Discover Gatlinburg: The Gateway to the Smokies

Gatlinburg, Tennessee is known as the ‘Gateway to the Smokies’ for a reason. This tiny East Tennessee mountain resort, with a population of just 3,754, is nestled against the western edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Technically a sub-range of the Appalachian Mountains, the Smoky Mountains offer a wild expanse of rounded ridges, often shrouded by the mists that give the national park its name.

More than 500,000 acres of the Smokies fall within the national park boundaries, with around 150 different hiking trails offering the chance to explore 800 miles of wild country. The mountains rise to 6,643 feet (2025m) at their highest point, often crowned with snow in winter. During fall, the changing leaves transform the forests into a vibrant spectacle of color. In addition to Gatlinburg, other Tennessee towns such as Cosby, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Townsend provide easy access to the national park.

Given the park’s vastness—spanning two states, Tennessee and North Carolina—it can be challenging to know where to begin your exploration. This park is the most-visited national park in the United States, attracting over 12.5 million visitors in 2020. Hence, planning is essential to fully enjoy its beauty while avoiding crowds. Fortunately, Gatlinburg is an excellent starting point, providing access to various outdoor spaces both within the national park and at smaller, yet equally charming parks within the city limits.

Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

If you’re seeking an easily accessible way to experience the Smokies, the 5.5-mile looping Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail should be your go-to. As you navigate the winding paved road, you’ll encounter breathtaking forest scenery and numerous spots to pull over for woodland hikes or enjoy the vistas from scenic overlooks.

The trail is named after Roaring Fork, a swift mountain stream, and its tributaries create several cascading waterfalls along the route, including Grotto Falls, reached via an easy 2.6-mile round-trip hike, and Rainbow Falls, a more challenging 5.4-mile trek. Near the loop’s end, the Place of a Thousand Drips falls dramatically through the forest, but only flows during wet weather.

This area is rich in history. Constructed in the 1920s by an eccentric lawyer seeking a healthier lifestyle in the wilderness, Ely’s Mill is no longer operational, but visiting gives insight into the agricultural life of the mountains in the past. Today, it features a shop with locally-made crafts, charming wooden cabins for overnight stays, and demonstrations of blacksmithing and other traditional skills.

Cades Cove

The 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road is one of the park’s most popular driving routes, located approximately 30 miles southwest of Gatlinburg. Along the way, you’ll pass Metcalf Bottoms, one of the Smokies’ largest picnic areas, complete with a swimming area set along the picturesque Little River. The scenery along the Loop Road is stunning, with many historic sites to explore, including restored churches, pioneer cabins, and the historic Cable Grist Mill from 1867. However, be prepared for heavy traffic during peak times.

This area has a rich history, as Cherokee and other Native American peoples previously traversed Cades Cove on foot. The modern loop is renowned for black bear sightings, so visitors can look forward to encountering not only bears but also wild turkeys, rabbits, river otters, elk, and woodchucks.

While it’s best known as a driving route, every Wednesday and Saturday morning from May to September, the route is closed to automobiles, allowing visitors to walk or cycle along this scenic path (rental bikes are available). The visitor center near the midpoint of the loop provides valuable information for deeper explorations, with additional visitor centers located in downtown Gatlinburg (520 Parkway) and in Sugarlands (2 miles south of Gatlinburg), Oconaluftee (2 miles from Cherokee, North Carolina), Sevierville (3099 Winfield Dunn Pkwy), and Townsend (7906 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy).

Clingmans Dome

Standing at 6,643 feet (2025m), Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. From the top of its curving, concrete observation tower, visitors are rewarded with magnificent 360-degree views over a rippling sea of forested hills. Although you’ll need to walk up a steep, paved half-mile path to reach the summit (wheelchairs are not recommended due to the slope), the reward is worth the effort, as you conquer the third-highest peak in the eastern United States.

The views are particularly breathtaking in the fall, as the landscape transforms into a painterly spectacle of reds, browns, and golds. One of the four visitor centers within the national park is located at Clingmans Dome, providing an excellent place to check weather conditions before embarking on hikes into the park (they also offer ranger-guided activities). To access this location, drive approximately 23 miles south from Gatlinburg along the Parkway; Clingmans Dome is at the end of a 7-mile spur road.

Herbert Holt Park

Located within Gatlinburg limits, Herbert Holt Park (North Park Lane) blends into woodland along the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. This park features one of Tennessee’s few municipal rainbow trout farms, with an accessible fishing pier, and no fishing license is needed. It’s an excellent family-friendly option for a leisurely morning or afternoon.

The park also hosts a playground designed for toddlers and younger children, alongside picnic areas with ample shade. However, note that fishing is not permitted on Thursdays when the river is stocked with fish. Situated in a picturesque valley, the park remains somewhat hidden from view of the highway; it is conveniently positioned just across the road from Parkside Cabin Rentals as you approach Gatlinburg from the north.

Mynatt Park

Mynatt Park (622 Historic Nature Trail) is another family-friendly retreat in Gatlinburg, featuring pickleball and tennis courts, as well as a playground. Fishing is also available on a designated section of LeConte Creek for children only. The fishing pier allows easy access for those with physical disabilities, and no fishing license is required. If fishing isn’t your activity of choice, relax at waterside picnic tables while enjoying views of the creek. Conveniently located at the start of the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Mynatt Park is an ideal launching point for further adventures into the national park.

Mills Park

Located at the eastern edge of town, Mills Park (309 Mills Park Rd) offers the perfect blend of natural beauty and urban amenities. Surrounded by the misty woods typically associated with the Smokies, this family-friendly park includes the Storywalk Trail, where visitors can discover stories about the Smokies while walking along paths suitable for children.

Mills Park is one of the area’s premier dog parks, featuring one of only two trails within the national park that permits dogs. Additionally, it offers horseshoe pits, disc golf, and outdoor exercise equipment. Find the park near the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community loop drive, northeast of Gatlinburg towards Cosby.

Things to Remember

With approximately 1500 black bears inhabiting the Smokies, it is vital to maintain a safe distance from these large, unpredictable creatures. Encounters with bears are common on roads and trails near Gatlinburg and throughout the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is essential to dispose of food waste in bear-safe trash receptacles after picnics, giving bears plenty of space when observed.