Great Smoky Mountains National Park Itinerary
July 15, 2024 by Laura
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is so beautiful and full of fun hikes. There is so much to see and explore here! Our itinerary includes a trip up Clingman's Dome, hiking to waterfalls, seeing the spring wildflowers, hanging out in Townsend, eating donuts in Gatlinburg, and so much more!
Our Time Spent at the Beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park
We visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in April 2024 during our mission to vist all 50 states before we turn 50! Of course, we had to stop at this incredible national park during our trip to Tennessee. I just wish we could have spent more time here. It is so pretty, and there is so much to explore and see!
My itinerary below is not, by any means, an entire list of things to see and do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is, however, the exact itinerary that my husband and I followed during our time spent in the park while visiting in April. We spent time in Townsend and Gatlinburg, saw bears in Cades Cove, hiked to waterfalls, saw beautiful wildflowers, ate picnic lunches, and lots more.
If you are looking for more Tennessee content check out our 9 Day Tennessee Itinerary, Memphis Itinerary, Nashville Itinerary.
Driving from Nashville, TN to Townsend, TN
☼ 8:00AM-12:00PM
Our visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park was in the middle of our big Tennessee road trip. So this means that we were coming from Nashville when we arrived to the park. Note that if you are coming from Nashville, you will lose an hour due to the time difference (it is only a 3 hour drive, but it took us 4 hours to get there).
Chapulines Street Tacos
2428 East Lamar Alexander Parkway
Maryville, TN 37803
☼ 12:00-1:00PM
Our first stop was actually in a town called Maryville to get lunch. I wasn't expecting to get incredible delicious Mexican food here, but that is exactly what we got!
Chapuline's is located right next to a gas station, but please do not let that deter you. There's some really good food in here. They have tacos, quesadillas, nachos, rice bowls, and burritos. We both got a burrito, and it was so good. First, the burrito is huge and packed full. As for your choice of meat, I really don't think you can wrong. They have so much flavor. Don't forget to stop by the salsa bar to pick out your favorite sauce to pour on your burrito.
If we lived here, I could definitely see this being a regular stop for us. It's the perfect stop when you are heading towards the mountains!
→ Find out more on Chapuline's StreeTacos!
Foothills Parkway
☼ 1:15-2:15PM
On our way towards the mountains, we decided to drive through Foothills Parkway and ride it out to Sevierville. This is a great option if you do not feel like hiking and would rather just enjoy the beautiful scenic drive and stop at the pull-outs. We were driving through on a Wednesday afternoon in April, and we hardly passed anybody else on the road. It was such a peaceful drive!
While we were there in April everything was green and blooming. However, the pictures of Foothills Parkway in the fall are absolutely breathtaking!
→ Find out more on Foothills Parkway!
Tennessee Shine Co.
3303 Wears Valley Road
Sevierville, TN 37862
☼ 2:15-3:00PM
Since this was a trip to Tennessee, we felt it was only appropriate to drink some moonshine. Tennessee Shine Co. is located in Wears Valley which is in-between Townsend and Gatlinburg. It was away from the hustle and bustle of some of the busier cities which allowed us to really enjoy our moonshine tasting on not feel rushed.
We were both able to sample multiple moonshine. It is free to sample! Each moonshine tasted just like its name and were all so good. Our favorite ended up being the Deep Blue Margarita moonshine. It tasted very similar to an actual margarita! After sampling (don't forget to tip the bartender!), you can browse all of their moonshine to buy. The bottle of Deep Blue Margarita was perfect to sip on while soaking in the hot tub at our cabin in the woods.
→ Find out more on Tennessee Shine Co!
Townsend River Walk & Arboretum
East Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend, TN 37882
☼ 3:30-4:30PM
If you are looking for something outdoorsy to do in Townsend, check out their river walk! The trail runs along the side of The Little River. Park at the Tuckaleechee Camp Ground United Method Church and cross the street to get to it.
On the trail, you will find the trees labeled that also include fun facts. In April, we also saw plenty of beautiful wildflowers. And you can't miss seeing the adorable fairy village!
This nature trail is great for both kids and adults!
→ Find out more on Townsend River Walk!
