Insider's Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

by

Our contributing editor, a chronic visitor to the park for five decades, offers her insights and tips for a celebration visit.

The formation of the Appalachian range in which the Great Smoky Mountains lie dates back 200-300 million years. Evidence of pre-Columbian cultures also reach hundreds of millions of years into the past. Fast forward to the late 1700s CE when European settlers arrived and launched dramatic changes that would shape the mountains and its people into the future.

During the 1800s, white settlers moved into the mountains. And, at the dawn of the 20th century, logging companies and railroad ventures were changing the contours of the land. During this time, the fits and starts of political and conservation efforts began. In 1890, a park bill in North Carolina failed; and, the first attempt to purchase park lands in Tennessee met the same fate.

Ultimately, President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill in 1926 establishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but progress was slow. Within this bill was the proviso that the federal Department of the Interior would assume administrative and protective responsibilities once 150,000 acres could be purchased.

Funds had to be raised, over 5,600 people had to leave their homes, and timber and paper companies still had interests in the mountains. Eight more years passed. The first superintendent of the park had arrived and the Civilian Conservation Corps had begun building roads, bridges, structures, campgrounds and trails.

Then, in 1934, Tennessee and North Carolina donated 300,000 acres for the national park and 150,000 acres were purchased from homeowners—officially “establishing” the new park.

The dedication of “the largest federally protected upland landmass east of the Mississippi River” was subsequently officiated by President Franklin Roosevelt at Newfound Gap in 1940.

Happy 90th birthday, Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

Best Place to Learn About the Park

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont. Join a community science and research project for hands-on experiences across more than 500,000 acres of wilderness. This nonprofit environmental education center located within the park offers opportunities to study and learn about birds, butterflies, amphibians, otters, lichens, the weather, air quality and even phenology (life cycle events in nature). Take a photography workshop, go on guided hikes, train for emergency medical situations in the wilderness or earn a Naturalist Certification. Spend the day or inquire about residential programs where participants get to stay on site in the dorm or tent village, eat in the dining hall, enjoy outdoor classrooms and learn in the science lab. No experience necessary and all ages welcome.

Best Historical Place

Elkmont. Documented archeological discoveries of human habitation date back 8,000 years at this location. In more recent eras, this area has been a logging community with a railroad, vacation resort village with cottages and a grand hotel and subsequently a ghost town succumbing to the ravages of time when leases expired in 1992. The good news: Visitors can now see what community life looked like here over a century ago. Sixteen historic structures, including cabins, churches and more, have been rehabilitated and are open to the public. Read informational signage and notice period furniture and tools to get a sense of the place and learn about future preservation plans.

Insider tip: In the cabins, stand in a small back room and look through the wavy window panes at the wilderness outside… just as residents did over 100 years ago.

Best Places to See Elk

Cataloochee Valley and Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Choose from these two prime locations to view Smoky Mountain elk. Extirpated (eliminated from the region) by the mid-19th century, this native species was successfully reintroduced in 2001/2002 and has grown in number from 52 to 200. Explore Cataloochee with a guided eco-tour or self-guided drive via the one road (no services) into the valley.

Insider tips: The easiest access for seeing these magnificent animals is in the meadow beside the visitor center. Dawn and dusk in spring, summer and fall are the favored times for the males, females and calves to graze here. Also, take a stroll in the fall on the Oconaluftee River Trail (accessed at the visitor center) to catch a glimpse of the elk at the water’s edge.

Best Visitor Center

Sugarlands. There are four excellent visitor centers inside the park, each with amenities and attributes worthy of stopping by. If, however, you are entering the park from the north (Gatlinburg) side and/or time is limited, plan to stop at Sugarlands.

Pick up a free map and newspaper to plot your trip and learn about the the latest park happenings; watch the informational video; learn about all things flora and fauna via extensive natural history exhibits; enjoy the history museum; and ask the rangers for tips and hints. A large bookstore is filled with an array of topical materials. Onsite are drink and snack machines, restrooms and ample parking. All facilities are wheelchair accessible and cell service is active.

