Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Fall color, the Cades Cove valley and mountain views from Kuwohi draw travelers to this Appalachian park on the Tennessee and North Carolina border.
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park spans a long stretch of the southern Appalachians on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. Most people come for scenic drives, short walks to waterfalls and mountain views, and wildlife seen from the road. There is no entrance fee, but vehicles need a parking tag.
Cades Cove is a valley loop road lined with preserved log cabins, churches and farm buildings left by the settlers who lived here before the park was created. Kuwohi, formerly Clingmans Dome, is the highest point in the park, and an observation tower stands a short paved walk from the parking area. Fall color arrives first at the higher elevations and reaches the lower valleys later. Plan two to three days to see the main areas at an unhurried pace.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park in five
- Buy a parking tag, not an entrance ticketThere is no entrance fee, but a tag is required to park longer than 15 minutes: $5 daily, $15 weekly or $40 annual. Display a physical tag; digital copies are not accepted.Parking tag guide
- Reach Cades Cove earlyThe 11-mile one-way loop takes 2 to 4 hours or more in traffic. The road closes to vehicles on Wednesdays, typically May to September, which suits walkers and cyclists.Three days in the Smokies
- Time fall color by elevationColor moves downhill through October, with high ridges first and valleys last, often into early November. Weekends bring heavy traffic on Newfound Gap Road, so go midweek if you can.
- Pick a side before you bookGatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are lively and busy, Townsend is quieter, and Bryson City and Cherokee serve the North Carolina side. Driving between sides takes about an hour.Gatlinburg, Townsend or Bryson City
- Check Kuwohi Road datesKuwohi Road (Clingmans Dome Road) is scheduled to run April 1 to November 29 in 2026 and can close for snow, ice or other hazards. Plan the tower walk for a clear morning.
Things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
See all attractions in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Need to know
- Entrance
- No entrance fee; parking tag $5 day, $15 week, $40 year Read more
- Permits
- Backcountry camping needs a permit; firefly viewing is by lottery
- Season
- Open all year; some roads close in winter
- Nearest town
- Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Townsend (TN); Bryson City, Cherokee (NC)
- Getting there
- Knoxville (TYS) about 1 hour; Asheville (AVL) about 1.5 hours
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Days with storms
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain14 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh7°Low-1°Cold, quietJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 7°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 144 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryRain14 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh11°Low2°Cold, quietFebruaryRain
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 174 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchRain14 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh14°Low4°Early wildflowersMarchRain
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 167 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Early wildflowers
- AprilRain13 rainy daysHigh18°Low8°WildflowersAprilRain
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 144 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wildflowers
- MayRain17 rainy daysHigh22°Low13°Lush, firefliesMayRain
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 167 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Lush, fireflies
- JuneRain16 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh26°Low17°Humid, busyJuneRain
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 154 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Humid, busy
- JulyRain20 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh28°Low19°Hot, busyJulyRain
Good
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 19°
- Precipitation
- 170 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hot, busy
- AugustRain19 rainy daysHigh27°Low18°Hot, busyAugustRain
Good
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 213 mm
- Rainy days
- 19
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
- SeptemberRain13 rainy daysHigh25°Low15°Warm, fewer crowdsSeptemberRain
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 169 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, fewer crowds
- OctoberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh20°Low10°Fall colorOctoberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 123 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Fall color
- NovemberPartly cloudy10 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh14°Low4°Late colorNovemberPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 109 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Late color
- DecemberPartly cloudy12 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh10°Low2°Cold, quietDecemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 146 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
Average daily high and low in Gatlinburg, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
20
- Feels like
- 19°
- Humidity
- 51%
- Wind
- 4 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 19%
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
07:23 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today14°10°19%Monday: Cloudy. High 14°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 19%.
- Tue16°10°6%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 16°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 6%.
- Wed14°11°79%Wednesday: Rain. High 14°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 79%.
- Thu18°11°79%Thursday: Drizzle. High 18°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 79%.
- Fri16°7°27%Friday: Drizzle. High 16°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 27%.
- Sat14°4°11%Saturday: Cloudy. High 14°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 11%.
- Sun13°2°16%Sunday: Cloudy. High 13°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 16%.
Updated 04:24 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 EUR = 1.116 USD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Before you go to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Rules for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, checked
- Parking tags are required for vehicles parked longer than 15 minutes: $5 daily, $15 weekly, $40 annual. Physical tags only; digital copies are not accepted.Checked Oct 1, 2026 · Source
- Cades Cove Loop Road is 11 miles, one way, open sunrise to sunset, and closes to vehicles on Wednesdays typically from May through September.Checked Oct 1, 2026 · Source
Great Smoky Mountains National Park FAQ
Do you have to pay to enter Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
There is no entrance fee, but a parking tag is required for vehicles parked longer than 15 minutes: $5 daily, $15 weekly or $40 annual. Buy it on Recreation.gov, at visitor centers or at tag machines, and display it in the vehicle.
How many days do you need in the Smokies?
Two days covers Cades Cove, Newfound Gap Road and one hike. Three days lets you add Kuwohi, a longer trail and a slower pace. Add a day for the North Carolina side or the Blue Ridge Parkway.
When is the best time to visit the Smokies?
April to May for wildflowers and October for fall color, which is also the busiest time. Summer is humid and busy, and winter is quiet with some roads closed. Midweek visits avoid the worst traffic.
Is the $100 nonresident fee charged in the Smokies?
No. Great Smoky Mountains is not one of the 11 parks on the NPS nonresident fee list. International visitors pay the same parking tag as everyone else, and an annual pass is not needed for this park.
Should I stay in Gatlinburg or somewhere quieter?
Gatlinburg for restaurants and the shortest drive to the main entrance, Townsend for quiet and Cades Cove, and Bryson City for the North Carolina side and Deep Creek. Pick the side that matches your hikes.