Smokies Life

Whether you delight in the challenge of a strenuous hike to the crest of a mountain or prefer to sit quietly and watch the sun set, Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers a myriad of activities for you to enjoy. The hardest part may be choosing which auto tour, trail, waterfall, overlook, or historic area to explore! Auto Touring - An auto tour of the park offers a chance to see panoramic vistas, cascading mountain rivers, weathered historic buildings, and majestic forests stretching to the horizon. Bicycling - Pedal through Cades Cove on a misty summer morning for a truly memorable way to experience the park. Camping - Escape into the Smokies wilderness for a backpacking adventure or opt for a tamer excursion in one of the park's developed campgrounds. Fishing - Anglers can match their skills against wily brook, brown, and rainbow trout on over 700 miles of fishable streams in the park. Hiking - Choose from over 800 miles of trails ranging from quiet walkways to multi-day backpacking treks through the backcountry. Historic Buildings - The park has one of the best collections of log buildings in the eastern United States. Nearly 80 historic structures-homes, barns, churches, schools, and grist mills-have been preserved in the park. Horseback Riding - The park has hundreds of miles of horse trails and five drive-in horse camps. If you don't own a horse, four rental stables provide mounts and guides. Picnicking - Craving hotdogs, potato salad, water melon... and ants? There are eleven picnic areas to choose from in the park-many have pavilions that can be reserved in advance. Waterfalls - Waterfalls can be found on nearly every river and stream in the park. Here's your guide to some of the best. Wildflowers - Great Smoky Mountains National park is known as the "wildflower national park." You can find blooming plants year-round here, but spring and summer are renowned for spectacular displays of wildflowers along roads and trails. Wildlife Viewing - Hoping to see an elk, white-tailed deer, or black bear? Read some tips to improve your chances of spotting animals during your visit to the park.