Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located in the states of North Carolina and Tennessee. It encompasses 800 square miles, of which 95 percent are forested. World renowned for the diversity of its plant and animal resources, the beauty of its ancient mountains, the quality of its remnants of American pioneer culture, and the depth and integrity of the wilderness sanctuary within its boundaries, it is one of the largest protected areas in the East.

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General Information

Visitation

The park is the most visited in the National Park System, with nine million visitors a year. The peak months are June to August and October with its spectacular autumn color. Lowest visitation occurs in winter months, November to February, and early spring.

Location

North Carolina, Tennessee

Address

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
107 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738

Telephone

(423) 436-1200

Operating Hours & Seasons

The park is open year-round, with two of the three visitor centers open all year, except on Christmas.

Climate & Recommended Clothing:

Elevations in the park range from 800 feet to 6,643 feet and topography affects local weather. Temperatures are 10 to 20 degrees cooler on the mountaintops. Annual precipitation averages 65 inches in the lowlands to 88 inches in the high country. 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 also the driest period. Frosts occur starting in late September. Winter is generally moderate, but extreme conditions occur with increasing elevation.

Directions

Several major highways lead to Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The following routes provide access to the three main entrances.

• In Tennessee, from I-40, take Exit 407 (Sevierville) to Tennessee Route 66 south and continue to U.S. 441 south. Follow U.S. 441 to the park.
• From I-40 in Knoxville, take exit 386-B, U.S. Highway 129 south to Alcoa/Maryville. At Maryville, proceed on U.S. 321 north through Townsend. Continue straight on Tennessee Highway 73 into the park.
• From I-40 in North Carolina 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 in 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 and limited trolley service from Gatlinburg.

Fees, Costs & Rates

No admission fees. Fees charged at developed campgrounds.

Golden Eagle Passport

The Golden Eagle Passport is an entrance pass to any national park, monument, historical site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee. It is a great convenience for those who plan on visiting several different areas that charge special fees. It is valid for one year from the purchase date. A Golden Eagle Passport may be purchased for $50 at any National Park Service entrance fee area or by mail. To order by mail, send check or money order (no cash, please) to:

National Park Service
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Room 138
Washington, DC 20242
Attention: Golden Eagle Passport

Where entry is by private vehicle, the Golden Eagle Passport will admit the passholder as well as any passengers. Where entry by private vehicle is not possible, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Eagle Passport will not reduce use fees, such as those for camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or cave tours. It covers entrance fees only.

Golden Age Passport

The Golden Age Passport is a lifetime entrance pass for those United States residents 62 years or older. These may be purchased at any National Park Service entrance fee area for a one-time processing fee of $10. The Golden Age Passport cannot be purchased by mail or telephone. Proof of age and citizenship or permanent residence must be shown at the time of purchase.

The Golden Age Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. When entrance is not via private vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder as well as children, spouse, and parents.

The Golden Age Pass grants a 50% discount to the holder on any federal use fees charged for things such as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or tours. It does not, however, reduce the price of special recreation permit fees or fees for concessions.

Golden Access Passport

The Golden Access Passport is a free entrance pass to any national park, monument, historic site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge for those who are blind or permanently disabled. The Golden Access passport may be obtained at any National Park Service entrance fee area. Proof of a medically determined disability and eligibility for receiving benefits under federal law is necessary at purchase.

The Golden Access Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. Where entrance is not by vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Access Passport also provides a 50% discount on any federal use fees charged for services and facilities. It does not cover special recreation permit fees or fees charged for concessions.

All passes described above are non-transferable.

Facilities & Opportunities

Visitor Centers/Exhibits

Sugarlands Visitor Center, near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is open year-round and offers an orientation program and natural history exhibits. Oconaluftee Visitor Center, near Cherokee, North Carolina, 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 (closed in winter) near Townsend, Tennessee, sits among preserved historic buildings representing isolated farming communities of the 1800s.

Trails & Roads

More than 800 miles of trails provide opportunities ranging from 10-minute saunters on quiet walkways to week-long adventures deep in the forest. There are about 170 miles of paved roads and more than 100 miles of gravel roads. The back roads offer a chance to escape traffic and enjoy the more remote areas of the park.

Programs & Activities

During 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 & Camping Facilities

LeConte Lodge, accessible only by foot or horseback, sits atop 6,593 Mount LeConte, the park's third highest peak. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (423) 429-5704. The lodge is open from mid-March to mid-November. A variety of lodging facilities are available in the outlying communities.

Front Country Campgrounds

There are 10 developed campgrounds within Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Cades Cove in Tennessee and Smokemont in North Carolina are open year-round. The other campgrounds are generally open from late March or April to early November. Camping fees range from $10 to $15 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 a.m.- 6 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

Horse rentals are available in season at five horse stables in the park in Tennessee and North Carolina.

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 are also accessible.

Campsites Reservations

Reservations can be made for the period of May 15 to October 31 by calling Destinet at (800) 365-CAMP. A 5-foot wide paved and level accessibility trail, Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail, is 1/4 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 in Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Basic Visit Recommendations

Plan your visit to the park by stopping at one of the visitor centers or writing ahead of time to obtain information. Also be sure to acquire safety information and tips pertaining to your planned activity, especially if you are not familiar with the area.

