Sugarland Visitor Center on the Tennessee side on Great Smoky Mountain National Park was crowded…read morewith visitors during my visit. The parking lot was full at 9:30 in the morning! The Center offers a nice exhibit of animals and plants that can be seen in the park. Rangers are available to help answer questions and help design Park itineraries for visitors. The Center is a perfect place to pick up maps and other Park info. We bought parking passes and I picked up several cool walking sticks in the gift shop to give as gifts. Prices on some items were reasonable. The staff were super friendly despite the crowds. There are rest rooms available...the last real restrooms before entering the Park. Outside, are little "gardens" featuring native Park vegetation. Addition parking is being added. Every visitor to the Park should plan a stop at the Center. Plan 30 minutes to an hour.

A nice stop along the way into the National Park. Parking is a bit tough because it seems to…read morealways be busy. The museum inside is worth a look. The gift shop is really nice and has a large variety of things for purchase.

I never met a waterfall that I didn't like. We did a driving tour along Little River in Great Smoky…read moreMountains National Park to see if we could spot some wildlife. The Sinks is a lovely waterfall along the river. There is a small parking lot with about a dozen spaces where we found parking. An observation area is a short walk from parking. A sign describes the area and that the falls were manmade. During the late 1800's the river was used to transport logs/timber to the nearby town of Elkmont. After a storm, flood waters caused a jam in the river. Dynamite was used to restore water flow. The blast resulted in a twist in the river and creation of the waterfall. A set of stone steps leads up a hill, offering lovey views of the falls. There are dozens of waterfalls in the Park. Sinks is one of the few that is drivable, which is great for people that cannot hike. I picked up a Waterfalls map at the visitor center that I found interesting and informative. Parking passes are required to park in the lot. There are no amenities at the falls. Plan 15-30 minutes for a stop and photos.

We found a prime parking spot at The Sinks and looked at the area from above the bridge. People…read morewere cliff jumping from the cliffs using ropes, and just free jumping into the water below. Saw the waterfall, but we did not venture into the water. Very small parking lot, but worth a quick stop if you can find a spot to park the car.

We stopped at the Spur Welcome Center during our Smoky Mountain vacation and were impressed by how…read moremodern and updated the facility feels. The staff were friendly and helpful, and there were plenty of maps, brochures, coupons for local attractions, and souvenirs to browse while we planned our adventures. The location is one of its biggest advantages. Compared to the smaller downtown visitor center, I much prefer this one because it's easier to get in and out of, has ample parking, and feels less hectic than navigating the busy Parkway area. It's a convenient stop whether you're heading into Gatlinburg or the national park. One thing to note is the new park parking policy: if you park for more than 15 minutes inside the Smokies, you'll need to purchase a parking tag. I was initially a little frustrated by that, but I understand the need to help support park operations and visitor services. Later, I learned the parking tag revenue goes to the federal government (currently being used on DC projects) rather than staying at this specific visitor center or within the local community, which was disappointing to me personally. Overall, this is a clean, welcoming, and well-organized visitor center that makes a great first stop before exploring the Smokies.

The Gatlinburg Welcome Center is a good stop for local information and Great Smoky Mountains…read moreNational Park updates. We made several visits to the center to pick up maps, parking passes, shirts, post cards and gifts. The staff is super friendly, helpful and will answer questions. Prices are reasonable. They carry hiking and Park guides. I highly recommend picking up maps because internet connectivity is rarely available in the Park. Free maps are available and specialty guides are only $1. Restrooms are available at the Center. There is limited parking and a larger lot up the hill. We always found parking no matter what time of day that we visited. The Center is also a stop and provides parking to ride the free trolly that goes to Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg.

11 mile, one way drive with jaw dropping scenery and some old homes and churches along the way. We…read moresaw some horses and deer, but unfortunately no bears. We arrived around 6am on a Saturday, and while there were other cars around, we had no problem finding parking and there were no traffic jams. We finished up around 9am. The visitor center and mill are located about halfway through the drive. It opens at 9am though, so if you get an early start like we did, it probably won't be open. Definitely get the map for $1.25 so you know what you're looking at. On Wednesdays, they close the loop to cars and it's only accessible to pedestrians and bikes.

The drive for us proved to be fruitful as we saw 5 bears on our first day in the national park. We…read moresaw 2 baby bear cubs in the trees, we walked on a trail and saw them. Subsequently, we drove towards the Cades Cove visitor center and saw 3 juvenile cubs crossing the road and eating grass next to the cars. Absolutely amazing. Only traffic we encountered was when everyone was stopping to see the 3 juvenile cubs by the side of the road. Other than that, we finished the loop quickly...maybe because we went late in the afternoon between 3-4pm. Lots of wild turkeys along the pastures too. Maybe saw 11-12 of them that afternoon on 6/6/2026. Also saw some deer hiding among the trees. Definitely go here to spot wildlife!!

Great Smokey Mountains National Park is bigger than we expected! So much to take in and we only had…read moreso much time. We did go to the visitor center and get a map. It was a good visitor center and had some cool merch and friendly rangers with good advice. We hiked a bit, saw many mushrooms, squirrels, birds and snakes. We did not see bears but we heard there are there. Highly recommend and can't hardly wait to check it out again with more time.

