Gatlinburg Trail & Visitor Guide
Gatlinburg · United States · The town covers about 10.4 square miles at roughly 1,300 feet elevation; the adjacent Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers about 522,000 acres across Tennessee and North Carolina.
Why Visit Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg sits at the northern entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the US with over 12 million visitors annually. The Smokies straddle the Tennessee-North Carolina border with peaks rising to 6,643 feet at Clingmans Dome. The park preserves the largest block of old-growth forest in the eastern US and is one of the most biodiverse temperate areas on Earth.
Free Gatlinburg Audio Guide with Roamee Pro
Roamee Pro offers a free, self-guided Gatlinburg audio guide. It narrates trails, viewpoints, geology, and wildlife as you explore — Clingmans Dome, Alum Cave Trail, Cades Cove, plus quieter spots like Ramsey Cascades and Porters Creek Trail. No guide, no schedule, works offline.
explore by interest
Signature Trails
- Alum Cave Trail to Mount Le Conte5 miles one-way (10 miles round trip) to the summit; 2.3 miles to Alum Cave Bluffs · Strenuous
Passes Arch Rock and Inspiration Point, then the Alum Cave Bluffs, before reaching LeConte Lodge near the 6,593-ft summit.
- Chimney Tops Trail3.6 miles round trip · Strenuous
Climbs about 1,400 ft; the final rock pinnacle has been closed since the 2016 fire, but the upper observation point gives views of Mount Le Conte and the Sugarlands valley.
- Laurel Falls Trail2.6 miles round trip · Easy to moderate (paved)
Reaches an 80-ft falls; the paved surface is popular and often crowded, with no guardrails near the cascade.
- Rainbow Falls Trail5.4 miles round trip · Strenuous
Reaches an 80-ft waterfall, the highest single-drop falls in the park; spray can produce a rainbow on sunny afternoons.
- Grotto Falls (Trillium Gap Trail)2.6 miles round trip · Moderate
The only Smokies waterfall you can walk behind; reached via the one-way Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.
Must-See in Gatlinburg
- •Clingmans Dome — a 6,643-foot summit with a spiral observation tower offering 360-degree views on clear days
- •Alum Cave Trail — a 4.4-mile trail to Mount LeConte passing under a massive overhanging bluff
- •Cades Cove — an 11-mile loop road through a historic valley with log cabins, churches, and wildlife
- •Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail — a one-way loop through old-growth forest with historic cabins and waterfalls
Best Viewpoints
- •Clingmans Dome (officially renamed Kuwohi in 2024) observation tower at 6,643 ft, the highest point in the park, reached by a paved 0.5-mile uphill walk from the parking area
- •Newfound Gap (5,046 ft) on the TN/NC state line, with the Rockefeller Memorial and Appalachian Trail access
- •Gatlinburg Space Needle (407 ft) in town for a 360-degree view of the valley
- •Ober Mountain (formerly Ober Gatlinburg) aerial tramway, a 2.1-mile ride from downtown to the top of Mount Harrison
- •Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail overlooks along the 5.5-mile one-way loop
Quieter Corners of Gatlinburg
- •Ramsey Cascades — an 8-mile round trip to the tallest waterfall in the park at 100 feet, through old-growth forest
- •Porters Creek Trail — a quiet 4-mile round trip through wildflower meadows and past a historic homestead
Wildlife You May See
Entrance Fee
Great Smoky Mountains National Park charges no entrance fee, but as of March 1, 2023 a parking tag is required for any vehicle stopped more than 15 minutes: $5 daily, $15 weekly, or $40 annual. Tags are sold at visitor centers and online; they do not reserve a specific spot.
Getting There
Gatlinburg sits on US-441 (Newfound Gap Road), about 40 miles southeast of Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), roughly a 1-hour drive via US-129/TN-66/US-441. There is no airport or train in Gatlinburg; the nearest large hub is Knoxville. From I-40, take exit 407 to TN-66 south through Sevierville and Pigeon Forge. The free Gatlinburg Trolley connects downtown, and the Sugarlands Visitor Center sits 2 miles south of town on US-441.
Where to Stay
Gatlinburg has hundreds of hotels, motels, and cabin rentals downtown and on the surrounding ridges; Pigeon Forge (7 miles north) adds more lodging. Inside the park, LeConte Lodge (hike-in only, no road access, typically open late March to late November, reservations book up roughly a year ahead) is the only lodging. The park also has 10 developed campgrounds; Elkmont, Cades Cove, and Smokemont are nearest and reservable via recreation.gov.
Best Time
Mid-October brings peak fall color at higher elevations (lower elevations peak in early November). Wildflowers peak in mid-April. Summer is hottest and most crowded, and roads through the park stay busy. Newfound Gap Road (US-441) is plowed but can close during winter storms, and Clingmans Dome Road is closed December 1 to March 31.
Safety
The top hazard is black bears: keep at least 50 yards away, never feed them, and store food in provided bear-proof containers. Willfully approaching within 50 yards is illegal in the park. Other risks are flash-flooding creeks and slick rocks at waterfalls (deaths have occurred from climbing wet rocks), and rapid weather changes at high elevation where Clingmans Dome can be 10-20 degrees cooler than Gatlinburg with sudden fog. Carry layers and water year-round.
Scenic Drives
- •Newfound Gap Road (US-441): 31 miles across the park from Gatlinburg to Cherokee, NC, climbing to 5,046 ft at Newfound Gap
- •Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail: 5.5-mile one-way loop past historic cabins and Grotto Falls (closed in winter; no buses, trailers, or RVs)
- •Cades Cove Loop Road: 11-mile one-way loop with historic structures and wildlife; vehicle-free on Wednesdays in the warm season
- •Clingmans Dome Road: 7 miles from Newfound Gap to the highest point, open April 1 to November 30
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