Discover the Great Smoky Mountains: A Self-Guided Tour
Overview
Available languages
8 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Explore the Great Smoky Mountains with your self-guided tour through America’s most visited national park. Walk through the stunning Newfound Gap Road past misty peaks and ancient forests, walk behind a waterfall at Grotto Falls, and stand atop Kuwohi at 6,643 feet, the highest point in Tennessee. Discover Cades Cove’s preserved pioneer cabins, churches, and mills that tell the story of Appalachian mountain life. Watch for black bears in misty meadows and learn why these mountains are the salamander capital of the world with thirty species. Hear the powerful story of the Cherokee people who called these peaks home for thousands of years before the park was created. Beyond the park, explore Gatlinburg’s arts and crafts community, Pigeon Forge’s famous Dollywood, and Townsend’s peaceful trails. From moonshine history to mountain music, synchronous fireflies to spectacular fall foliage, the Smokies reward curious visitors with natural wonders and deep Appalachian culture at every turn.
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
Sugarlands Visitors Center
Begin your Smoky Mountains experience at Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, where exhibits introduce the park’s remarkable biodiversity of over nineteen thousand documented species. The center, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, provides maps, ranger advice, and orientation for exploring America’s most visited national park. The Great Smoky Mountains are one of the few national parks with no entrance fee, though parking tags are required. From here, Newfound Gap Road stretches thirty-one miles across the spine of the mountains to Cherokee, North Carolina.
Newfound Gap Road
Drive the most scenic route in the park, climbing from two thousand feet to over five thousand feet at Newfound Gap where Tennessee meets North Carolina. Continue to Kuwohi, recently restored to its Cherokee name meaning mulberry place and formerly known as Clingmans Dome, where a steep half-mile trail leads to a forty-five-foot observation tower at 6,643 feet. On clear days the views extend over a hundred miles across rolling blue ridges, though the famous smoky haze often creates an atmospheric scene. The road passes through four distinct forest ecosystems as you climb.
Options
Discover the Great Smoky Mountains: A Self-Guided Tour
What‘s Included
Digital Map.
Access to the audio guide for 60+ Great Smoky Mountains stops, trails, and hidden spots.
Self-guided walking tour (app)
This tour is NOT a ticket or in-person guided tour.
Private transportation
Entry fees to tourist attractions, national parks or museums.
Our app-based self-guided tour has no physical guide on-site.
Headphones, transport, parking, food,Wi-Fi or cellular data, rentals.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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