Cabin Airbnb
Sevierville, TN 37882
☼ 5:30PM
Our cabin while visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was so cool! The cabin was located very close to Townsend, but had a Sevierville address. It was located off of this winding road and nestled into the woods. It was surrounded by other cabins, but we still felt like we had privacy. You can find it on Airbnb listed as 'The Snuggle Bear'.
The cabin was decorated with tons of bear decor and had a hot tub on the porch which was perfect for soaking our tired muscles after hiking all day.
The location was perfect. It allowed us to get away from the crowds, but it was still close enough to the park that we were able to catch the sunrise both mornings we were there.
For dinner, we decided to stop at the local grocery store in Townsend called Townsend IGA. We picked up some things for dinner and cooked it at the Airbnb.
Donut Friar
634 Parkway #15
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
☼ 6:30-6:45AM
We chose to spend most of our time in nature rather than inside the busy cities of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. However, we felt like we needed to at least visit Gatlinburg to see what all the fuss was about. Donuts were the perfect reason to stop here!
If you look up Donut Friar online, you will see that they have tons of raving reviews. And for a good reason! Their donuts were delicious and hit the spot on our way to the park. They had lots of donut options. I really do not think you could go wrong with anything made here. The donuts were sweet, soft, and perfect.
Note, that Donut Friar is cash only. There is an ATM inside, but if you do not want to deal with withdrawal fees then bring some cash with you. We showed up around 6:30 in the morning and were the only ones there. Though I hear it can get really busy later in the morning, and they can run out of some of the favorites.
Another tip is that you can park along the Parkway in Gatlinburg for free before 9:00AM. When we arrived around 6:30AM, there was hardly anybody on the roads!
→ Find out more on The Donut Friar!
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
117 Historic Nature Trail
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
☼ 6:50-10:00AM
With our donuts in hand we headed to Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. This driving trail is located just a few minutes from downtown Gatlinburg. This loop road 5.5 miles long. We arrived before sunrise and had the entire place practically to ourselves! My tip is to get there early because it really started getting busy around 9AM.
Our main goal here was to spot a black bear. Unfortunately, we didn't see any, but we did see quite a few turkeys. We decided to park, and hike the Grotto Falls trail. This is a beautiful out-and-back hiking trail that ended with a cool waterfall. The trail is roundtrip 2.6 miles long and listed as a moderate difficulty. It takes about 2 hours to complete.
You will also see multiple historic houses that you can walk in and around. Another popular trail off of Roaring Fork is Rainbow Falls which is 5.4 mile long hike.
→ Find out more on National Park Service!
Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum
461 Brookside Village Way
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
☼ 10:15-11:00AM
We figured we would do one more activity in Gatlinburg so we chose to check out the Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum! This is a small and quirky museum that is worth checking out if you love oddities. This museum is packed full of every salt and pepper shaker you can imagine. From cartoon characters, to animals, to mushrooms, to vegetables, to vacation destinations, and everything in-between. They have it all! The shakers have been thoughtfully placed so all similar shakers are near each other in their cases.
At the end of the museum, you will find a gift shop full of shakers that you can buy. Some are new productions but some are also old shakers!
This is a fairly small museum, but it holds a lot. It won't take long to go through it all, but at $3/person admission, it is totally worth it!
→ Find out more on The Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum!
Picnic Lunch
☼ 11:30AM-12:30PM
We originally had planned to eat our picnic lunch at Chimneys Picnic Area. However, when we arrived, all the picnic tables were taken. We decided to start driving to Newfound Gap and stopped at a small trailhead along the way. We ate our lunch on the curb facing nature with nobody else around!
Long story short, if you can't find a picnic table then pull over at an empty pullout and enjoy!
Newfound Gap
☼ 1:00-1:30PM
Newfound Gap is a big viewing area that offers beautiful scenic views. It is right off the road when heading to Clingman's Dome and is worth the stop.
This is also a part of the Appalachian Trail which was cool to see and put a couple steps on! You will also see the Tennessee / North Carolina State Line Sign here too.
→ Find out more on National Park Service!
Clingman's Dome
☼ 1:45-3:30PM
Clingman's Dome is the highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains, and I would consider it one of the must-see spots when visiting the park. At the end of the path, you will be on top of the 54-foot observation tower where you will get a spectacular 360-degree view of the park. We got really lucky and there were no clouds on the day we visited so our view was clear. Note that if it is cloudy on the day you visit, you will not be able to see much on top of the tower. Also, note that the road to Clingman's Dome is closed during the cold months so be sure to check if it is open before making the trek out there.
