Great Smoky Mountains National Park

About Great Smoky Mountains

Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America's most visited national park. Plan your visit today!

From the National Park Service.

Entrance fees

This park has no entrance fee.

Reservations

NPS lists no entry reservation for this park as of October 26, 2026. Campgrounds and tours may still need booking.

Weather and seasons

Elevations in the park range from approximately 875 feet (267 meters) to 6,643 feet (2,025 meters) and the topography can drastically affect local weather. Temperatures can vary by 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit from mountain base to top, and clear skies lower down do not guarantee equally pleasant weather at higher elevations.

Hours

Primary roads are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round, weather permitting. This includes Newfound Gap Road (US-441), Little River Road, and Laurel Creek Road. Secondary roads are closed seasonally.

Getting there

Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the borders of the states of Tennessee and North Carolina. The three main entrances to the park are in Gatlinburg, TN; Townsend, TN; and Cherokee, NC.

Campgrounds

• Abrams Creek CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Balsam Mountain Campground
• Big Creek CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Cades Cove CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Cades Cove Group CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Cataloochee CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Cosby CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Deep Creek CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Elkmont CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Elkmont Group CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Look Rock CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Smokemont CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Smokemont Group CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov

Webcams

• Purchase Knob Webcam
• Look Rock Webcam
• Newfound Gap Webcam
• Newfound Gap Webcam

Visitor centers

• Sugarlands Visitor Center
• Cades Cove Visitor Center
• Kuwohi Visitor Center
• Oconaluftee Visitor Center

Alerts

• Park Closure: Cherokee Orchard Road closed to pedestrian traffic
• Park Closure: Park Headquarters Road is closed
• Park Closure: Straight Fork and the one-way section of Balsam Mountain Road closed.
• Information: Most visitors need a parking tag

As of October 26, 2026. Current alerts on nps.gov

Sources

Great Smoky Mountains National Park fees on nps.gov. Prices, park information and photos from the NPS Data API, checked October 26, 2026. Photos credited to the National Park Service.