Smoky Mountains

The Smoky Mountain area is rich in history, and we know you love learning more about it each day! Today, we’re traveling back in time to 1946, when a major military plane crash happened near Clingmans Dome. While they say all the wreckage from the crash has been cleared, you can hike past the crash site when you visit! Read on to learn more about the old plane crash near Clingmans Dome:

When you visit the Smoky Mountains, you don’t want to miss the chance to explore some of the trails in the national park! The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has over 850 miles of hiking trails, offering everything from historic structures to waterfalls. If you want to see the beauty of the Smokies up close, you have to go for a hike on your vacation! Here are 8 hikes in the Smoky Mountains with the best views:

Are you visiting the Smoky Mountains soon? Make your trip more fun with a Smoky Mountains scavenger hunt! There are plenty of incredible sights and places to see in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We’ve put together a list of the top 8 things for you to see when you visit. See what’s included in our Smoky Mountains scavenger hunt:

We know you love finding secret spots in the Smoky Mountains, from fairy houses to hidden tunnels. But, did you know that some of the best spots in the Smokies to visit are the bridges in the area? There are a number of bridges, both popular and lesser known, that allow visitors to explore the area in a new way! Check out these 5 unique Smoky Mountain bridges you have to cross.

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is one of the most popular scenic drives in the Smoky Mountains! This 5.5-mile loop road offers glimpses of an old-growth forest, historic structures and more. The motor nature trail also provides access to some of the most popular spots in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, like Grotto Falls! To help you plan your visit, we’ve put together a guide to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park began reopening May 9! The reopening is happening in phases. In the first phase, many of the park’s roads and trails opened to the public. Phase 2 of the reopening plan kicked off on Tuesday, May 19. More areas of the park are continuing to open as time goes on! We’ve gathered as many details as we can about the reopening of the park to share with you!

The Smokies is the place to be in the summer season! Everyone enjoys spending time outdoors in the beautiful weather. With so many places to explore, you’ll have plenty of options for where to visit in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. To help you decide, we’ve made a list of 6 of the best places to visit in the Smoky Mountains in the summer.

Never had the opportunity to see the synchronous fireflies in the Smoky Mountains? This year, you had the chance to see them from home! At the end of May, Discover Life in America hosted its annual, in-person firefly event near Gatlinburg. On June 1, people tuned in to their free virtual event to see the fireflies from wherever they live! We have all the details on the Smoky Mountain fireflies event and how you can see the fireflies.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park reopened on May 9, and everyone is excited to be able to explore the Smokies again! The first phase of the reopening includes many of the roads and trails in the park. However, many secondary roads remain closed during the first phase. That means some of the trailheads throughout the park aren’t accessible yet. To help you figure out where you can hike when you visit, we’ve made a list of the top 10 open trails in the Smoky Mountains!

We love the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and we know you do too! That’s why it’s the most visited national park! Nothing compares to the feeling you’ll get when you arrive in the Smoky Mountains and are surrounded by their beauty. To share our admiration for this beautiful area, we’ve made a list of 10 reasons why we love the Smoky Mountains.

Nothing beats spending time in the great outdoors when you visit the Smoky Mountains! You’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore the Smokies during your Gatlinburg vacation. Spending time outside is the perfect way to unwind and appreciate the beauty of the mountains! To help you plan your trip, we’ve made a list of 6 of the best outdoor things to do in Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains.

If you want to explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park without worrying about large crowds, you want to look for low traffic hiking trails. Any trail you decide to go on will show you the beauty of the area. Some of the best Smoky Mountain hikes don’t get nearly as much foot traffic as they should! Look at 5 of the best Smoky Mountain hikes to do to avoid a crowd:

If you’ve ever driven the Cades Cove Loop, you know that some of the best sights to see along your scenic drive are historic structures. Cades Cove is rich in history, and there are so many places you can explore when you visit. Three of the best historic structures in the area are the beautiful churches. To help you learn more about them, we’ve put together a guide to the 3 historic Cades Cove churches:

The Smoky Mountains are home to a variety of animals, including 65 species of mammals, over 200 varieties of birds, 67 native fish species, and more than 80 types of reptiles and amphibians. Have you ever wondered what Smoky Mountain wildlife is your spirit animal? We’ve put together a guide to what Smoky Mountain animal you are based on your zodiac sign!

The Smoky Mountains are home to countless popular activities that draw millions of visitors back year after year. Whether it’s visiting a world-class theme park, going to an award-winning aquarium, or taking a drive through Cades Cove, there are some things you just don’t want to miss while you’re on vacation. We recommend also taking time to enjoy some of the lesser talked about activities in the Smokies. Here are 8 things to do in the Smoky Mountains that you’ve never done but should try!