Gorgeous Great Smoky Mountains Photos
With so many incredible hiking trails, waterfalls and jaw-dropping vistas, it's no surprise the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most-visited park in the country year after year.
By:
Deanne Revel
The Great Smoky Mountains
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most-visited national park in the country, the Smoky Mountains offer incredible outdoor adventures and tons of family fun.
Why Smoky?
The park gets its name from the blue-purple fog around the mountains.
Stunning Views
The roads within the park offer incredible pull offs for photo ops.
East Tennessee Sunrise
Early bird hikers and campers wake up to a stunning landscape with rolling hills and orange-pink skies.
Appalachian Life
Step back in time and see how early settlers lived in the mountains.
Fall Foliage
Fall is the best time to visit the park with vibrant orange, yellow and red leaves everywhere to be seen.
Fall Hikes
Some of the best trails for leaf peeping include Alum Cave Trail, Albright Grove Loop and Baskins Creek Falls.
Fall Scenic Loop
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is a must-drive in the fall.
Picturesque Rivers
More than 2,100 miles of streams and rivers run through the park.
Log Bridges
Many hikes meander around the water with rustic foot bridges.
Cades Cove
The Cades Cove road loop lets non-hikers tour historic buildings from the 1800s, such as the Carter Shields Cabin.
1800s Church
Park visitors can tour many buildings in Cades Cove such as the Primitive Baptist Church.
Wildlife
Visitors might also spot wildlife in the Cades Cove loop, from deer and elk to wild turkeys.
Black Bears
It's estimated that 1,500 black bears live in the park.
Family-Friendly Hikes
There are many moderate trails that take less than half a day to hike, perfect for first-time hikers.
More Historical Cabins
Like the Cades Cove loop, the Roaring Fork River loop offers a chance to see historic buildings, like the Alex Cole Cabin, but has far less traffic.
Eastern Hemlocks
The most common, and largest, trees in the park are the Eastern Hemlock trees.
Mount Le Conte
The park's third highest peak, Mount Le Conte, has a lodge at the top that only hikers and llamas can acces.
Foothills Parkway
The Foothills Parkway offers non-hikers scenic pull offs at high elevations without hitting the trails.
Winter Wonderland
Though fall is a gorgeous time to visit, winter is just as beautiful, with snow covered trees and snow-capped mountains. But know before you go that some trails and roads might close for weather.
