Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is celebrating its 89th birthday! Can you believe it? This year marks 89 years that our beloved Smoky Mountains have been an established national park!

Prepare yourself to explore the hidden treasures and breathtaking beauty of the Smoky Mountains! Visit My Smokies is proud to bring you an unparalleled video docuseries, Smoky Mountain Stories, about our gorgeous Smoky Mountains and all the great fun they’re sure to provide your family! We’ve teamed up with veteran filmmaker Jeff Dockweiler to highlight the very best attractions and accommodations of the Smoky Mountains so that your family is prepared to create your very own Smoky Mountain stories the next time you visit! Here is everything you need to know about Smoky Mountain Stories:

Clingmans Dome is one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Millions of visitors come each year to hike to the top of the observation tower and see the panoramic views of the Smoky Mountains. To help you learn more about Clingmans Dome in the Smoky Mountains, we’ve made a list of the top 5 things you should know about it:

Family memories are waiting to be made at the ballpark! One of the best ways to spend time with the whole family in the Smoky Mountains is by attending a Tennessee Smokies baseball game in Kodak! Kids and adults alike enjoy quality family time while watching this minor league baseball team take over the diamond. The Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs hosts a handful of promotional nights that your kids are sure to love and won’t want to miss out on! Here are 5 promotional nights your kids will love at a Tennessee Smokies baseball game:

Parking passes became required for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park back in March. But did you know that you can still find free parking in the national park?! The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is hosting 3 different fee-free days throughout the remainder of the year. That makes it the perfect time to visit the national park with your closest friends and family! Here is everything you need to know about parking for free in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

The Cades Cove Loop Road is one of the most popular places to visit in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Cades Cove Loop Road winds through a valley surrounded by mountains so drivers have a chance to see all of the historic points along the way. If you plan to go driving through Cades Cove, there’s a few things you need to know about Cades Cove hours, so you can choose the best time to visit. Learn more about Cades Cove hours now:

When the weather warms up in the Smokies, you will want to spend as much time as possible outside soaking in the natural beauty. Instead of just spending a few hours outdoors hiking or walking the Parkway, why not spend your entire vacation among nature? For your next trip to the Smokies, you can stay at one of the amazing campgrounds in the area instead of opting for a hotel room or a cabin. In addition to being among nature, camping can actually put extra money back in your pocket. Here are 5 ways camping in the Smoky Mountains saves you money on your trip:

One thing you’ll never have trouble finding in the Smoky Mountains is fun things to do! Attractions, excursions, restaurants and shops are all scattered throughout Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, making the Smoky Mountains the perfect place for your next family vacation. The Smoky Mountains are always evolving, with new exciting attractions routinely being opened! Here are some new entertaining things to do in the Smoky Mountains:

Spring weather in the Smoky Mountains is some of the best weather to enjoy a hike in! It also means that all of the beautiful Smoky Mountain wildflowers are about to bloom. That being said, what better place to find the flowers than by enjoying a spring hike in the Smoky Mountains? In addition to the warm temperatures, spring hikes in the Smoky Mountains offer visitors a chance to catch a glimpse of all the natural beauty of our beloved national park first hand. Not to mention, spring in the Smoky Mountains is also when guests have the best chance of spotting wildlife in the park. For help choosing a trail, take a look at these 4 spring hikes in the Smoky Mountains you need to explore:

You may not realize it from your most recent visit, but several schools once existed in Cades Cove! This portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most visited areas because of its incredible history as the home of many original settlers in the Smoky Mountains! Little evidence remains of the original schools in Cades Cove that once prepared generations of little ones for the harsh realities of living as an early settler. Here are 5 facts about the original schools in Cades Cove:

Are you worried about finding parking the next time you visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Don’t want to sit behind the wheel in traffic while traveling to the park? A new option is now available for folks who want to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Park officials have announced a new shuttle service that provides transportation to and from numerous stops in and around the national park. Here’s everything you need to know about this new shuttle service to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

Cades Cove is a magical place visited by millions of people every year. There are so many wonderful things to do and experience in Cades Cove! If you are wanting to try out some unique things to do in the historic valley, then you’ve come to the right place! Here are 4 unique things to do along the Cades Cove Scenic Loop:

As you may have heard during your visits to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the country. One of the reasons over 10 million people visit the Smokies each year is its affordability. Unlike other national parks, the GSMNP is completely free to enter. Have you ever wondered why there is no Great Smoky Mountains National Park entrance fee? Visit My Smokies did a little digging to bring you the answer.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has seen a steady increase in visitors over the past several years. Last year, the park recorded its busiest year to date, bringing in a total of over 14 million guests. Over the past decade, there has been a visitation increase of over 57 percent. Because the park’s operational budget hasn’t seen a similar growth, they have been looking for ways to maintain the park so that guests receive the best possible experience. The result is the new Park It Forward program, which started March of 2023. Here is everything you need to know about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park parking fees:

Sometimes there’s nothing more relaxing than casting a line! The Smoky Mountains feature hundreds of square miles of unmatched natural beauty and unique wildlife, making it the perfect place to go fishing! Whether you’re a seasoned Smoky Mountain fisherman or just looking to try something new and exciting, the Smokies have the perfect places for you to have a blast. Here are 4 great places to go fishing in the Smoky Mountains: