Sevierville, Tennessee

This multi-tiered waterfall is known as the tallest in the park – a worthwhile reward for the steep and sometimes tricky terrain you'll face on the way up. The popular route to the falls also passes through an impressive old-growth forest, which apparently boasts some of the tallest trees in the...

The Chimney Tops Trail is one of the most visited trails in the Smokies, which is why I recommend going up just before sunset to beat the crowd! During the summer and fall months, it's common to see a hundred people taking in the views on the same trail, but if you scramble on out after hours, y...

To get to Spruce Flats Falls, you will want to drive down 2.2 miles down the scenic Tremont Road to the Great Smoky Mountains Institute and park in the visitor center parking area. You will then want to ascend up the gravel road past the sign that says restricted to unrestricted traffic (meaning ...

The Alum Cave trailhead is on Newfound Gap Road, 8 miles from the Sugarlands Visitor Center. Mt. LeConte is the third highest peak in the Smokies, and this is an extremely popular hike, so arrive early to get a parking spot and beat the crowds. Starting from the parking lot the trail gently wind...

This park is located in south Knoxville. The wildlife management area is very popular in the sunflower season. This area offers many activities including biking, hiking and photography. There are several trails that run through the area but some of them are closed in hunting season so make sure t...

At the summit of Mt. LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the lodge sits at a elevation of 6400 feet. It is the only "accommodations" inside the park boundaries. It is the highest lodge in the eastern United States.   Accessible only by hiking one of the five trails to the summit,...

The foothills parkway runs parallel to the Great Smoky Mountains. It is 38.6 miles in total with the longest section at 33.0 miles. There are a few different places to get on to the parkway. There is one entrance near Fontana, Walland, Wears Valley, and Cosby. However Cosby is a smaller section a...

Hidden in the eastern reaches of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Cosby region receives a fraction of the visitation of Gatlinburg or Cherokee. This section of the park preserves some of the best deciduous old-growth forest in the eastern United States. Individual tulip trees and eastern ...

This quarry is located near the Ijams Nature Center in South Knoxville. The quarry is right off of Island Home rd and has a large parking lot. The parking lot has about 30 spaces and about 50 spaces in overflow parking. There is a lot activities to do at the quarry. In the summer there is kayak a...

This trail is located at the Ijams Nature Center. Ijams Nature Center is only 10 minutes from downtown Knoxville and is a great place to escape city life and enjoy the outdoors. The parking lot here is quite large and in the busy season it has an overflow lot too. Ijams Nature Center has many hik...

One of the best trails in the Smokies is the Middle Prong Trail. The trail passes three major waterfalls, in addition to numerous smaller falls, cataracts and cascades. Once you've parked, you'll start at the trail head and immediately see your first cascade. From the trailhead hikers will cro...

The Morton Overlook is one of the Great Smoky Mountains National Parks most well known and visited overlooks. Morton offers a wide view of the Great Smoky Mountains and is a perfect spot for some really good photography opportunities. Coming from Gatlinburg, TN it is roughly 13 miles from the vis...

Appalachian Trail: Charlie's Bunion and Kephart Loop is a loop trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Cherokee, North Carolina.

This greenway starts at the Island Home Park and goes through Ijams Nature Center and the Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area. The trail is almost 4 miles one way so it makes for a great half day trip. From start to finish it is 8 miles long. The trail is mostly paved with only a small bi...

This trail starts at the Newfound Gap parking lot. Newfound Gap is situated on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. The views from Newfound Gap overlook North Carolina and are worth the trip in their own right. The restroom facilities are clean and have flushing toilets. Follow the crowds ...

Newfound Gap is a mountain pass in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Newfound Gap is accessible via U.S. Route 441 from Gatlinburg, TN or Cherokee, NC. You can watch the sunrise from the parking lot at Newfound Gap or the viewing platform adjacent to the parking lot.At sunrise, layers of pink ...