Great Smoky Mountains National Park photo

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Location
Tennessee, North Carolina
Formed
15-Jun-34
Area
522,426.88 acres
(2,114.2 km2)
Visitors in 2017
11,338,893

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee and North Carolina runs northeast to southwest through the centerline of the park. It is the most visited national park in the United States with over 11.3 million recreational visitors in 2016. On its route from Maine to Georgia, the Appalachian Trail also passes through the center of the park. The park was chartered by the United States Congress in 1934 and officially dedicated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1940.

Learn more on Wikipedia.

Airports Nearby

McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS)
Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)
Tri-Cities Airport (TRI)
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP)
Chattanooga Airport (CHA)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Nashville International Airport (BNA)
Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE)
Blue Grass Airport (LEX)

Visitor Centers

Clingmans Dome Visitor Center
Sugarlands Visitor Center
Oconaluftee Visitor Center
Cable Mill Visitors Center

Some centers open seasonally. Check nps.gov for accurate open hours.

Top Attractions

Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Abrams Falls Trailhead
Laurel Falls
Cades Cove
Clingmans Dome
Newfound Gap
Chimney Tops

Weather Averages

(In Farenheit. Source: NOAA)

* Distances and travel times are calculated to center of the park.