tops Trail, Laurel and Abrams Falls Trail, and Ramsey Cascades Trail. You’ll have the best experience finding wildflowers, cascading streams, the evergreen scents, and the sounds of birds on the trails.

Smoky Mountain Train Ride

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad offers various excursions and special events all year round. There are Gourmet Dinner Trains that run Saturday nights beginning in February. And also, Mystery Theatre Dinner Trains run on select Friday nights, from spring to autumn. You can find the Rail stations in Dillsboro and Bryson City, North Carolina. Passenger tours take you from the historic depot in Bryson City, through the beautiful countryside of North Carolina, to various destinations.

Their variety of passenger train options makes it perfect for making memories and experiencing real railroading! You can enjoy your experience through their First Class Cars with a private attendant or pre-purchased boxed lunches in the other seating options while taking in the breathtaking views. Side Note: Don’t forget to check out Dollyland!

Hot Air Balloon Rides

Don’t you think a hot air balloon is just magical? These rides can take you straight back to the magic of childhood when anything that hovered in the air took on an element of magic, back before science didn’t quite exist with all its rules and requirements, and there was a little fantasy that ruled our world.

The Great Smoky Mountain Balloon Festival takes place each summer in Townsend, TN, and it’s a great event for people of all ages. Bring the family and prepare for a few hours of adventure as the sun sets and the balloons go airborne. You will see magnificent views of the Smoky Mountains’ pristine land from an entirely new vantage point. There’s even the option to get married on one of those hot air balloon rides.

Fishing

You’ll find over 700 miles of fishable waters in the Smokies. First-time anglers to the Smoky Mountains should stop by a ranger station or visitor center to ask for some pro tips. And you’ll also find many Sporting goods stores in the communities surrounding the area, which often have some of the Park’s most expert fishermen.

You WILL be required to show a valid Fishing license on demand by authorized personnel, but State trout stamps are not required. Fishing is allowed 365 days each year in the National Park, from sunrise to sunset, and you can fish in all the streams.

Hayrides In Autumn

Are you looking for a fun-filled new adventure or searching for something unique to do for a reunion or family getaway? What about a special afternoon with your significant other? No matter your reason, you’ll love this old southern tradition. With so many options, hayrides in the Smoky Mountains are great solutions for all occasions.

They’re as much a part of the autumn tradition as pumpkins, crafts, and the changing of the leaves. A fall tradition for hundreds of years, all ages look forward with great anticipation to the coming of fall so they can enjoy this time-honored activity. Why? Because hayrides are more than just sitting atop dried grass while you’re pulled along a dusty old dirt road. You even have options to choose from, including evening, tractor-drawn, and horse-drawn rides.

Fontana Dam

This dam is the tallest east of the Rockies, at 480ft. It offers many boating and fishing opportunities and access to remote, historic areas of the Smoky Mountains National Park. The Tennessee Valley Authority built it because of an urgent need for electric power during the Second World War, and construction began in 1942 and was finished in only 36 months.

Fontana Dam is known to be one of the most beautiful dams worldwide. Besides providing us with hydroelectric power and controlling floods throughout the region, the lake constructed behind it on the Little Tennessee River is a favored spot for many kinds of outdoor recreations. This includes fishing, boating, and hiking.

Waterfalls

The Smoky Mountains National Park boasts over 11 significant Waterfalls: Abrams Falls, Grotto Falls, Hen Wallow Falls, Indian Creek Falls, Juney Whank Falls, Laurel Falls, Mingo Falls, Mouse Creek Falls, Rainbow Falls, Ramsey Cascades, and Tom Branch Falls. Two of them you can drive to and are Meigs Falls on Little River Road and Place of a Thousand Drips on Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.

But in fact, there are way more than that. Over 100 waterfalls grace the Smoky Mountains, and there are two main reasons for them: rain and an elevation gradient. The ample rainfall descends the mountainsides, sometimes dropping more than a mile in elevation!

…As you can imagine, there are hundreds of adventures to be had at The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, we’ve listed just a few of our favorites. Next time you go on your next great getaway here, let us know about your experience in the comments section below!

And if you’ve enjoyed reading about these great experiences, you should also check out: 11 Stunning Valleys To Visit In The US