Recent News

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park began reopening on May 9! If you’ve been missing going for a hike through the Smoky Mountains, your wait is over. The reopening will happen in phases, and the first of which included many of the hiking trails and roads. The second phase includes all the trails and more secondary roads. Now, more areas in the the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are opening Sept. 3. We’ve gathered all the information we can about the national park reopening:

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is one of the most popular scenic drives in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This road is a 5.5-mile loop that offers some of the best views in the Smoky Mountains. You’ll get glimpses of an old-growth forest, historic structures and more. We’ve put together a guide for everything you need to know about Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail:

Hiking isn’t the only way you can explore the Smoky Mountains! In addition to hiking trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there are a number of motor <a href="/blog/motor-nature-trails-in-the-smoky-mountains">nature trails you can explore by car</a>. We know you’ve heard about the popular scenic drives like Cades Cove and Roaring Fork, but if you’re looking for something less crowded on your visit, we can help! Here are 5 less crowded scenic drives in the Smoky Mountains:

If you’ve ever seen the Smoky Mountains in the morning, you will know why they have smoky in their name. Blankets of bluish smoke settle over the mountains on most mornings, creating a beautiful sight. Some rumors even have gone around, saying that locals use giant fog machines to create the smoky effect. We want to clear up this rumor for you and tell you the real reason why the Smoky Mountains are so smoky!

Everyone hopes they will see wildlife when hiking in the Smoky Mountains. There’s nothing cooler than walking along and seeing a white-tailed deer grazing on grass or a black bear climbing a tree. While seeing these creatures in their natural habitat is exciting, you want to be sure you stay safe and the animals stay safe. Here are 4 things you should do when you see animals while hiking in the Smoky Mountains:

If you’ve ever been stressed out and find that spending time out in nature makes you feel better, it’s not just in your head! Psychologists have done a study to see the effects of spending time in nature and how it affects stress. That means if you’re feeling stressed, it’s time to plan a trip to the Smoky Mountains! We want to share some of the best places to enjoy nature in the Smokies! Find out more about how spending time in the Great Smoky Mountains will reduce your stress:

If you’re hiking just for a few hours during the day or overnight, there are some essential items you should pack. You don’t want to be without important items, especially when you’re out in the backcountry. Here are the top 10 things to bring on a hike in the Smoky Mountains:

Want to try a twist on hiking in the Smoky Mountains? Go hiking with <a href="https://smokymountainllamatreks.com/" target="_blank"> Smoky Mountain Llama Trek </a>! You can enjoy your favorite past time in a new way when you go with llamas! Check out these top 4 reasons why you should hike with Smoky Mountain Llama Trek:

Trying to decide which places to visit in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? With the park encompassing over 500,000 acres there’s a lot to see! And you can find it all, from amazing wildlife to places full of Appalachian history! Hiking in the Smoky Mountains has created a list of several of the top must visit places in the Smokies for you!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a lot to do when you visit! One of the best things to do is go for a bike ride! Hiking in the Smoky Mountains knows of several great Smoky Mountain bike trails you can give a try. You’ll get to experience everything from mountain vistas to old historic buildings along the way too! Keep reading to learn about where you can ride a bike in the national park.

The Elkmont Ghost Town is one of the most fascinating parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to visit! Before the establishment of the national park, Elkmont was a hot spot to be for logging and vacationers way back when. Even with is considered a “ghost town” now it is well worth a visit!

Cades Cove is one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The 11 mile loop is a motor nature trail with endless sights to see. But the real beauty of the area is best seen on foot! Bundle up before your visit, and make sure to get out of the car to explore rustic buildings and local hiking trails! Keep reading to learn about some of the things to do around the Cades Cove loop during winter!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States! The park receives over 2 million visitors every year! All of these visitors come looking to find beautiful mountain views, spot local wildlife, and explore the hiking trails. If you are looking for the best way to learn about the park before exploring it then you need to visit the Smoky Mountains visitor center, also known as the Sugarlands Visitor Center.

There’s no shortage of breathtaking views in the Smoky Mountains! The Smokies boast a chain of mountains with summits that are all higher than 5,000 feet for over 36 miles! Does that have you wondering what the tallest point in the Smokies is? We’re sharing the 5 highest peaks in the Smoky Mountains and how you can visit some of them! Be prepared for some of the most breathtaking views in the Great Smoky Mountains!

The Great Smoky Mountains receive millions of visitors every year! So when do all of these guests visit the national park? Are there times you aren’t allowed in? We’ve got all the details about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park hours right here for you! You’ll be able to plan your visit and know when and where you can go!