The tower is technically in North Carolina, and I almost decided we would not go during our big Tennessee trip. It's supposed to be all about Tennessee, right?! However, we decided that we absolutely wanted to visit Clingman's Dome, and we would save a lot of time on our North Carolina trip if we did it on the Tennessee trip. Plus, the majority of the path to the top is in Tennessee!
Now, let's talk about that path up to the top. It was a chore! The path is a one mile roundtrip and is very steep. We had no idea would be such a workout. We were expecting a nice leisurely stroll up to the top. There are lots of benches and places to step off into the shade to take a break. Go at your own pace and make sure to bring water with you. It is exercise, but it is worth it. Promise!
If you are looking for a souvenir shop, Clingman's Dome has its own located right at the start of the pathway.
→ Find out more on National Park Service!
Cade's Cove Scenic Loop
☼ 4:00-6:30PM
We had planned to hike on Spruce Flats Falls trail, but honestly we were feeling pretty exhausted from the day already. We decided to skip the hike and head to Cade's Cove. We were feeling pretty anxious at this time because we hadn't seen a black bear yet, and we really wanted to see a black bear!
On the internet, you'll read a lot of horror stories about Cade's Cove regarding the traffic. I was hesitant to get into the line of cars in fear that we would be stuck in this loop driving 5 MPH the whole way. However, our experience was wonderful! I really couldn't tell you whether we got lucky or everybody else online is exaggerating how bad it is. Note that we visited Cade's Cove on a Thursday afternoon and an early Friday morning in mid-April. Both times were great, and we were actually able to make the loop multiple times.
First, Cade's Cove is beautiful. There is a lot of history here, and I highly recommend you buying the self-guided tour book for $1 which will teach you about all the historic houses, buildings, and churches on the loop. We decided to save the history tour for the next day and just focus on finding bears.
We saw multiple turkeys, beautiful scenic views, and, yes, black bears! I really couldn't believe my eyes. I was ecstatic. Seeing these amazing creatures with my own eyes is something I will never forget. Be sure to look up in the trees too as we saw some hanging out on the branches as well as the ground.
The only negative about Cade's Cove is that people do come to a complete stop when there is a bear. I mean, 100%, put the car in park, roll down the window and sit for minutes. It can be quite frustrating to be stuck in the back of the line and not even know what is happening. Usually the park rangers will come around and get the line moving sooner rather than later. I do wish people were more considerate of others and just snap a couple photos of the bear, admire for a few seconds, and slowly move on their way so others can also get the same experience. I don't have a solution, but just know that if you are stopped for awhile, there is a bear somewhere near the front of the traffic jam.
With that said, don't skip Cade's Cove! If you are visiting during the summer months when the park is busier, try going at sunrise!
→ Find out more on National Park Service!
Burger Master Drive-In
8439 TN-73
Townsend, TN 37882
☼ 6:45-7:30PM
After that long day, we sure were hungry! Burger Master Drive-In is the perfect stop after being out in nature all day. There are plenty of picnic tables to eat there, but we decided to take our food to-go and enjoy it at our cabin.
Either we were super hungry or these burgers were really good. I have it feeling both were true. The burgers were perfectly cooked and seasoned, and the fries were to die for. Highly recommend checking out this burger joint if traveling through Townsend!
→ Find out more on Burger Master Drive-In!
Cade's Cove Scenic Loop
☼ 7:00AM-12:00PM
We had such a good time the day prior at Cade's Cove that we decided to spend the morning here as well. We got there as the sun was rising, and there was very few people here.
This time around we used the $1 Cade's Cove Tour Book which guided us around all the historic buildings. The book tells you about the history of Cade's Cove which is super fascinating. I highly recommend you grab the book at the souvenir shop.
We also saw black bears again. We couldn't believe our luck! There was one right beside the road, and we got some really good photos from the car. It was an incredible experience. Plus, Cade's Cove is just a beautiful drive, the frequent bear spottings are just a bonus!
→ Find out more on National Park Service!
