Embrace adventure with a day in Great Smoky Mountains

1 day itinerary

An action packed day awaits you on the North Carolina-Tennessee border, as you float, drive and hike through the best that Great Smoky Mountains National Park has to offer! At just a few hours from major cities like Atlanta and Nashville, you'll be one of many of the millions of visitors each year who are lucky enough to spend a fantastic day in the park!

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Make sure you have a big breakfast, because we always recommend a bit of white water rafting when in Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Not many parks east of the Mississippi offer it nearby, with your other main option being New River Gorge NP, further north in the Appalachian Mountain range! In late spring and early summer, white water rafting is the perfect challenge as the river flow is perfect for beginners and intermediates alike! Some of the best rafting in the area is along Pigeon River. Navigate 70 rapids with your guide ranging from class I to IV along 6.5 miles of thrilling river, the longest Pigeon River experience available! The pickup is from Hartford, TN, just a few miles northeast of the park.

Bring a change of clothes and a towel so you can quickly change after your (almost certainly very wet) adventure. You can then comfortably jump straight into a delightful trail in the northeastern corner of the park, close to Hartford, is Mouse Creek Falls, via Big Creek Trail. This largely shady hike largely follows the river, with some beautiful waterfalls. The dimmed lighting makes them perfect to practice some long-exposure photography. The hike should take a couple of hours, being 4 miles round-trip out-and-back. Factor in a little longer so you can make a few stops as there's opportunities to swim in the pools below some of the more gentle waterfalls - but the water will be bracing especially in late spring and early summer! Midnight hole, with an emerald pool sheltered by two large boulders probably being the best pick! Just take caution of any strong currents.

Once you've enjoyed the hike and its waterfalls, continue south and then east on I-40 to Bent Creek, where you can join one of the most famous roads in America. The 469 mile long Blue Ridge Parkway weaves through the wider Appalachian Mountain Range linking two amazing national parks - Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah! And while the road doesn't quite venture through Great Smoky Mountains NP itself, the range and views are still awesome. You'll enjoy 80 miles of it as you drive west to reach Newfound Gap Road, the main road through the park, on a drive that will take two to three hours once you factor in a few stops at some of the abundant brilliant overlooks.

Cowee Mountain Overlook is an absolute must-stop, really capturing the amazing layers of rolling hills and mountains which are iconically associated with the Appalachians! Richland Balsam Overlook is the highest point of the entire parkway at 6053ft, and a third of our favourites is Bunches Bald Overlook, with a long forested ridge reaching out into the distance.

To end the day, ascend the main road of the park, Newfound Gap. You can also drive closer to Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the park at 6634ft, via a junction off Newfound Gap Road. By the visitor centre is a large observation tower giving 360 degree views of the park. It's the third highest point east of the Mississippi, but that can make it one of the busier locations in the park. Finally, capture sunset at nearby Morton Overlook, Newfound Gap or Luftee Overlook to end a sublime day in the eastern US.

If you want to explore more of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, then have a look at what is in store for you in our 5 day itinerary! Or if you want to dive further into the southeast region, have a look at the other national parks you could see!