Insider tip: Take an easy walk through the surrounding woodlands, specifically on the Fighting Creek Nature Trail just behind the center, to see tree species identification signs, a historic cabin and a waterfall.

Best Light Show

Elkmont’s synchronous fireflies. Bioluminescence (in this writer’s humble opinion) is…well…a super power! A few animal and plant species around the world possess the ability to create this chemical reaction that produces “cold” light. But there are only a couple of firefly species in all of North America that blink collectively as “one.” And, one of these beetle species that we affectionately called “lightning bugs” lives in the Elkmont area of the park. During June, their performance is reportedly the largest gathering of synchronous fireflies in the Western Hemisphere.

Insider tip: Decades ago, it was my privilege to witness this light show from the tree canopy to the forest floor on several occasions—before I even knew what it was called. Today, due to the popularity of this rare phenomenon and to protect the “performers,” all visitors must now request parking permission passes via the Firefly Event lottery found on the nps.gov website.

Best Stargazing

Clingmans Dome. For another nighttime light show, this one of the celestial variety, take a trip to the highest point in the park. With an elevation of 6,643 feet and the nearest city some 40 miles away, Clingman’s Dome offers less light pollution to obstruct the view. With or without a telescope, expect to see a sky filled with stars, constellations, planets and even comets and meteor showers with a bit of good timing. And, perhaps the best reason to stargaze here (particularly during a new moon in summer) is a view of the Milky Way.

Insider tips: You needn’t leave the parking lot for unobstructed views of the cosmos. (The trail and concrete walkway to the observation tower are steep—and can be slippery in cold weather.) Dress warmly and check for road closures during winter months. If ice and snow block the way to Clingmans Dome, the parking lot at Newfound Gap may be open. The stargazing here is comparably stunning.

Best Wildflower Walks

Whiteoak Sink. Step carefully along the footpath into a small elliptical meadow carpeted with a dizzying variety of native wildflowers. Shooting stars, trillium, violets, orchids, aster, iris and even the walking fern are found in abundance. The steep hills surrounding the sinks and nearby cliffs are also decorated for spring. Prepare to hike approximately two miles (accessed via Schoolhouse Gap Trail) to find this sanctuary. Group sizes are limited from the first week of April through the first week of May.

Insider tips: For a flame azalea immersion, Gregory Bald is the destination. See large numbers and species of wildflowers on Cove Hardwood Nature Trail, a short .9-mile loop. Stop at Maloney Point between Sugarlands and Elkmont and look behind you at the steep gulch—hundreds of trillium bloom from the roadside into the upper reaches.

Best Sunset Views

Ben Morton Overlook. Located just north of Newfound Gap is an unassuming spot, a small paved pull-off section of the road (U.S. 441), that most visitors never see. This turnout spot, like all others in the park, was built for the view and possesses an exceptional bonus—perfectly placed sunsets. Photographers and alert drivers stop here to watch the sun sink between the mountains and into the valley below.

Insider tips: I watch for cameras on tripods to find this spot! This location has grown in popularity particularly in autumn. If the small parking area is full, continue to the observation tower at Clingmans Dome for a vast scenic sunset experience. Or, if you’d rather avoid most of the crowds, enjoy a sunset look across the valley and back to the Smokies from the observation tower at Look Rock on the Foothills Parkway.

Best Trout Fishing Spots

Deep Creek, Bryson City. Gear up and wade into some of the best year-round fly fishing spots in the park. More accurately described as a large mountain stream, Deep Creek is one of over 200 trout waterways in the Smokies. Awaiting the skills of anglers are three species: Native brooks in the upper portions of the stream, rainbows in abundance and the signature browns (both in the lower portions). Access other hotspots via trails that lead to several tributaries. Indian Creek and Pole Road Creek for rainbows. Rocky Fork for browns and rainbows. And, Left Fork (the main tributary for Deep Creek) for brown and rainbows in the lower portion and brooks in the upper. The latter is more difficult to access due to the absence of a formal trail.

