in a kayak. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a common place to spend time for people rolling up from Gatlinburg. Camping is available at Parkside Cabin Rentals, and hiking along the Jakes Creek Trail is good fun. One of the principal traits of the surroundings of Great
Smoky Mountains National Park is Piney Butt, and why not a little side trip to Baskins Creek. If only every location had this much outdoors cool stuff, what a great earth it would be. Roaring Fork is a gorgeous stream that is worth taking a look at, and Twin Creek Recreational
Vehicle Resort is a splendid campground nearby. Fun activities are abundant; there's always something for the whole family to take pleasure in. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has scenic nature scenery for your viewing wellbeing. A great nearby hotel is Baskins Creek Nestle
Inn, and don't forget to take a great little visit to Grassy Branch. For the period of the months of summer at Great Smoky Mountains National Park temperatures are typically in the 80's while night lows are regularly in the 60's. During the wintertime this place gets highs in the
40's; all through the dark hours in the winter at Great Smoky Mountains National Park temperatures sink to the 20's. Having a splendid time in the Great Smoky Mountains is uncomplicated. A great place to camp here at Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Accommodations by Sunset
Cottage, and if you need a place to stay Best Western Twin Islands is a brilliant choice. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a magnificent wilderness region that everyone loves. Whohoo, so much exciting stuff in one place! Great Smoky Mountains National Park is excellent!.
Twin Creek Campground is a pleasant local campground, and why not visit nearby Painter Branch if you're here at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Great Smoky Mountains National Park sees pretty high levels of precipitation; through March this area sees the most rain, and
October meanwhile is the driest month.
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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