The most visited national park in the US deserves more than 2 days, but if this is all you have, this itinerary will make sure you cover the best.

How to Get There

One of the reasons the Smokies are so popular is because they are so close to bigger cities. You can fly into smaller airports such as Knoxville, TN and Asheville, NC, both about an hour away. I flew in and out of Charlotte, which is 2.5 hours away.

Where to Stay

Most people stay on the Tennessee side of the park in either Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg. Both of these are great vacation places on their own and are a great choice for folks who want plenty of amenities and don’t mind crowds.

I stayed on the North Carolina side in Cherokee. This town is part of the Cherokee reservation and was much less commercial/touristy, which I loved. If you do want to stay on the North Carolina side but need a few more amenities and don’t mind the 45-minute drive to the park, Maggie Valley is a great choice.

Inside the park, you can stay at Mt LeConte Lodge, but that is only accessible on foot! If this is your type of thing, book in the Fall for the upcoming year if you want your choice of dates.

When to Visit

Because this park is so popular, avoiding peak times is essential if you can swing it. Summer is definitely very busy, as well as June for the synchronous fire flies and fall weekends for leaf peeping. I went during the week in early October and it was still busy but not so much that it was annoying.

Day 1 – Foothills Parkway, Rainbow Falls, Clingmans Dome

My first full day in the park included driving in from Charlotte, NC, and I was still able to fit all of these activities. I entered the park from the Sugarland entrance, which is on the Tennessee side close to Gatlinburg. There is a visitor center here, which also houses the Backcountry office. You will drive part of the Foothills Parkway – a scenic drive that was never fully completed.

Rainbow Falls is a great first hike to do in the Smokies. It’s about 5 miles long with 1,600 ft of elevation gain. We saw bears near the road on the way to the trailhead!

Clingmans Dome trail is a pretty unique one for a national park. A 0.7-mile steep paved path will take you to an observation tower with some of the best views around. It is a popular sunset spot but the views are gorgeous any time of day. It can be windy and cold at the top, so dress accordingly. There is a small visitor center at the trailhead.

Day 2 – Elk viewing and Hike to Mt LeConte

If you stay in Cherokee and start your day early enough, you will be rewarded with sunrise elk in the fog at the Oconaluftee entrance to the Smokies. Leave yourself some time to spend here, it’s magical.

Of the three ways to get to Mt LeConte, the Alum Cave trailhead is the most popular one. Arrive early because the parking lot fills quickly – this is probably the park’s signature hike. It is not easy – it is over 11 miles if you don’t add some additional viewpoints at the top, like we did. If you complete the whole thing, it will take the bulk of your day.