Your Smokies: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Americas Most Popular National Park

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers so much to do it is no wonder that this national park between North Carolina and Tennessee is the most visited national park in the country and since there is so much to do year round due to the Smoky Mountains temperate weather many visitors to the park come more than once a year!

Black Bears in the Smoky Mountains:

Since The Great Smokies Mountains National park has at least 1,800 resident Black Bears living in the national park, we suggest that you start your journey into the park by reading our Black Bear Safety Information Page. While close encounters with Black Bears can be dangerous, following a few basic safety rules can not only save your life, but the life of a bear as well.

North American Elk reintroduced into The Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

Once many North America Elk inhabited Appalachian Mountains and other regions throughout the eastern US, but over hunting and loss of habitat to man eliminated the last Elk long before the 1900's. The national Park service has reintroduced 52 elk back into the Smoky Mountains starting in 2001. Found out where to see these majestic 500 to 700 pound creatures who are roaming freely in the park and what safety rules to observe on our Elk in the Great Smoky Mountains page.

Hiking in the Smokies:

One of the most popular pastimes in the National Park and all throughout the Smokies is Hiking. Trails are available for hikers of all skill and age levels. Learn more about this wonderful outdoor activity on our Smokies Hiking Page. Enjoy beautiful scenery and fresh air year round and who knows, get in shape and maybe lose a few pounds while hiking!

Fishing in the Smoky Mountains:

Fishing in the streams, creeks and rivers that are throughout the park is another very popular pastime drawing anglers from around the world to try their luck. It is important that before you go fishing in the park that you know the Great Smoky Mountain Parks Fishing Regulations.

You will also find interesting information about the local fishing safety and etiquette tips and guidelines as ways to preserve this sport on our fishing in the Smokies tips page. For identification of different fish that are found in the park see our Smoky Mountain fish identification page. Now that you know what you need to do in order to fish in the park and what the sport fish look like, find out where to find fish in the Smoky Mountain National Park

Horseback riding in the Smokies:

Whether you rent a horse in one of the parks stables or bring your own horse to the national park you are sure to have a good time on the more than 550 miles of horse trails in the park. Your Smokies has information on camping with horses in the park and horseback riding regulations.

Not willing or able to ride a horse on your own? Well you can still enjoy the parks equestrian experience by taking a horse drawn buggy ride through Cades Cove.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Areas:

Cades Cove TN:

Cades Cove Home Page
Cades Cove Biking and Bike Rentals
Cades Cove Driving Tour Part 1
Cades Cove Driving Tour Part 2
Cades Cove Driving Tour Part 3
Cades Cove Driving Tour Part 4
Cades Cove History
Cades Cove 1960's Driving Tour

Special Notes for Cades Cove:

• Cades Cove Visitor Center hours 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
• Cades Cove Campground Store is open
• Cades Cove Riding Stables opens March 21st
• Parsons Branch Road From Cades Cove to Route 129 is closed for repairs until late spring
• Rich Mountain Road from Cades Cove to Townsend Tennessee is now open
• Cades Cove picnic areas remain all year

Abrams Creek TN

Abrams Creek area information

Special Notes for Abrams Creek area:

• Abrams Creek Campgrounds is now Open
• Abrams Creek Horse Camp is open

Appalachian Trail NC and TN

Appalachian Trail information

Balsam Mountain NC

Balsam area information

Special Notes on Balsam Area:

• Balsam Mountain/Heintooga Roads is closed
• Balsam Mountain campgrounds are closed until May 8th

Big Creek NC

Big Creek area information

Special Notes on Big Creek area:

• Big Creek Campgrounds are now open
• Big Creek Horse Camp are open
• Big Creek picnic areas remain open year round

Cataloochee NC

Cataloochee area information

Special Notes on Cataloochee area:

• Cataloochee Campgrounds are now open
• Cataloochee Horse Camp is open

Chimneys Tops TN

Chimneys Tops area information

Special Notes on Chimneys area:

• Chimney Tops picnic areas remain open all year

Clingmans Dome NC

Special Notes on Clingmans Dome area:

• The road to Clingmans Dome opnes April 1st

Collins Creek NC

Special Notes on Collins Creek area:

• The Collins Creek picnic area is now open

Cosby TN

Cosby area information

Special Notes on Cosby area:

• Cosby Campgrounds are now open
• Cosby picnic areas remain open year round

Deep Creek NC

Deep Creek area information

Special Notes on Deep Creek area:

• Deep Creek Campgrounds are closed until April 1st
• Deep Creek picnic areas remain open all year

