The Laurel Falls at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Off Interstate 81 on the Tennessee-North Carolina Border, the Great Smoky Mountains is the US’s most popular national park. Teeming with trails and neighbored by Gatlinsburg and Pigeon Forge, the Smokies is a great destination for a family road trip. For fresh air, good beer, and a dollop of glitzy glamour, many families pack the car, the kids, and the cooler for this pocket of the south.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Along the way to the summit, trails are flanked by water with giant rocks sticking out
Named for white mists that rise through the tree line, the Great Smoky Mountains is among the few admission-free national parks. Why? In the early 20th century, both Tennessee and North Carolina contributed funds to build the Newfound Gap Road (Route 441), which was a major traverse through the mountains for commerce. By the 1930’s, the states relinquished control of the land to the federal government upon the stipulation that no tolls be raised on the road. This guaranteed a free and accessible highway between the two states. With this agreement in place, the national park around Newfound Gap Road was also free of charge.
The Great Smoky Mountains offers 800 miles of maintained trails that wind through landscape that teems with 1600 species of flowers and a myriad of animals, including bears, birds, and deer. A major activity is hiking.
Slippery When Wet
Entering through the Gatlinsburg entrance, stop at Tourist Information. Ask the rangers which trails are open and suitable for your group. When my family visited the park, we had a wide range of ages, from my 5-year-old niece to my 65-year-old father. The park rangers were helpful and gracious, supplying us with maps, advice, and suggestions for three great hikes.
Hiking the Trails in the Great Smoky Mountains
The Laurel Falls is an easy 1.3 mile long path that ends at a waterfall. With a paved trail, some hikers managed to push strollers up to the falls. At the top, a small footbridge leads to the cascading stream. On a clear day, the sunlight highlights the emerald hues of the crashing waters. A popular spot for families and their dogs, Laurel Falls can become crowded by the throngs.
A trailside break in the afternoon sun
Chimney Tops is a 2-mile, moderate hike with a bonus 1700-foot climb to the summit. In fall, the weather is perfect for cool walks through the trees. Little creeks line the trail. Rock-steps comprise parts of the walk. Overall this is a great path. Just bring water and good shoes.
Smaller trails dot the map of the Great Smoky Mountains. Park your car at a random trailhead, even if it’s a short .3 mile. The foliage hangs close overhead. Animals scurry across your path. And the silence of the forest is a great treat. On one small path, we found a bevy of branches that made perfect walking sticks. Sturdy with nice elasticity, the walking sticks made great companions for other trails, saving us $10 on the store-bought variety.
Hanging from the Summit Edge
At the end of any hike, reward yourself with a cold beer from Bennetts BBQ Pit or at Gatlinsburg Brewery. While Pigeon Forge is a dry county, Gatlinsburg is the premiere destination for its aquarium, entertainment, restaurants, and shopping. When visiting the Great Smoky Mountains from the Tennessee side, I’d recommend 5 days to explore the trails, history, and entertainment in Gatlinsburg and Pigeon Forge.
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Thanks for the Smoky Mountain article. I live at the base of the Smokies on the North Carolina side and it truly is a spectacular wonderland filled with a tropical feel (almost a scaled down version like Costa Rica) but with seasons. You can write endless articles about what is offered in the Great Smoky Mountains as well as its surrounding on both sides including North Carolina and Tennessee. My family moved here from the west (Arizona) after purchasing some Rental Cabins near Cherokee and feel this area should be a top travel destination through the United States. The shocking fact is nearly all visitors only visit from the immediate surrounding states therefore only reaching a small fraction of US travelers. With world class whitewater rafting, mountain biking, hiking, canopy tours, train tours, waterfalls, ski resorts, and the list goes on and on you would think more travelers throughout the country and world would be visiting!
HI Randy! I absolutely agree! On one side of it, I just can’t believe the world doesn’t appreciate GSM like I do. On the other side, I can’t imagine how congested it would be if it was. I live by New York City. So I have a fairly good idea of what tourist-clogged attractions look like. But the travel writer in me knows that the Great Smokies is a fresh-air, back-to-nature, aint-that-far gem!! I can’t wait to go back. I feel like my week there didn’t do it justice!!! Thanks for dropping by!