Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Sights to See at Great Smoky
Steeped in history and blessed with natural beauty, the Smokies provide visitors with rich sights, from the log cabins of earlier days to primeval forests and misty vistas of seemingly endless ridgelines. Listed below is a sampling of the best the Smokies has to offer.
CENTRAL SECTION
The following locations are accessible from Newfound Gap Road.
Newfound Gap
Figuratively, and almost literally the center of the park, Newfound Gap is the cut through the crest of the Great Smoky Mountains. It is almost halfway between Sugarlands and Oconaluftee, along Newfound Gap Road. The Tennessee—North Carolina border crosses Newfound Gap east-to-west, as does the Appalachian Trail. At 5,046 feet high, it offers fine views of the park.
Alum Cave Bluffs
The 100-foot-high Alum Cave Bluffs were supposedly a source of saltpeter for Civil War gunpowder. It was also the site of a 19th-century alum mine. Alum is a compound sulfate used in munitions manufacturing, in medicines and in setting cloth dyes. The bluffs are now a popular destination for day hikers. Alum Cave Bluffs Trail begins at Newfound Gap Road between Newfound Gap and Chimney Tops overlooks. The trail is somewhat strenuous at the end (it rises 1,360 feet above Newfound Gap Road), and at times hikers must grip trailside cables to traverse cliffs. The trail is 2.5 miles to Bluffs and five miles to Mount LeConte and goes through Arch Rock, which contains a tunnel created by erosion.
Andrews Bald
Balds are open, unforested fields on mountain ridges. Naturalists can't explain exactly why they occur, but overgrazing or repeated fires set by humans may have caused them. Andrews Bald is the easiest of the park balds to reach, located 1.8 miles south of Clingmans Dome by hiking trail. Grass and flowering shrubs are the dominant ground cover and the views from the field make it an inviting picnic spot.
Charlies Bunion
A forest fire in 1925 swept clear the 1,000-foot-high cliff known as "Charlies Bunion," leaving it a rocky prominence that now offers sweeping views of Mount LeConte and the Greenbrier area. Charlies Bunion is a popular destination for day hikers who want to travel just a small portion of the Appalachian Trail. Start at Newfound Gap and follow the crest east for four miles. Return the same way for an eight-mile hike.
Cherokee Orchard Road and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Along these roads are a collection of historical sites including the remains of a homestead owned by the Ogle family who lived here after the Civil War. There are also log cabins and a cemetery in Roaring Fork, the remains of a village that supported some two dozen families about 150 years ago. It is located just southeast of Gatlinburg and is accessible to automobiles via the paved Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail (closed in winter). The road is impassable to trailers and recreational vehicles.
Chimney Tops
Chimney Tops are sheer pinnacles, dramatic examples of the tremendous forces that, millions of years ago, caused the eastern edge of North America to buckle, creating the Appalachian Mountains. You can see the twin summits from the Chimney Tops Overlooks, located along Newfound Gap Road; or hike to the cliffs on a steep, four-mile round-trip trail.
Clingmans Dome
At 6,643 feet in elevation, Clingmans Dome is the highest spot in the Smokies and a natural magnet for visitors. A forest of spruce and fir trees covers the top, but an observation platform rises above the evergreens to provide an unparalleled view of the park. From Newfound Gap, drive seven miles southwest on Clingmans Dome Road to the parking lot. Reaching the platform requires a steep, half-mile walk from the parking lot. Clingmans Dome Road is closed from approximately December to April.
Mingus Mill
Located north of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center on Newfound Gap Road, Mingus Mill is one of two water-powered mills still in operation at the park. From mid-April through October, a miller grinds corn and wheat to make cornmeal and flour. -
Mount LeConte
Hikers and backpackers often gather at dawn or at sunset at Mount LeConte, the third-highest peak in the park, for one of the Smokies' most powerful wilderness experiences. The 6,593-foot-high mountain offers its best views from two rocky outcroppings on the summit, Myrtle Point and Cliff Top. LeConte Lodge is located in the trees not far from the summit. To reach Mount LeConte, take one of five hiking trails: Boulevard Trail via the Appalachian Trail starting at Newfound Gap, 16 miles round-trip; Alum Cave Trail at the Alum Cave parking lot on Newfound Gap Road, 11 miles round-trip; Rainbow Falls Trail or Trillium Gap, each 13.4 miles round-trip; or Bull Head, 14.4 miles round-trip from Cherokee Orchard.
