Rate Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Learn and Explore
Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 275 million visitors every year. But our work doesn’t stop there.
We are proud that tribes, local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individual citizens ask for our help in revitalizing their communities, preserving local history, celebrating local heritage, and creating close to home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun.
Taking care of the national parks and helping Americans take care of their communities is a job we love, and we need—and welcome—your help and support.
Our Mission
The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I obtain a park entrance pass?
Only 118 of your 417 park sites charge entrance fees. You can obtain park entrance passes by visiting a park site that charges an entrance fee. Entrance fee sites have passes available; we recommend calling a park prior to your visit. (See the park search to locate a specific park.) There are a number of entrance passes available, including park-specific passes as well as passes that offer entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites in addition to the national parks (Annual, Military, Senior, 4th Grade, Access, and Volunteer passes). Learn more about the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.
About this location:
National Park
Operating Hours & Seasons
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Primary roads are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round, weather permitting. This includes Newfound Gap Road (US-441), Little River Road, and Laurel Creek Road. Secondary roads are closed seasonally.
Standard Hours
- Sunday:Open 24 hours
- Monday:Open 24 hours
- Tuesday:Open 24 hours
- Wednesday:Open 24 hours
- Thursday:Open 24 hours
- Friday:Open 24 hours
- Saturday:Open 24 hours
Park District
Cades Cove
Cades Cove Loop Road is open to motor vehicles from sunrise until sunset daily. Pedestrians and bicyclists may access the road 24 hours a day.
Standard Hours
- Sunday: Sunrise – Sunset
- Monday: Sunrise – Sunset
- Tuesday: Sunrise – Sunset
- Wednesday: Sunrise – Sunset
- Thursday: Sunrise – Sunset
- Friday: Sunrise – Sunset
- Saturday: Sunrise – Sunset
Fees & Passes
Entrance Fees:
- $0.00 – Entrance Fee
Great Smoky Mountains National Park does not charge an entrance fee.
About
A Wondrous Diversity of Life
Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America’s most visited national park.
Directions
Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the borders of the states of Tennessee and North Carolina. The three main entrances to the park are in the Gatlinburg, TN; Townsend, TN; and Cherokee, NC.
Visitor Centers
Sugarlands Visitor Center
Begin your exploration of the park at a visitor center, where you can pick up a park map or newspaper, have your questions answered, and purchase books and guides to the park. Free 20-minute film about the park. Natural history exhibits. Ranger-led programs conducted seasonally. Bookstore and shop. Public restrooms. Soda and water vending machines. Backcountry Permit Office. Oconaluftee Visitor Center
Begin your exploration of the park at a visitor center, where you can pick up a park map or newspaper, have your questions answered, and purchase books and guides to the park. Cultural history exhibits. Ranger-led programs conducted seasonally. Bookstore and shop. Public restrooms. Soda and water vending machines. The adjacent Mountain Farm Museum contains a collection of log structures including a farmhouse, barn, smokehouse, applehouse, corn cribs and others. Cades Cove Visitor Center
Begin your exploration of the park at a visitor center, where you can pick up a park map or newspaper, have your questions answered, and purchase books and guides to the park. Indoor and outdoor exhibits of Southern Mountain life and culture, including a grist mill which operates spring through fall, the Becky Cable house, and other historic structures. Ranger-led programs conducted seasonally. Bookstore and shop. Public restrooms. Clingmans Dome Visitor Contact Station
Park information. Bookstore and shop. Public restrooms.
Weather
Elevations in the park range from approximately 875 feet to 6,643 feet and the topography can drastically affect local weather. Temperatures can vary 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit from mountain base to top, and clear skies lower down do not guarantee equally pleasant weather at higher elevations. Visit http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/weather.htm for seasonal weather information and links to local forecasts.
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