So incredibly beautiful. So many dang bears…read more Or so I've been told. Fortunately for me, a person who is very much afraid of bears and wants nothing to do with them, I did not see any bears during my visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But they're there! Lurking ... somewhere ... in the forest, I'm sure. I visited during the spring, when the bears were waking up from their long slumber, and I'm sure they were just waiting, with growling tummies, to eat someone. Because of the bears, I didn't travel too far away from the visitor center area of Newfound Gap. But there are trails and other things to see that are beautiful if you like hiking and whatnot. As for me, I was satisfied staying close to where there was more concrete and cars than nature. (I know! I'm kind of dumb sometimes.) Newfound Gap straddles both Tennessee and North Carolina, so you can be in two states at once -- literally, you can have one foot in Tennessee and the other in North Carolina! There's also a cool rock structure that you can climb to the top of called the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial, where you'll get great views of the mountains. They really do look smoky! They ain't lyin'. The Newfound Gap area of the Smoky Mountains also has a trailhead for the Appalachian Trail, plus restrooms. I saw backpackers who definitely looked like they had been on the the Appalachian Trail for a while. I've since learned that although this is not the largest national park, it's the most visited, and I believe it! There were quite a lot of people at the Newfound Gap area. That said, I visited a few other places around the park where there were zero people, so you might have to change locations, depending on how many people you want to share your park experience with.

Great visitor center! Super cool three dimensional 'map' that shows the whole park and topological…read morefeatures. Also the trails are on this map, so you can figure out how much uphill will be required. Friendly knowledgeable Park rangers. Always get good advice from the rangers. Lots of parking. Restrooms. Small museum. Big Field out back. Lucky enough to see herd of elk (pictured). Easy flat River trail starts here and about 3 miles out and back if you do the whole thing. Trail crosses under blue ridge parkway. Pics of the trail, people bridge, information sign, herd of elk enclosed. Here is a great afternoon! Start with lunch at wise guyz pizza (see separate review). After lunch cross the river on the people bridge. Turn right and short distance starts the River trail. Walk to the visitor center, chat with the rangers, check out the museum. Then walk back to wise guyz and your parked car. Good lunch and decent hike, doesn't get much better than that. Enjoy!

Visited on a Sunday afternoon so it was pretty busy. Parking lot was pretty full but we only had to…read morecircle once to find a spot. Restrooms are located right off the parking lot. The Rangers inside the visitor center are very helpful. They also have quite a few passport stamps available inside at the ranger desk. There's a small museum inside. There's also a nice outdoor patio with chairs you can sit in to take in the view. While we were there a small herd of elk passed through, and it was fun to watch from afar. The Farmhouse Museum located behind the visitor center was really fun to walk through. There are many chickens walking around the area, as well as a hog pen. There's also a trail beyond the hog pen that allows you to walk down by the creek. This was a fun stop! Would highly recommend!

Bring good footwear. This is not a loop. It's 2.5 miles in and 2.5 miles back. If we were prepared…read morewe would have loved it even more. We wish we had brought more water. It really is beautiful. The falls were pretty. The terrain was a challenge. It is what you make of it.

An absolutely beautiful hike! They don't allow pets on the trails so leave your pups at home. I've…read morebeen on this trail and seen bears before. The best part of the hike is when you get to the waterfalls. A great place for a picnic, or just to sit and hangout for a little bit. I highly recommend this hike in the Smokies!! Cheers & Enjoy!

At 6643 feet, Clingmans Dome, now known by its Cherokee name, Kuwohi, is the highest point in the…read moreGreat Smoky Mountains National Park. My visit to Kuwohi was a highlight of my visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The drive up to the summit is breathtaking. There are several overlooks along the way to stop and enjoy the views. When we arrived, it was about 20 degrees colder than in Gatlinburg and it was very windy. Fortunately, we had dressed warm for the hike. The half mile trail is paved and accessible, however, the climb is straight up and was very difficult for some people. At the top of the trail we passed the Appalachian Trail. Then we found a fantastic Mid Century concrete spiral structure to climb. At the top, is an observation deck with placards describing the magnificent views of Tennessee and North Carolina. The modern observation deck was completed in 1960, replacing a wooden structure. Thomas Lanier Clingman was one of the early explorers that mapped the region in the 1850's. Kuwohi was (and still is) a sacred mountain of the Cherokee people. The mountain held Magic Lake that is believed to have healing powers for those who value the earth and its people. Parking permits are required to park in the large lot. Permits can be purchased on site for $5/day. Restroom facilities are available, but no running water. A nearby Visitors Center sells maps, shirts and other hiking gear. Kuwohi is a must visit on a trip to SMNP. Bring warm clothes (gloves, hat, etc). Cell tower reception is poor, so maps are helpful.

This stop has been on my list for awhile, and I'm not really sure how I hadn't made it yet…read moreconsidering the amount of times I've road tripped to the Smokies... but here we are! Got to see a bear on the way coming from Oconaluftee, which meant the day was perfect no matter what else happened. The weather was a little rainy, scattered storms here and there, and the cloud cover wasn't great for a great view from the overlook, but.... The parking lot view was still excellent, and the overlook itself was cool to see, and there was a Passport stamp station and Visitor Center, loads of camp style restrooms, with plenty of parking, so, absolutely worth the stop!

My wife, daughter, and I had a great time at the visitor center. We learned about the Bush family's…read morehistory and how the Bush company started and grew over the past century. Highlights for us were: stepping on the scale and getting our weight in beans (I'm well north of 100,000), watching the film on how baked beans are produced and canned, and creating our own baked bean can labels.

March 23rd, 2026. Came to have lunch. Then went to visitors…read morecenter museum. It's more for kids It was ok. I'd prefer to visit the factory itself . There's a giftshop with tons of trinkets and little Buschs items.

I needed a ride from Pigeon Forge to Knoxville Airport and found Smokey Mountain Transport in a…read moresearch. I called and they answered right away. They arranged to have a car pick me up 8am the next day. I'm they arrived on time with a nice SUV. We had a nice ride to the Airport. I would recommend this service to anyone looking for a ride in the Knoxville area.

This is the best car service in the Knoxville and Smoky Mountains! We use Nik and his service for…read morebusiness and personal travel to the airport and for all UT sports. Hands down the best service in town with very clean cars and first class service.