Mountain Farm Museum
Settled around 1800, Oconaluftee is now home to Mountain Farm Museum, which replicates a late 19th-century farm. You can see a house, barn, corncrib, sorghum molasses mill and blacksmith shop. From the spring through October, there are costumed interpretive demonstrations. Mountain Farm Museum is located a short walk from the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. -
WESTERN SECTION
Cades Cove
In the isolated valley of Cades Cove, first settled by Europeans in 1819, the NPS maintains a historical and cultural preserve of log cabins, churches and other buildings. Cable Mill, near Cades Cove Visitor Center, is an operating water-powered gristmill (- at Cable Mill area only).
Cades Cove Loop Road
This 11-mile, one-way road passes by 19 tour stops. The stops are marked by numbered posts and are keyed to a pamphlet you can obtain at the beginning of the road or at visitor centers. The road is a favorite with cyclists and is often crowded so expect delays. Cades Cove can be reached via U.S. 321 near Townsend as well as via Little River Road from Sugarlands Visitor Center.
Living history demonstrations, held spring through fall, include the making of sorghum molasses, lye soap and apple butter.
The Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park has set up two drive-up donation collection boxes along the Loop Road. Donations go to visitor facility improvements, natural and cultural resource preservation, educational programs and visitor services. For more information, please see page 24.
EASTERN SECTION
Cataloochee Valley
This lowland valley is smaller and less visited than areas to the west, but it was once a choice site for farmsteads, making it the largest settlement in the Smokies. Only a few of the nearly 200 buildings that were here at the turn of the century remain. Farmhouses, barns, a schoolhouse and a church are located in the valley. An unpaved steep and narrow road at the junction of I-40 and U.S. 276 leads to Cataloochee Valley.
Smoky Mountains In Depth
News from the Parks
75th Anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps
August 29, 2008 - 1:49pm
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), designed by Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of the New Deal to provide relief from the Great Depression. The CCC employed over two million young men to work in America’s parks and forests, creating and renovating roads, trails, campsites, social halls, amphitheaters and visitor centers. The program provided work in a time of great instability, but more importantly it offered disheartened Americans the chance to improve the nation's future, while strengthening their dignity and hope. They were making history by providing easier access to the treasures of the national park system. Nicknamed "Roosevelt's Tree Army," the CCC was operated through the cooperative efforts of four departments. The Department of Labor oversaw the selection of enrollees, the Army ran the camps, and the Interior and Agriculture departments provided work projects. Initially, unmarried men, between the ages of 18 and 25 and from families on relief, could apply. They enlisted for six months, with an option to reenlist for up to two years. The "CCC boys" worked for $30 a month, $25 of which was sent to their families. Eventually, "Local Experienced Men" (LEMs) and World War I veterans could enroll. Although a few work camps were established for women, most CCC enrollees were men. Nationwide, the CCC operated 4,500 camps! The CCC advanced natural resource conservation by decades, and provided education, training and experience for a generation of young men and women. Since then, millions of visitors to the national park system have enjoyed the work of the CCCs! Parks nationwide are commemorating the inspiring government leaders and hardworking young men that made up the Civilian Conservation Corps, and its contributions to parks across the country! Happy Birthday Civilian Conservation Corps!
August 29, 2008 - 1:49pm
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), designed by Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of the New Deal to provide relief from the Great Depression. The CCC employed over two million young men to work in America’s parks and forests, creating and renovating roads, trails, campsites, social halls, amphitheaters and visitor centers. The program provided work in a time of great instability, but more importantly it offered disheartened Americans the chance to improve the nation's future, while strengthening their dignity and hope. They were making history by providing easier access to the treasures of the national park system. Nicknamed "Roosevelt's Tree Army," the CCC was operated through the cooperative efforts of four departments. The Department of Labor oversaw the selection of enrollees, the Army ran the camps, and the Interior and Agriculture departments provided work projects. Initially, unmarried men, between the ages of 18 and 25 and from families on relief, could apply. They enlisted for six months, with an option to reenlist for up to two years. The "CCC boys" worked for $30 a month, $25 of which was sent to their families. Eventually, "Local Experienced Men" (LEMs) and World War I veterans could enroll. Although a few work camps were established for women, most CCC enrollees were men. Nationwide, the CCC operated 4,500 camps! The CCC advanced natural resource conservation by decades, and provided education, training and experience for a generation of young men and women. Since then, millions of visitors to the national park system have enjoyed the work of the CCCs! Parks nationwide are commemorating the inspiring government leaders and hardworking young men that made up the Civilian Conservation Corps, and its contributions to parks across the country! Happy Birthday Civilian Conservation Corps!
