Visitor Centers in the Park Help Make Memories

The centerpiece of attractions in Sevier County is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Ever since its creation more than 70 years ago, it has drawn visitors from across the country and around the world. If you’re planning to visit the park soon, make sure to get the information you need at one of the local visitor/information centers.

There are four information centers outside the park in Gatlinburg, Sevierville and
Townsend. Within the park there are four visitor centers, located at Cades
Cove, Oconaluftee, Clingmans Dome and Sugarlands. Most of them are open every
day of the year except Christmas Day. You can speak to a ranger, get a map or
newspaper of the park, and buy guides or books about the park. All except
Clingmans Dome offer ranger-led programs that are conducted seasonally. Sugarlands
Visitor Center is located at the busiest entrance to the park, two miles south
of Gatlinburg on US-441. It also has a free 20-minute film about the park.
Cades Cove Visitor Center has the Cable Mill, a grist mill which operates from
spring through fall, and other historic structures. Oconaluftee Visitor Center
has a museum which exhibits life in the mountains from Native Americans and
early European settlements through the development of the national park. There
is also a Mountain Farm Museum which has a collection of log structures
commonly found on early settler farms. There are also demonstrations of farm
life that are conducted seasonally.

These
visitor centers are an excellent way to discover more information about the
park. When planning your trip, it’s always a good idea to get online and the
basics down pat (like using new.visitmysmokies.com). When you get to the park,
use one of these centers to tailor your visit as you like. The fine folks with
the GSMNP are always willing to help, and the best resource to make your trip
to the Smokies the best is can be. Be
sure to visit this link to learn details about visitor center hours
of operation and more.