Insider tips: Evening is prime time for fly fishing here. Tubing is popular in summer, so plan a cool weather trip to avoid the crowds. Take a side trip to the Southern Appalachian Museum of Fly Fishing.

Best Place for a Picnic

Heintooga Picnic Area, Balsam Mountain. Pack all the favorite foods and drinks and load up the family (four-legged members included) and drive along a mountain ridge to reach this destination. Traveling to an elevation of 5,326 feet, you’ll have a picnic with a view! Set up at one of the 41 sites, half of which were originally handmade of stone and split logs by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. While here, take a “mile-high-hike” on Flat Creek Trail to the Heintooga Overlook located less than 200 yards from the picnic area. From this vantage point, look straight ahead at Mount LeConte and to the far left for Clingmans Dome. Restrooms and running water onsite and Balsam Mountain Campground and Ranger Station are nearby. First come, first served and fee free. Open mid-May through mid-October.

Insider tips: Grills at each table are for charcoal only. Stay for the sunset!

Best Place to Escape the Crowds

Rich Mountain Loop Trail. Lace up your boots, grab your hiking poles and set off on a quiet exploration of one of the busiest driving destinations in the park, Cades Cove. This little-used loop trail totals 8.5 miles and climbs over 1,900 feet by joining with Indian Grave Gap Trail and Crooked Arm Ridge Trail. It is rated difficult to strenuous and often overlooked by visitors and hikers alike. The first 1.5 miles are wooded and lead to the iconic 1820s John Oliver cabin. After this point, the ascent begins with views of the cove below. Along the ridge, stop at the remains of an old fire tower, enjoy views of Townsend, then start the descent that culminates near a 25-foot waterfall.

Insider tips: Park in the lot on the left just prior to the Cades Cove Loop Road entrance gate. The trailhead is through the gate and across the road. If the entirety of a four- to five-hour difficult hike is not in the plans, this is also a terrific trail for short walks out and back. Turn left to reach the cabin and right to see the waterfall.

Best Waterfalls to Drive To

The Sinks, Meigs Falls, Place of a Thousand Drips. Keep a sharp eye open for the small parking lot at The Sinks. The falls were created by a human-made change in the river and all the water in the Little River flows over here. The falls can be thunderous (spring rains) and the observation area feels quite close.

Meigs Falls sits tucked back into the mountainside and displays different personalities throughout the seasons. Watch the roadside for a long stretch of pull-off with a low stone wall seven miles east of Townsend and 13 miles west of Sugarlands.

To see multiple cascading rivulets of water at Place of a Thousand Drips, drive the Roaring Fork Nature Trail.

Insider tips: Explore the trail leading away from The Sinks for solitude. Wait for other vehicles to leave the pull-off at Meigs Falls for good photo opportunities. Visit Place of a Thousand Drips (and these other falls) after a good rain to see a good show.

Note to the reader: While any “best of” list is difficult to narrow down, this one is based on five decades of exploration. Information on the destinations mixed with experiential subjectivity guided this writer’s choices. These suggestions, impressions and representations are offered with the hope of inspiring you to find your own treasures in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

New Welcome!

A new visitor center filled with educational and retail materials about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is now open in Townsend, Tennessee. In the large first floor, find “membership information, merchandise and displays developed in collaboration with the National Park Service.” Plans for the second floor include events and audio recording facilities.

This venue is the eighth location managed by the Great Smoky Mountains Association (GSMA), a nonprofit supporting the scientific, historical and interpretive activities of the park. It is located on E. Lamar Alexander Parkway across from the previous welcome center. For more GSMA information, visit smokiesinformation.org.               

The story above first appeared in our March / April 2024 issue. For more like it subscribe today or log in with your active BRC+ Membership. Thank you for your support!