Elkmont TN

Elkmont area information

Special Notes on Elkmont area:

• Elkmont Campgrounds are now open

Forney Creek NC

Forney Creek area information

Gatlinburg TN

Gatlinburg area information

• Gatlinburg Visitor Center (at the Traffic light #3 in downtown Gatlinburg) hours are from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
• Gatlinburg Visitor Center (on the Spur between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge) hours are from 8:00 am - 5:30 pm

Greenbrier TN

Greenbrier area information

Special Notes on Greenbrier area:

• Greenbrier picnic areas remain open year round

Hazel Creek NC

Hazel Creek area information

Heintooga NC

Heintooga area information

Special Notes on Heintooga area:

• Heintooga picnic areas are closed until May 8th

Lakeshore NC

Lakeshore area information

Lookrock TN

Lookrock area information

Special Notes on Lookrock area:

• Look Rock Campgrounds are closed until May 8th
• Look Rock Picnic area is closed until May 8th

Metcalf TN

Metcalf area information

Special Notes on Metcalf area:

• Metcalf picnic areas remain open year round

Mount Le Conte TN

Mount Le Conte area information

Special Notes on Mount Le Conte area:

• Le Conte Lodge will open on March 23rd for the season

Noland Creek NC

Noland Creek area information

Oconaluftee NC

Oconaluftee area information

Special Notes on Oconaluftee area:

• Oconaluftee Visitor Center through March hours are from 8:30 am -4:30 pm

Roaring Fork TN

Roaring Fork area information

Special Notes on Roaring Fork area:

• The Roaring Fork Motor Trail is now open

Round Bottom NC

Round Bottom area information

Special Notes on Round Bottom area:

• Round Bottom Horse Camp is open
• Roundbottom/Straight Fork Road is open

Smokemont NC

Smokemont area information

Special Notes on Smokemont area:

• Smokemont Campground are open year round
• Smokemont Riding Stables opens April 1st

Smoky Mountain Riding Stables TN

Smoky Mountain Riding Stables area information

Special Notes on Smoky Mountain Riding Stables area:

• Smoky Mountain Riding Stables opens March 21st

Sugarland TN

Sugarland area information

Special Notes on Sugarland area:

• Sugarlands Visitor Center through March hours 8 am - 5 pm
• Sugarland's Horseback Riding Stables opens March 21st

Tremont TN

Tremont area information

Tow String NC

Tow String area information

Special Notes for Tow String area:

• Tow String Horse Camp is open

Townsend TN

Special Notes on Townsend area:

• Townsend Visitor Center through March hours 9 am - 6 pm

Twin Creeks TN

Special Notes on Twin Creeks area:

• Twin Creeks picnic area is closed until April 1st

20 mile NC

20 mile area information



 

More Smoky Mountain Park and Area Information:

Accessibility Guide for The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

In the Your Smokies Great Smoky Mountains National Park Handicapped Accessibility Guide there is information on visitor centers accessibility, handicapped parking, motor trails, nature and hiking trails, campgrounds, horseback riding, horse camping, picnic area accessibilityand other park activity's accessibility for persons who are disabled.

The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid infestation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

This small exotic insect is considered by scientists to be the greatest threat to the National Park today. Find out more about the Hemlock woolly adelgid and what you can do to help.

Friends of Smokies

The park system is seriously under funded and need volunteers to help with education, cleanup and maintenance and funding. Help by joining the Friends of Smokies.

Find out more about how this great organization makes the countries greatest national park even better by visiting our Friends of Smokies page.

National Park Service Rangers and Organizations Information

On our Great Smoky Mountains National Park Service phone numbers - contact page you will find phone numbers, links and contact information for the GSMNP's campgrounds, visitor centers, enforcement rangers, horseback riding stables, the national park service headquarters main number and information for organizations that work within and support the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Official Park Service Web Page

We at Your Smokies strive to offer you our reader the most up to date information on the Smoky Mountain National Park and the surrounding areas in the Smokies, the Official Park Service web page is also a great resource worth checking out.

Free Web cams in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park:

There are 2 live web cameras in the Smoky Mountain National Park that you can view year round. Watch spring unfold, the fall riot of colors in the tress and bushes, and when frost or snow blankets the ground in the winter.

The first Great Smoky Mountain National Park Web Cam is located in the south east corner of the park in North Carolina on Purchase Knob at maggie Valley and the second is located in the south west corner of the park in Tennessee within a few miles of Cades Cove on Look Rock on the Foothills Parkway West.


 

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