Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee   The splendor of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is there for you to love. Summer brings highs in the 80's to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. When the night sets in temperatures fall down into the 60's. Daytime highs during the winter are in the 40's with winter lows in the 20's overnight here at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Man, is there a lot of entertaining stuff to do in close proximity to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Whitewater paddling is good on Little Pigeon River - West Prong, and dry warm beds await you at Mountain House     Inn Downtown. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a popular destination for the residents of Gatlinburg. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a huge amount of natural splendor; it's a site where everyone has a splendid time. A round of golf at nearby Gatlinburg City Departments Golf Course is a great way to kill some time; a quick journey to Roaring Fork is absolutely a great idea. A glorious close by hotel is Scottish Inns & Suites Gatlinburg, and there are glorious locations to discover along the Cove Mountain Trail. Fun pursuits are plentiful; there's always something to please everyone. The high level of rainfall makes Great Smoky Mountains National Park a pretty wet place; of all the months in a year March is the one with the most rain while October is the month with the least amount of precipitation. And if that's       Inn Downtown. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a popular destination for the residents of Gatlinburg. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a huge amount of natural splendor; it's a site where everyone has a splendid time. A round of golf at nearby Gatlinburg City Departments recreation, so you could have plenty of fun. Don't leave Great Smoky Mountains National Park without first going for a hike along the Sugarland Mountain Trail; you could always look at Jack Hollow. All the outdoors amusing stuff in the Great Smoky Mountains will keep you coming back time and again. A great location to camp here at Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Foothills RV Park and Cabins, and you obtain a good vista of Piney Butt from here. If you're here at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you could stop at Baskins Creek, and the top of   Briar Knob is easily observed from Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If only every place had this much outdoors cool stuff, what a great earth it would be. The fine folks of Gatlinburg like to hang out close by, and if you came to camp Twin Creek Campground is a great place to do that. A spree to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a nice pick when you have got to spend some time in nature. Grassy Branch flows through this vicinity, and if you need a place to stay Best Western Twin Islands is a delightful choice. But wait, there's more exciting things to do in the Great Smoky Mountains. There's so much to do here at Great Smoky Mountains National Park that you need to camp here for a while, Dudley Creek Travel Trailer Park is a magnificent location for that; why not take a refreshing hike along the Meigs Mountain Trail. Bent Field is a wonderful place here at Great Smoky Mountains National Park; hiking is a popular thing to do around Great Smoky Mountains National Park; Jakes Creek Trail is a delightful local trail. Dudley Bluff is something you shouldn't miss if you're here at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and paddling on Little Pigeon River - West Prong - Roaring Fork is so much fun. Not enough hours in a day to enjoy the Great Smoky Mountains. After a long day outdoors Baskins Creek Nestle Inn is a glorious location to spend a night or two, and Watercrease Branch is one of the streams close by that might be worth going to. Yeah, come up here to the Great Smoky Mountains for a great time. If you come at the right time of year, Little Pigeon River - Middle Prong offers some fine whitewater, and camping at Alpine Hideaway Campground is always a splendid experience. Not enough hours in a day to enjoy this place. Gotta ski! Ober Gatlinburg is a great place to do that, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park is magnificent enough to spend more than a day at, Trout Creek Campground is a magnificent local campground. Glide down the rapids of Little Pigeon River - West Prong in a kayak, and let's not forget Painter Branch which is a stream that you may encounter during your stay. The national park, in the states of North Carolina and Tennessee, encompasses 800 square miles of which 95 percent are forested. World renowned for the diversity of its plant and animal resources, the beauty of its ancient mountains, the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, and the depth and integrity of the wilderness sanctuary within its boundaries, it is one of the largest protected areas in the east.     