Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Great Smoky Mountains is typically a Fall foliage park or a Winter ski trip, but we decided to make a weekend out of it during summer! Here’s what we did!
GSMNP is a drive-through park that actually does not require an entrance fee since it connects a major roadway. This makes it a great road trip stop or affordable family trip! There are views, hiking, creeks, and a great little town outside the park - Gatlinburg as well as the home of Dollywood, Pigeon Forge. We went for a three-day trip and stayed in Gatlinburg. Here was our itinerary to do across the few days.
-Mingus Mill
-Clingman’s Dome (1 mile round trip) (elevated walkway)
-Newfound Gap Road
-Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
-Elkmont Ghost Town
-Cades Cove
The park was absolutely beautiful and if we weren’t trying to have a slow paced and relaxed trip, we would’e gone on a hike too! Our favorite part about this location however was the town Gatlinburg. It had boardwalk/ oceanside town vbes with shops, reasturants, minigolfing and arcades but in the middle of the woods! The restaurants were amazing and there was a variety of attractions to see and do as well. Ths was not as tourist trapy as Pigeon Forge but we did utilize a Groupon and go there to do a mountain coaster (totally reccomended).
On its’ own I feel the park wouldn’t of been as a highlight without the town so be sure to do stuff in town AND MAKE RESERVATIONS AT THE RESTAURANTS EARLY IN THE DAY AND DON’T JUST WALK UP. This location is probably best paired with a stop at Dollywood as well as that’s what most other travellers said they were doing!
