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
Permits & Reservations(4)
Great Smoky Mountains Backcountry Permits
ReserveWhiteoak Sink Group Hiking Permits
ReserveGreat Smoky Mountains National Park Vehicle Reservations
ReserveGreat Smoky Mountains National Park will be implementing a temporary parking reservation system for Laurel Falls trailhead parking area starting September 1, 2021 as a strategy to improve visitor experience and protect resources. Parking at Laurel Falls trailhead parking area req…
The Great Smoky Mountains Firefly Viewing Lottery
ReserveSynchronous fireflies ( Photinus carolinus ) are one of at least 19 species of fireflies that live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and one of only a few species in the world known to synchronize their flash patterns. This insects' reproductive display occurs for a couple o…
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.
