Great Smoky Mountains
The greatest appeal of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a combination of two things which are; the amazing abundance of things to do in the park and the natural, beautiful and peaceful surroundings of the park.

Auto-touring is actually a great way to see the Great Smoky Mountains offering hurried mountain streams which most of the visitors enjoying, long-time historic buildings, panoramic outlooks and kingly forests stretching as far as the eye can see.

Camping and Hiking are some of the more popular activities as the park provides over 800 miles of trails ranging from multi-day backpacking treks through backcountry or peaceful quiet walkways for shorter day trips. Some other possible activities in the Great Smoky Mountains are cycling, fishing 700 miles of streams, horseback riding, picnicking, wildlife viewing and exploring waterfalls and wildflowers. The Great Smoky Mountains is believe to be a photographers dream and provides limitless possibilities for fantastic shots.

The climate of the National Park varies. March through May can be unpredictable and still see snow flurries. Temperatures can still reach freezing in the lower elevations until April. May sees highs of 70′ and 80’s and lows in the 40’s and 50’s. The summer from June through August is hot, humid and hazy. Days see temperatures into the 90’s while evenings cool off to 60’s and 70’s. Meanwhile, September through to the middle of November see warm days and cool nights. Late September sees the first frosts yet fall foliage creates astounding scenery amongst the mountain backdrop. Winter occurs from mid-November through February and is fairly moderate yet extreme temperatures do occur. Day’s can reach highs in the 50’s but can also get really cold pretty fast so its best to go prepared. Fall and spring seem to be the best time to visit unless you like the extreme heat of the summer months.

There is no truer way to explore the mountains of the park besides camping, which is the ultimate outdoor experience. Some people prefer slightly less rough conditions and Smoky Mountain cabins are the perfect compromise. There is only one option for accommodation right inside the park and that is Le Conte Lodge which is found atop 6,593 feet atop Le Conte Mountain in the park and is only accessible by a 5 to 8 mile hike.

A large variety of Smoky Mountain cabins are available in the communities that surround the national park as well as hotels, bed and breakfasts and many campgrounds. The Department of Tourism offers a vast range of information about accommodation surrounding the national park to help you with planning a trip.

Did you know? That an astounding 9 million adventure-seekers and sight-seers visit the Great Smoky Mountains each year making it the most visited national park in America.

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