Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States. Over 13 million people visited in the last year, which is substantially higher than any other national park. This is not to discourage you from visiting (because there are some really fun things to see and do), but rather a reminder that proper planning is so important.
With proper planning, you can avoid some crowds. With 13 million annual visitors, it will be impossible to completely avoid crowds, but there are a few places that are significantly quieter and therefore a more enjoyable place to visit.
Let’s plan your trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park!
Best Experiences
Cades Cove Scenic Drive: Should You Do It?
Cades Cove is an 11 mile scenic drive and is one of the most popular things to do at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But should you drive it on your visit?
The Best Waterfalls of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has so many waterfall hikes to choose from. Some are better than others and in this guide I’ll cover some of my favorites.
Porters Creek Trail: Tips & Stats
The Porters Creek Trail is in a lesser visited area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This leads to a calmer trail and a chance to connect with nature. Learn if this trail is right for you.
The Best Things to Do at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The list of things to do at Great Smoky Mountains National Park would go on forever. Instead, I’ve listed out the best of the best so you can plan out your perfect trip.
Itineraries
Great Smoky Mountains Itinerary: 2 Days of Highlights
In this two day itinerary, see some of the best sights at Great Smoky Mountains National Park while trying to be efficient with your time so you can avoid as many crowds as possible.
Parking at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
While the entry to Great Smoky Mountains is free, you do need to have a valid parking pass. Parking used to be free, but March 2023 saw the introduction of the “Park It Forward” program. Now, visitors must pay to park anywhere at Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Whether you are at a visitor center, an overlook, or a remote trailhead, you must have a valid parking permit.
Permits can be purchased from automated vending machines throughout the park. You’ll find them at visitor centers and other high trafficked areas.
The parking fee is $5 per vehicle per day, or $15 per vehicle per week. As a note, the pass is not transferrable and is tied the license plate of your vehicle. Before you go to one of the machines, make sure you know the license plate (especially if you’re driving a rental car!).
It is important to note that any interagency pass, such as the America the Beautiful pass, does NOT cover the parking fee. Even if you have an America the Beautiful (or similar pass), you will need to purchase a parking permit from one of the machines.
When to Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park can be visited all year round. Summers can be down right hot. In addition, the summer months are the busiest. I visited in December (between Christmas and New Year’s). The weather varied dramatically, from snow flurries at Abrams Falls to beautiful sunshine at Fern Branch Falls.
However, just as important as the weather is crowd management. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States with nearly 13 million visitors per year. Some areas of the park feel downright overcrowded. But, for those looking to avoid crowds, pick lesser traveled trails. My hikes at Abrams Falls and Fern Branch Falls felt much less traveled and it was easy to forget we were in the country’s most visited national park. We passed a handful of people, but it was completely manageable. Cataract Falls and Laurel Falls were outrageously busy.
For those looking for a balance between good weather and crowds, I’d look to late spring or in fall.
Where to Stay
Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the Tennessee – North Carolina state line. Your exact location should be based on what specifically interests you, so you can cut down on your driving.
For many tourists though, the towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville in Tennessee make great bases. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge specifically are massive tourist towns and traffic can be outrageous. My advice is to get an early start to try to beat the traffic. It’s no joke.
Nearby
Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the Tennessee-North Carolina state line. You could easily add a visit to North Carolina and the Biltmore Estate. Or head north to Kentucky for Mammoth Cave National Park.
More US National Parks
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is just one of 63 national parks across the United States. Learn more about these parks and start planning your perfect trip with my US National Parks Travel Guide.