Picnic Lunch at Cade's Cove Picnic Area
☼ 12:00-1:00PM
We then stopped for lunch at Cade's Cove Picnic Area. After yesterday, we were worried that we wouldn't be able to find a table here. However, there were tons available. There was hardly anybody here!
We chose a picnic table that was located right off of some water. It was a very quiet and peaceful lunch. You will also find bathrooms and trash cans here as well.
→ Find out more on National Park Service!
Whiteoak Sink Trail
☼ 1:15-3:45PM
Since we visited the park in April, we were fortunate to see lots of different wildflowers blooming. The Whiteoak Sink Trail is one of the best trails that showcases these unique and beautiful wildflowers.
This trail can get busy during April so it's best to get there early so you can secure a parking spot since parking is extrememly limited. We ended up finding a parking spot in a pullout about 1/2 mile down the road from the trailhead and walked to the trail.
You can find the Whiteoak Sink Trail by starting out on Schoolhouse Gap trail. You will walk on Schoolhouse Gap until you get to a wooden fence opening that is located near a sign that says 'No Horses'. You will walk through the fence gap and continue on the trail. At the end of the trail, you will be able to go left to see a bat cave or right to see a waterfall. It is a 4.6-mile out and back trail.
This was such a pretty trail, and we had a lot of fun walking it. We saw so many cool flower such as Pink Lady's Slipper, Yellow Lady's Slipper, Shooting Star, and Showy Orchis. We also saw salamanders! We highly recommend this trail if visiting in the spring!
Look Rock
☼ 4:00-4:30PM
The last stop we made in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was Look Rock. We decided that we were too tired to climb all the way to the top of the observation tower, but I kind of regret that now. I wish we would've tried to get that 360-degree view of the park.
We did, however, step out onto the overlook and get a nice view from there. You can find this overlook at the corner of the Look Rock parking lot. If you are headed out of the park towards Chattanooga, I would recommend taking the road that passes by Look Rock. You will get a much more scenic drive this way!
→ Find out more on National Park Service!
Hampton Inn & Suites Chattanooga
2014 Hamilton Place Boulevard
Chattanooga, TN 37421
☼ 8:00PM
After our trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, we headed to Chattanooga which is about a two hour drive. We were only in Chattanooga for a short time, but I will go ahead and share what we did there just in case you also will be headed this way after the National Park.
We stayed at this Hampton which is in east Chattanooga. It was a good stopping point before we headed on more adventures the next day.
→ Find out more on Hilton!
Lookout Mountain
827 East Brow Road
Lookout Mountain, TN 37350
☼ 8:15AM
Lookout Mountain is a 2389-foot mountain in Chattanooga where the Battle of Lookout Mountain during the American Civil War took place on November 24, 1863.
You can ride up to the top of the mountain on the train. However, our schedule did not allow us to take part in the fun since they do not open until 9AM. So we just drove up the mountain in our car. Note that you do have to pay for parking when up there.
There is plenty to do on top of this mountain such as Rock City and Ruby Falls.
→ Find out more on Lookout Mountain!
Point Park
110 Point Park Road
Lookout Mountain, TN 37350
On top of the mountain, you will also find Point Park. This is where the battles took place during the Civil War. In this park you will find overlooks, monuments, and cannons which interpret the Battle of Lookout Mountain. There are also plenty of signs talking about the battle.
There is an entrance fee to get into the park. However, if you have the America the Beautiful pass then you will get in for free.
→ Find out more on National Park Service!
50 States by 50
Tennessee was our fourth state to visit for our 50 states by 50 challenge. My husband, Brian, and I are planning to visit all the states in the United States before we turn 50 years old. We draw which state we go to next randomly!
For each state, we will spend at least 4 days there and visit the state capitol, state museum, state park, and eat whatever food that state is most known for. We will document all of our travels on our blog and making vlogs as well which will be posted on YouTube. Read more about our 50 States by 50 Bucket List.
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Thank you for reading about our trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We hope this itinerary was helpful in planning your own Tennessee vacation! If you have any questions or just want to share your must-see Great Smoky Mountains National Park spots please leave a comment down below.
Category: Tennessee, National and State Parks
Keywords: Great Smoky Mountains National Park itinerary, what to do in the Great Smoky Mountains, best things to do in townsend
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Bon Voyage!
July 15, 2024 by Laura Ehlers
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