Five Reasons You Should Visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

I have mentioned our trip to the Smokies about a million times in passing, so it’s about time I share more about our latest adventure. There’s a reason why the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited park in the United States. It actually gets twice as many visitors as the second place park, the Grand Canyon. Today I wanted to share five reasons I think you should visit the park as soon as you can.

Amazing Views
The minute you drive into the Smokies, there is a stunning view at every corner. My favorite view was of Newfound Gap, which is also the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.

Gorgeous Hikes
Christopher and I love to hike, and the Smoky Mountains are filled with amazing options. My favorite hike was to Clingman’s Dome. It is very steep (you gain 332 feet in half a mile!), but the view at the top is so worth it.

Waterfalls
I am obsessed with waterfalls, so, of course, I loved the ones in the Smokies. You could spend a month in the mountains and still have waterfalls to visit. We did a hike to the Laurel Falls, which I can’t wait to share!

Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg is the cutest mountain town! We loved walking around the shops and trying some delicious food in a gorgeous mountain setting. Out of all the towns near the Smokies, Gatlinburg was my favorite.

Cade’s Cove
Cade’s Cove is a historic valley featuring several 19th century historical structures. It’s a one-way 11-mile loop that includes beautiful views and plenty of historical significance. I’m excited to share more about this area with y’all in the future.

I hope this post spikes your interest for all the amazing things about the Smoky Mountains because I will be writing individual posts on all of these in the future!

Other Smoky Mountains Road Trip Posts:

Quick Thoughts

Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne, Alabama 

Have you been to the Smoky Mountains? What was your favorite part? If you haven’t been, what would you most like to do?

Quick Thoughts: Smoky Mountains Road Trip

Today, I feel thankful. Our trip was even better than I expected. The weather was perfect, and the Smoky Mountains were simply stunning. The fall color hadn’t peaked yet, but we still saw some gorgeous color. Surprisingly, the best color was on our drive from Knoxville to Nashville.

I didn’t talk about it much before we left, but one of my big concerns was how my body would take such an active trip. At first, it was really hard. Hikes that I could normally do easily were a struggle. It did get easier, though. I’m definitely not back to myself yet, but I am getting stronger. I was able to eat more and walk more on this trip, and I could push myself without feeling like there would be major consequences (other than sore legs!).

I think a road trip is the best way to see the Smoky Mountains. We stopped by so many interesting places on the way, and I can’t wait to start sharing them with y’all.