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Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Address

107 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, NC/TN 37738

Contact

865-436-1200 or 865-436-1230
Website IconVisit Website

Amenities

Biking
Fishing & Hunting
Hiking/Nature Trails
Picnic Area
Scenic Views
Waterfalls

Description

Accessible a little more than an hour's drive from Hendersonville, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) covers seven counties in North Carolina and parts of south eastern Tennessee, and serves as the Gateway to the southern-most section of the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP), all of which is contained within GSMNP, beginning at BRP Milepost 469.1. The closest sections of the park to Hendersonville are the Cataloochee and Cherokee areas. The 520,000-acre park itself is one of the largest wilderness areas in the Eastern United States, covering more than 800 square miles. The park contains some of the highest peaks in the East, with elevations in excess of 6,000 feet. A popular destination to view elk, all visitors are encouraged to keep their distance from the elk and all wild animals. The best way to see the elk is using binoculars in the early morning or late evening. Visit in early summer to see calves and September to October for mating season.
The Great Smoky Mountains cover a wide section of the Southern Appalachian Mountains across the two states, much wider than the public lands within this extremely popular National Park. Like much of the Southern Appalachians, the Smokies are known for having extremely diverse and unique ecosystems, which include grassy mountain balds, wetlands and everything in between.
Great Smoky Mountain National Park is known for:
  • Elk sightings
  • Motorcycle rides
  • Breathtaking sunsets and sunrises
  • Open year-round (but often has seasonal closings due to weather or poor road conditions)
  • Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing
Popular Attractions:
  • Cade's Cove
  • Cataloochee
  • Clingman's Dome
  • Deep Creek

Amenities

Biking
Fishing & Hunting
Hiking/Nature Trails
Picnic Area
Scenic Views
Waterfalls

Description

Accessible a little more than an hour's drive from Hendersonville, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) covers seven counties in North Carolina and parts of south eastern Tennessee, and serves as the Gateway to the southern-most section of the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP), all of which is contained within GSMNP, beginning at BRP Milepost 469.1. The closest sections of the park to Hendersonville are the Cataloochee and Cherokee areas. The 520,000-acre park itself is one of the largest wilderness areas in the Eastern United States, covering more than 800 square miles. The park contains some of the highest peaks in the East, with elevations in excess of 6,000 feet. A popular destination to view elk, all visitors are encouraged to keep their distance from the elk and all wild animals. The best way to see the elk is using binoculars in the early morning or late evening. Visit in early summer to see calves and September to October for mating season.
The Great Smoky Mountains cover a wide section of the Southern Appalachian Mountains across the two states, much wider than the public lands within this extremely popular National Park. Like much of the Southern Appalachians, the Smokies are known for having extremely diverse and unique ecosystems, which include grassy mountain balds, wetlands and everything in between.
Great Smoky Mountain National Park is known for:
  • Elk sightings
  • Motorcycle rides
  • Breathtaking sunsets and sunrises
  • Open year-round (but often has seasonal closings due to weather or poor road conditions)
  • Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing
Popular Attractions:
  • Cade's Cove
  • Cataloochee
  • Clingman's Dome
  • Deep Creek

Address

107 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, NC/TN 37738

Contact

865-436-1200 or 865-436-1230
Website IconVisit Website

Welcome Center Information

Hendersonville Welcome Center
201 South Main Street
Hendersonville NC 28792

828-693-9708

Request Your Visitors Guide

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