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.

Visitor Impacts

Adhere to park rules and regulations.

Adjacent Visitor Attractions

There are a variety of visitor attractions. Contact area Chambers of Commerce.

Education Opportunities

The Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is a year-round residential environmental education center that offers workshops and programs for everyone, from grade school children to elder hostel 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 the 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.

Friends of 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.

Write to:

Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
134 Court Avenue
Sevierville, TN 37862

Telephone: (423)436-2428.

Additional Information

Obtain a 25-cent 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 by writing to:

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 by writing to:

Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association
115 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738

Items are also available for sale at the visitor centers.

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History

In 1923, when Mrs. Willis P. Davis of Knoxville visited the American West, she fell in love with America's national parks. Mrs. Davis believed the Smoky Mountains were worthy of such status. Thus was born the Park Movement.

Support came slowly. Debates raged over who would buy the land and whether the Smoky Mountains should become a national forest or national park. Many local politicians in both North Carolina and Tennessee supported the park because they never thought it would happen. Much of the support was for construction of an improved road between Knoxville, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina, not for the park itself. After a long and difficult struggle, the dream of a park in the Smoky Mountains became reality. Colonel David Chapman was the leading supporter of the future national park.

National politics were as difficult as local resistance. The Smokies beat out more than 60 other proposed sites. The federal government provided no money for land acquisition. It was not until 1926 that Congress authorized a Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

A park commission then raised the funds needed to buy the 6,600 tracts of land that would compose the new national park. It was the commission that added the word Great to the Smoky Mountains. Through donations ranging from pennies from school children to thousands of dollars from wealthy benefactors, the park movement raised almost $2.5 million in pledges. Another $2.5 million came directly from North Carolina and Tennessee.

With the Great Depression, land values soared and pledges became difficult to collect. More money was needed. Desperate, the park commission almost appealed to Congress for additional funds. Relief came when the Rockefeller family donated $5 million to complete the park. The memorial at Newfound Gap honors their generosity. In 1933, the U.S. government supplied another $1.55 million to complete land purchases.

Land was difficult to buy despite the Park Movement. Greed, private property rights, and personal glory often clashed with government condemnation and the Park Movement. Once nearly half the land was purchased, it was deeded to the federal government.

Congress established the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on June 15, 1934, and turned its stewardship to the National Park Service. Land acquisition continued and on September 2, 1940, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt officially dedicated the park.

A Rich Cultural History

From the Cherokee Indians to the Scotch-Irish settlers, this land was home to a variety of cultures and people. Many historic structures remain. Subsistence turned to exploitation as logging concerns stripped the region of timber. Recovery is now the dominant theme.

The park is an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site. The international recognition is an example of the Smoky Mountains importance to the planet. Neither designation results in a loss of national sovereignty or infringement on private land use, including development. The purpose of this United Nations program is to recognize and encourage the preservation of the world's great cultural and biological areas. The National Park Service is proud to steward this world-renowned site.

The International Biosphere Reserve Program is a voluntary approach to preserving and protecting the world's biological resources. Each reserve has a core and buffer area. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, shielded from development, provides a core area. Other public lands serve as the buffer. Education is the only tool used to promote stewardship among private landowners. Other International Biosphere Reserves include Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon National Parks.

The World Heritage Site designation denotes the park's inventory of Appalachian cultural items from the 19th and early 20th century. Combined with the park's management to maintain cultural landscapes, such as in Cades Cove and Cataloochee, the park is a unique cultural resource. Like biosphere reserves, it is a voluntary program working to preserve earth's resources and history. Other World Heritage Sites include Yellowstone and Mammoth Cave national parks.

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Reservation Information

Campground Reservation Information

Sites at Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont may be reserved during the period of May 15 to October 31 through the National Park Service Reservation Service by calling 1-800-365-CAMP. Reservations can be made two to three months in advance, depending on the date of stay. The remaining seven campgrounds are first-come, first-served only.

Backcountry Reservation

Reservations are required at 16 shelters and 14 other sites. To reserve a site or shelter, call (423) 436-1231. The reservation office is open seven days per week during business hours. To obtain a backcountry map that lists all trails, regulations and campsites, stop at any park visitor center or call (423) 436-0120. The cost, including shipping and handling, is $1.50.

Horse Camp Reservations

Limited drive-in horse camps provide ready access to backcountry trails April through October. Make reservations for these camps through the Backcountry Reservation Office.

Camp Capacity

Anthony Creek 12
Big Creek 20
Cataloochee 28
Round Bottom 20
Tow String 20

A capacity of 12 means 12 people and 12 horses. Reservations may be made up to a month in advance. Use may not exceed seven consecutive nights. Unreserved spaces are first-come, first-served until full. Reservation abuse may result in permit cancellation. Parties on extended overnight backcountry horse trips should not use these limited sites but should park at appropriate trailheads.

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