Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Trailie
Build your Great Smoky Mountains itinerary
Tell Trailie your dates, pace, and interests — get a day-by-day Great Smoky Mountains National Park plan with hikes, drives, and must-see stops.
Great Smoky Mountains at a glance
- Best time
- January–April, November–December
- Trip length
- 4–7 days
- Don't miss
- Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome
- Nearby city
- Gatlinburg, TN
Explore this park
Alerts(4)
Park Headquarters Road is closed
Park Headquarters Road is closed due to rehabilitation work on the Sugarlands water and wastewater systems.
Cades Cove Loop Road is closed to motor vehicles every Wednesday
NPS detailsCades Cove Loop Road is closed to motor vehicles every Wednesday through September 30. This allows pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy the cove without the presence of vehicles on the roadway.
Straight Fork and the one-way section of Balsam Mountain Road closed.
NPS detailsStraight Fork and the one-way section of Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga Round-Bottom Road) are closed.
Most visitors need a parking tag
NPS detailsAll vehicles parking for longer than 15 minutes require a parking tag. Three tag durations are available for purchase for all vehicle sizes and types: Daily ($5), Weekly ($15), or Annual ($40).
Common questions
Planning Great Smoky Mountains
The summary above covers timing and highlights. These go deeper on reservations, crowds, and logistics — check Alerts and Permits for live updates.
TrailVerse lists 4 reservation types on the Permits tab, including Great Smoky Mountains Backcountry Permits and Whiteoak Sink Group Hiking Permits — covering timed entry and activity permits. Recreation.gov listings can change seasonally — confirm current rules before you set dates.
