Current NPS alerts (4)
Cherokee Orchard Road closed to pedestrian traffic
Cherokee Orchard Road is currently closed to pedestrian traffic due to bear activity. All visitors must stay in their vehicles. Do not stop or park your vehicle in the roadway.
Park Headquarters Road is closed
Park Headquarters Road is closed due to rehabilitation work on the Sugarlands water and wastewater systems.
Straight Fork and the one-way section of Balsam Mountain Road closed.
Straight Fork and the one-way section of Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga Round-Bottom Road) are closed.
Most visitors need a parking tag
All vehicles parking for longer than 15 minutes require a parking tag. Three tag durations are available for purchase for all vehicle sizes and types: Daily ($5), Weekly ($15), or Annual ($40).
Hikes, views & photo spots
Picked from official NPS trail and things-to-do pages. Lengths, difficulty and times are shown only where NPS states them. Each spot is checked against current NPS alerts on every update.
- View
Kuwohi Observation Tower
Length: 1 mi (1.6 km) round tripDifficulty: Steep, pavedWalk up from the Kuwohi parking area to the tower on the park's highest peak for 360-degree views.
NPS tip: NPS warns of extreme crowds and limited parking, and that Kuwohi Road is closed in winter (scheduled season Apr. 1 to Nov. 29).
- Hike
Andrews Bald
Length: 3.6 mi (5.8 km) round tripDifficulty: Relatively strenuous climb backDescends through spruce-fir forest to a grassy bald with mountain views and summer azaleas.
- Hike
Chimney Tops Overlook
Length: 3.5 mi (5.6 km) round tripDifficulty: Challenging; steep and rockySteep climb with stone stairs to a view of the Chimney Tops pinnacles. Stay out of the closed area past the gate.
- Photo
Deep Creek Valley Overlook
Pull-off on Newfound Gap Road that looks down over the Deep Creek valley.
NPS tip: NPS says early mornings often bring an inversion, with clouds settled in the valleys below you.
- View
Newfound Gap Overlook
High-elevation overlook (5,046 ft) with panoramic mountain views and a large parking area. Pack layers even in summer.
- Hike
Abrams Falls
Length: 5 mi (8 km) round tripForest walk from Cades Cove to a 25-foot waterfall and deep pool. NPS strongly discourages swimming.
Weather alerts (National Weather Service)
No active NWS watches, warnings or advisories for the forecast zone and county at the park's central point.
About this site
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. Plan your visit today!
- Type
- National Park
- States
- North Carolina, Tennessee
- Address
- 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738