Visitors Centers & Operating Hours
The park is open year-round, while some areas and roads like the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and Clingmans Dome Road are typically closed during the winter. There are four visitor centers in GSMNP — the Sugarlands Visitor Center is located just a few miles from the main entrance to the national park in Gatlinburg, the Oconaluftee Visitor Center is on the Cherokee side of the Smokies, and the third visitor center is in Cades Cove, about halfway along the loop road. They are open 364 days a year and closed on Christmas Day. The Clingmans Dome Visitor Center is the final location; however, it is only open seasonally, from April to November.
Things To Do
Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers nearly endless opportunities for outdoor recreation. Hiking trails feature gorgeous waterfalls, stunning overlooks, bridges, old homesteads, and other unique features. Streams and rivers offer plenty of bass and trout for fishing. The Cade Cove Loop Road is a great place for wildlife viewing and learning more about the history of the Smokies — you can tour a working grist mill, walk inside old cabins, and more! Cades Cove Riding Stables offers horseback riding tours and carriage rides, and you can also rent bicycles or bring your own to bike the scenic loop! Elkmont Ghost Town is another historic area to explore, with dozens of preserved buildings and ruins of old homesteads.
National Park Phone Numbers
- General Park Information: (865) 436-1200