September Featured Species: Zebra Mussels
August 29, 2008 - 12:53pm
Mussels are a key part of our aquatic ecosystems. They’re filter feeders, meaning they filter the water as they eat the debris that floats in it. They also serve as a food source for birds and small animals as well as fish … and humans. Usually there’s not much more to say about this animal, but one particular species has made a journey that highlights not only its hardiness but also the vulnerable balance of native ecosystems. Zebra mussels are small, freshwater mollusk species named for the stripes that commonly line the outside of their shells. Their sizes and shapes range can vary – oblong to almost circular, measuring anywhere from the size of a fingernail to two inches long – so it can be tricky to identify at first. The species is native to the lakes of Southern Russia but has been introduced, and has since caused quite a stir, in North America, the British Isles, Spain and Sweden. In these places the species has overgrown, and while it filters the water and provides food for bottom feeders in waterways, it’s more of an unchecked pest than anything. Zebra mussels are prolific. An adult female can produce between 30,000 and a million eggs in a year, which are fertilized during spring spawning sessions. What’s more, there are too few predators to keep the species in check. Having so many mussels around may not seem like a big problem on its face, but it has proven to be quite costly not only to the other members of its ‘host’ ecosystem but to humans as well. Many native lakes in North American have seen their native mussel populations drop due to the invasion of the zebra. It tends to latch onto the hardest substrates in the watery environment. In silty sands, these objects are the native mussels themselves, which are then often killed by the attachment of the zebra. The US coastguard estimates the cost of economic losses and control measures around the zebra to be worth about 5 billion dollars each year! These are hearty creatures that can survive out of water for several days or weeks if the temperature and humidity allow for it. Since 1988 they’ve have reproduced and weathered their way to richly populate all of the great lakes and begin a sprawl into the major rivers in the US. Scientists predict that the zebra mussel will continue to spread its population range by riding along the bottoms of small vessels and tourist ships. Zebra mussels can disrupt the food chain in freshwater ecosystems, ruin facilities like docks and rams, clog pipelines and engines and litter beaches with their smelly shells. But you can help to stop this trend of their growth in the US. Before launching your boat, you can check it thoroughly. Remove all mud, plant and animal debris from the boat, trailer and other equipment to enter the water. When you’re out of the water, drain the boat, motor and live well so that it can dry out – the boat needs to be completely dry for at least five days before entering another body of water. Doing your part will help protect freshwater ecosystems around the US and in our national parks, as well as reduce the dollars spent to reduce the damage caused by this prolific species.
August 29, 2008 - 12:53pm
Mussels are a key part of our aquatic ecosystems. They’re filter feeders, meaning they filter the water as they eat the debris that floats in it. They also serve as a food source for birds and small animals as well as fish … and humans. Usually there’s not much more to say about this animal, but one particular species has made a journey that highlights not only its hardiness but also the vulnerable balance of native ecosystems. Zebra mussels are small, freshwater mollusk species named for the stripes that commonly line the outside of their shells. Their sizes and shapes range can vary – oblong to almost circular, measuring anywhere from the size of a fingernail to two inches long – so it can be tricky to identify at first. The species is native to the lakes of Southern Russia but has been introduced, and has since caused quite a stir, in North America, the British Isles, Spain and Sweden. In these places the species has overgrown, and while it filters the water and provides food for bottom feeders in waterways, it’s more of an unchecked pest than anything. Zebra mussels are prolific. An adult female can produce between 30,000 and a million eggs in a year, which are fertilized during spring spawning sessions. What’s more, there are too few predators to keep the species in check. Having so many mussels around may not seem like a big problem on its face, but it has proven to be quite costly not only to the other members of its ‘host’ ecosystem but to humans as well. Many native lakes in North American have seen their native mussel populations drop due to the invasion of the zebra. It tends to latch onto the hardest substrates in the watery environment. In silty sands, these objects are the native mussels themselves, which are then often killed by the attachment of the zebra. The US coastguard estimates the cost of economic losses and control measures around the zebra to be worth about 5 billion dollars each year! These are hearty creatures that can survive out of water for several days or weeks if the temperature and humidity allow for it. Since 1988 they’ve have reproduced and weathered their way to richly populate all of the great lakes and begin a sprawl into the major rivers in the US. Scientists predict that the zebra mussel will continue to spread its population range by riding along the bottoms of small vessels and tourist ships. Zebra mussels can disrupt the food chain in freshwater ecosystems, ruin facilities like docks and rams, clog pipelines and engines and litter beaches with their smelly shells. But you can help to stop this trend of their growth in the US. Before launching your boat, you can check it thoroughly. Remove all mud, plant and animal debris from the boat, trailer and other equipment to enter the water. When you’re out of the water, drain the boat, motor and live well so that it can dry out – the boat needs to be completely dry for at least five days before entering another body of water. Doing your part will help protect freshwater ecosystems around the US and in our national parks, as well as reduce the dollars spent to reduce the damage caused by this prolific species.
