Great Smoky Mountains National Park

About Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America's most visited national park. Plan your visit today!

Photos

How to Get There

Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the borders of the states of Tennessee and North Carolina. The three main entrances to the park are in Gatlinburg, TN; Townsend, TN; and Cherokee, NC.

Facilities at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

This recreation area contains 44 facilities — campgrounds, trailheads, and visitor centers.

• BALSAM MOUNTAIN CAMPGROUND — Campground
• Look Rock Campground — Campground
• Great Smoky Mountains Backcountry Permits — Permit
• Appalachian Trail Thru Hiker Permit — Activity Pass
• DEEP CREEK GROUP CAMP — Campground
• SMOKEMONT GROUP CAMP — Campground
• CADES COVE GROUP — Campground
• COSBY CAMPGROUND — Campground
• BIG CREEK CAMPGROUND (GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK) — Campground
• ELKMONT CAMPGROUND — Campground
• CATALOOCHEE HORSE CAMP — Campground
• Cades Cove Visitor Center — Facility
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park Parking Tag — Activity Pass
• Oconaluftee Visitor Center — Facility
• Whiteoak Sink Group Hiking Permits — Permit
• APPALACHIAN CLUBHOUSE — Campground
• ROUND BOTTOM HORSE CAMP — Campground
• GREENBRIER PICNIC PAVILION — Campground
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park Vehicle Reservations — Timed Entry
• Clingmans Dome Solar Eclipse Event August 21 2017 — Ticket Facility
• The Great Smoky Mountains Firefly Viewing Lottery — Ticket Facility
• BIG CREEK GROUP CAMP — Campground
• SMOKEMONT CAMPGROUND — Campground
• CADES COVE CAMPGROUND — Campground
• COSBY GROUP CAMP — Campground
• Sugarlands Visitor Center — Facility
• TWIN CREEKS PICNIC PAVILION — Campground
• CATALOOCHEE CAMPGROUND — Campground
• METCALF BOTTOMS PICNIC PAVILION — Campground
• COSBY PICNIC PAVILION — Campground

14 more facilities not shown.

Plan Your Visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Heading to Great Smoky Mountains National Park? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)