CONTACTS Email - grsm_smokies_information@nps.gov Fax- 865-436-1220 Write to Great Smoky Mountains National Park 107 Park Headquarters Road Gatlinburg, TN 37738 Phone Visitor Information (TDD) - (865) 436-1200 TRAVEL BASICS Operating Hours, Seasons The park is open year-round. Visitor centers at Sugarlands and Oconaluftee are open all year, except Christmas Day. Cades Cove visitor center has limited winter hours. Getting There PLANE - The nearest major airport in Tennessee (McGhee-Tyson, TYS) is Alcoa, 45 miles west of Gatlinburg. North Carolina's, Asheville Airport is 60 miles east of the park. CAR - Several major highways lead to the park. The following routes provide access to the three main entrances. In Tennessee: 1)From I-40 take Exit 407 (Sevierville) to TN Route 66 South, and continue to U.S. 441 South. Follow U.S. 441 to Park. 2.) From I-40 in Knoxville - Exit 386B U.S. Highway 129 South to Alcoa/Maryville. At Maryville proceed on U.S. 321 North through Townsend. Continue straight on TN Highway 73 into the park. In North Carolina: From I-40, take U.S. Route 19 West through Maggie Valley. Proceed to U.S. 441 North at Cherokee into the park. From Atlanta and points south: follow U.S. 441 and 23 North. U.S. 441 leads to the park. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - No train or bus service accesses the park. Weather & Climate Elevations in the park range from 800 feet to 6,643 feet and topography affects local weather. Temperatures are 10 to 20 degrees cooler on the mountaintops. Annual precipitation averages 65 inches in the lowlands to 88 inches in the high country. Spring often bring unpredictable weather, particularly in higher elevations. Summer is hot and humid, but more pleasant in higher elevations. Fall has warm days and cool nights and is the driest period. Frosts occur starting in late September. Winter is generally moderate, but extreme conditions occur with increasing elevation. FEES/PERMITS Entrance Fee ENTRANCE TO GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK Free! Due to deed restrictions imposed when the Park was established, there are no entrance fees. Enjoy your visit! Activity Fee FRONT COUNTRY CAMPING $12-20 for Day There are 10 Front Country (drive in) campgrounds in the Park. Permits BACKCOUNTRY CAMPING PERMIT Free! Permit required for staying overnight in the backcountry. CAMPING Abrams Creek Campground First-come, first serve. This campground has 16 sites and is at elevation 1,125 feet. It has no electric hookups or shower facilities, running water and bathroom facilities only. $12 each night. Balsam Mountain Campground First-come, first serve. This campground has 46 sites and is at elevation 5,310 feet. No campground has electric hookups or shower facilites, only running water and bathroom facilities. $14 each night. Big Creek Campground First-come, first serve. This campground has 12 sites and is for tents only. It sits at elevation 1,700 feet. No campground has electric hookups or shower facilities, only running water and bathroom facilities. $12 each night. Group camping is also available. Reservations can be made either on line or by calling 1-800-365-CAMP. Cades Cove Campground Make Reservations by Phone at 1-800-365-CAMP Open All Year Reservations accepted up to five months in advance for May 1- Oct. 31 occupancy. Other dates first-come, first-serve. This campground has 159 sites and sits at elevation 1,807 feet. No campground has shower facilities or electric hookups, only running water and bathroom facilities. Cades Cove Campground Store sells convenience items, groceries, camping supplies, and a limited selection of hot and cold deli items. There are no other food facilities in the park. Numerous convenience stores and restaurant establishments are located in outlying communities. $14-17 each night. Group camping is also available. Reservations can be made either on line or by calling 1-800-365-CAMP. Cataloochee Campground First-come, first serve. This campground has 27 sites and sits at elevation 2,610 feet. No campground has electric hookups or shower facilities, only running water and bathroom facilities. $12 each night. Group camping is also available. Reservations can be made either on line or by calling 1-800-365-CAMP. Cosby Campground First-come, first serve. This campground has 175 sites and sits at elevation 2,459 feet. No campground has shower facilities or electric hookups, only running water and bathroom facilities. $14 each night. Group camping is also available. Reservations can be made either on line or by calling 1-800-365-CAMP. Deep Creek Campground First-come, first serve. This campground has 92 sites and sits at elevation 1,800 feet. No campground has electric hookups or shower facilities, only running water and bathroom facilities. $14 each night. Group camping is also available. Reservations can be made either on line or by calling 1-800-365-CAMP. Elkmont Campground Make Reservations by Phone at 1-800-365-CAMP Reservations accepted up to five months in advance for May 1-Oct. 31 occupancy. Other dates first-come, first-serve. This campground has 220 sites and sits at elevation 2,150 feet. No campground has electric hookups or shower facilities, only running water and bathroom facilities. $14-20 each night. Group camping is also