The Great Smoky Mountains National Park did not disappoint! We can definitely see why it is the most visited national park in America.
The park has 3 entrances located in Gatlinburg, TN, Townsend, TN; and Cherokee, NC. We entered the park at the Gatlinburg entrance and stopped at the Sugarland visitors center for information and a park map. While very busy, the park rangers were very helpful. There is no admission fee, however there is a parking fee of $5 for the day for parking more than 15 minutes at any one stop in the park. Also, if you need more than 2 days you can buy a weekly parking pass for $15.
Some of the highlights of our visit included Cades Cove, Newfound Gap and Clingman’s Dome.
At Cades Cove we toured the 11 mile loop on a Wednesday riding our e-bikes. Each Wednesday starting in early May through late September the loop is available to cyclists and pedestrians only, there is no car traffic. It definitely made touring the valley with the mountain backdrops enjoyable and scenic without vehicles. We were excited to see some wildlife including deer, turkey and black bears.
Newfound Gap road offers some great views. We drove up the mile high road and noticed a drop in temperature. The elevation is 5046 feet. There was a large parking area at the top and we enjoyed the panoramic views. There is a restroom available adjacent to the parking area. The Appalachian Trail is near the parking area.
Clingman’s Dome is the highest mountain in the park with an elevation of 6643 feet.
With a large parking area we stopped here and decided to walk up the paved trail to the observation tower. It is a steep climb so be prepared (there were benches along the path). You have a 360 degree view at the top of the tower. It is said you can see 100 miles on a clear day. As we love scenic views, this is one of the best we have experienced.
For this trip we stayed at Riverbend Campground in nearby Pigeon Forge. It was an older Campground but well kept. We especially enjoyed the river that bordered the park and loved the sound of the waters.
If you are a breakfast eater we highly recommend the Pancake Pantry in downtown Gatlinburg. The pancakes are some of the best we have ever had. And for the doughnut lovers don’t miss the Donut Friar in downtown as well. There were many great food choices in the area.
There are many entertainment activities available for adults and kids alike.
Wendy and I highly recommend the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area for one of your RV adventures!