15th Annual National Public Lands Day
August 29, 2008 - 12:18pm
Don’t miss this great opportunity to join more than 100,000 volunteers in the country’s single largest hands-on volunteer effort for America’s public lands. In addition to celebrating the natural beauty of our parks, trails, lakes and seashores, you’ll have a chance to get involved in your community by helping with a variety of volunteer projects, including building trails and bridges, planting trees and plants, and removing trash and invasive plants. American Park Network is proud to announce that our long-standing partner, and supporter of parks, AVEENO®, is now the national sponsor of National Public Lands Day. If you decide to volunteer, be sure to add a camera to the list of gear you’ll need on NPLD! Everyone is encouraged to participate in the Ninth Annual National Public Lands Day Photo Contest, which is open to all NPLD volunteers! The contest will showcase the natural beauty of our country's public lands and give volunteers the chance to win great prizes from AVEENO®. The contest has two categories. The first is “Volunteers in Action,” highlighting the great work taking place on NPLD and all of the people who make the day a success. The second category, “Transformative Change,” will enable volunteers who care so much about our public places to show the nation the impact they’ve made during NPLD. In addition to great AVEENO® gifts for the contest winners, there will be a $500 donation made to the sites affiliated with the top five photos in the “Transformative Change” category in support of their commitment to transformation!
August 29, 2008 - 12:18pm
Don’t miss this great opportunity to join more than 100,000 volunteers in the country’s single largest hands-on volunteer effort for America’s public lands. In addition to celebrating the natural beauty of our parks, trails, lakes and seashores, you’ll have a chance to get involved in your community by helping with a variety of volunteer projects, including building trails and bridges, planting trees and plants, and removing trash and invasive plants. American Park Network is proud to announce that our long-standing partner, and supporter of parks, AVEENO®, is now the national sponsor of National Public Lands Day. If you decide to volunteer, be sure to add a camera to the list of gear you’ll need on NPLD! Everyone is encouraged to participate in the Ninth Annual National Public Lands Day Photo Contest, which is open to all NPLD volunteers! The contest will showcase the natural beauty of our country's public lands and give volunteers the chance to win great prizes from AVEENO®. The contest has two categories. The first is “Volunteers in Action,” highlighting the great work taking place on NPLD and all of the people who make the day a success. The second category, “Transformative Change,” will enable volunteers who care so much about our public places to show the nation the impact they’ve made during NPLD. In addition to great AVEENO® gifts for the contest winners, there will be a $500 donation made to the sites affiliated with the top five photos in the “Transformative Change” category in support of their commitment to transformation!
Kautz Creek: Nature's Power Is Evident
August 28, 2008 - 5:06pm
I used to know exactly how many switchbacks it took to get to Indian Henry's Hunting Ground from Kautz Creek. I have forgotten the number, but there are many. I did remember most of the trail was in the forest, an advantage on a hot day.
August 28, 2008 - 5:06pm
I used to know exactly how many switchbacks it took to get to Indian Henry's Hunting Ground from Kautz Creek. I have forgotten the number, but there are many. I did remember most of the trail was in the forest, an advantage on a hot day.
Popular N.C. Beach Reopened for Vehicles
August 28, 2008 - 4:58pm
A popular beach on North Carolina's Outer Banks that has been closed to off-road vehicles has been reopened by the National Park Service in time for Labor Day weekend visitors.' The Cape Hatteras National Seashore said Thursday the area known as Bodie Island Spit is open to give fishermen access to Oregon Inlet.
August 28, 2008 - 4:58pm
A popular beach on North Carolina's Outer Banks that has been closed to off-road vehicles has been reopened by the National Park Service in time for Labor Day weekend visitors.' The Cape Hatteras National Seashore said Thursday the area known as Bodie Island Spit is open to give fishermen access to Oregon Inlet.