available. Reservations can be made either on line or by calling 1-800-365-CAMP. Look Rock Campground First-come, first serve. This campground has 92 sites and sits at elevation 2,600 feet. No campground has electric hookups or shower facilities, only running water and bathroom facilities. $14 each night. Smokemont Campground Make Reservations by Phone at 1-800-365-CAMP Open All Year Reservations accepted up to five months in advance for May 1-Oct. 31 occupancy. Other dates first-come, first-serve. This campground has 142 sites and sits at elevation 2,198 feet. No campground has electric hookups or shower facilities, only running water and bathroom facilities. $14-17 each night. Group camping is also available. Reservations can be made either on line or by calling 1-800-365-CAMP. LODGING Le Conte Lodge Le Conte Lodge, accessible only by foot, sits atop 6.593 Mt. LeConte, the park's third highest peak. Reservations are required. Reservations can be made by calling (865)429-5704 or by FAX at (865)429-5705, by Email at reservations@leconte-lodge.com, or on-line at www.leconte-lodge.com . For More Information on this lodging please call (865) 429-5704 FACILITIES Visitor Centers *CADES COVE VISITOR CENTER Open All Year Location - *Inside the park near the mid-point of the 11-mile, one-way Cades Cove Loop Road. Special Programs - Ranger-led programs are conducted seasonally. Check at the visitor center for times. Exhibits - Indoor and outdoor exhibits of Southern Mountain life and culture. Includes Cable Mill, a grist mill which operates spring through fall, the Becky Cable house, and other historic structures. Available Facilities - Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association bookstore and shop. Public restrooms. *OCONALUFTEE VISITOR CENTER Open All Year Location - *Inside the park, 2 miles north of Cherokee, NC, on US 441. Special Programs - Ranger-led programs conducted seasonally. Check at the vistor center for location and times. Exhibits - The adjacent Mountain Farm Museum contains a fascinating collection of log structures including a farmhouse, barn, smokehouse, applehouse, corn cribs and others. Demonstrations of farm life are conducted seasonally. Available Facilities - Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association bookstore and shop. Public restrooms and telephones. Soda and water machines. Backcountry permit station. *SUGARLANDS VISITOR CENTER Open All Year Location - *Inside the park, 2 miles south of Gatlinburg on US 441. Special Programs - Ranger-led programs conducted seasonally. Check at the visitor center for locations and times. Exhibits - Free admission to 20-minute film with Dolby Digital Surround Sound. Extensive natural history exhibits. Available Facilities - Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association bookstore and shop. Public restrooms and telephones. Soda and water machines. Backcountry permit station. GATLINBURG WELCOME CENTER Open All Year Location - Located 2 miles outside of Gatlinburg on 441 South Available Facilities - Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association bookstore and shop. City of Gatlinburg information. Public restrooms and telephones. SMOKY MOUNTAIN VISITOR CENTER Open All Year Location - At I-40 exit 407 (Highway 66) in the Smokies Stadium complex. Available Facilities - Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association bookstore and shop. Sevier County, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville information. Public restrooms and telephones. TOWNSEND VISITOR CENTER Open All Year Location - Townsend, Tennessee, on US 321. Available Facilities - Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association bookstore and shop. Townsend and local area information. Public restrooms and telephones. 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Tennessee Outdoors Index Campgrounds Near or in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee Paddling Rivers Near or in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee Other National Parks Near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee Trails Near or in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee Hotels Near or in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee Lakes Near or in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee Beaches Near or in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee Golf Courses Near or in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee Ski Areas Near or in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee     Gatlinburg Chateua, Gatlinburg .1 miles away Scottish Inns & Suites Gatlinburg, Gatlinburg .1 miles away Baskins Creek Nestle Inn, Gatlinburg .1 miles away Mountain House Inn Downtown, Gatlinburg .2 miles away Best Western Twin Islands, Gatlinburg .2 miles away Best Western Crossroads Inn, Gatlinburg .3 miles away Howard Johnson Inn Gatlinburg Tn, Gatlinburg .3 miles away Best Western Zoder S Inn, Gatlinburg .4 miles away Red Carpet Inn Gatlinburg, Gatlinburg .4 miles away Rodeway Inn Skyland, Gatlinburg .4 miles away * Distances listed are direct linear distances, actual travel distance may be different.