Get information on the area.
| Swimming Holes | ||
Area |
Location |
Features |
| Big Creek | State Rt. 32 from Cosby | Quiet, peaceful area
with a refreshing creek |
| Deep Creek | Hwy. 19 from Cherokee | Great for tubing!
BYOT or rent a tube! |
| Greenbrier | Hwy. 321 from Gatlinburg | This gorgeous little
river is filled with holes for kids and adults alike! |
| Metalf Bottoms | Little River Road | Calm and wide... great for wading! |
| The Sinks | Little River Road | The Smokies' deepest swimmin' hole! |
| Townsend | Little River & Laurel Creek Road Intersection | Broad, placid stretch of rive rwith grass banks for sunbathing. |
| Picnic Areas | ||
| Area | Features | Location |
| Big Creek | Small, quiet campground and creek | State 32 from Cosby |
| Cades Cove | Great spots all around an 11 mile loop | Little River Road |
| Chimneys | Large area in Nation Park | Newfound Gap Road |
| Deep Creek | Covered ampitheater with several waterfall hikes nearby | Hwy 19 from Cherokee |
| Greenbrier | Has both covered and open area near creek | Hwy 321 from Gatlinburg |
| Heintooga | Highest picnic area in National Park. Great Views! | Balsam Mountain Road |
| Metcalf Bottoms | Shady picnic area inside National Park. Some site near river. | Little River Road |
| Hiking | |||||
| Rating: E=Easy M=Moderate S=Strenuous | |||||
Trail |
Features |
Location |
Rating |
Mileage
Roundtrip |
|
| Abrams Falls | Powerful 25' falls | Cades Cove Loop | M | 5.00 | |
| Alum Cave | Heath Bald & Arch Rock | Newfound Gap Road | S | 5.00 | |
| Andrews Bald | Park's highest bald | Clingmans Dome Road | M | 4.00 | |
| Boogerman Trail | Ancient trees | Cataloochee Campground | M | 7.50 | |
| Charlie's Bunion | Spectacular views | Newfound Gap | M | 8.80 | |
| Chimney Tops | Rock climbing | Newfound Gap Road | S | 4.00 | |
| Cosby | Nature awareness | Cosby Campground | E | 1.00 | |
| Cove Hardwood | Splendid primeval forest | Chimney Tops Picnic Area | E | 0.75 | |
| Elkmont | Second growth forest | Elkmont Campground | E | 0.75 | |
| Gregory Bald | Azaleas in June | Parson Branch Road | M | 9.00 | |
| Grotto Falls | Walk behind falls | Roaring Fork | E | 3.00 | |
| Hen Wallow Falls | 95' cascade over rock | Cosby Campground | M | 4.00 | |
| Indian Creek Falls | 60' waterfall | Deep Creek Campground | E | 2.00 | |
| Juneywhank Falls | 125' cascade | Deep Creek Road | M | 1.50 | |
| Laurel Falls | Double drop falls | Little River Road | E | 2.50 | |
| Mt. Sterling | High country forests | Cataloochee Schoolhouse | S | 12.0 | |
| Rainbow Falls | 80' sheer drop | Cherokee Orchard Road | M | 5.50 | |
| Ramsay Cascades | Park's highest falls | Greenbrier | S | 8.00 | |
| Shuckstack | Panoramic views | Twentymile | S | 10.0 | |
| Silers Bald | Excellent views | Clingmans Dome Road | M | 10.0 | |
| Smokemont Loop | Historic homes | Smokemont Campground | M | 6.00 | |
| Spence Field | Follows old road | Cades Cove Picnic Area | M | 11.0 | |
| Sugarlands | Handicapped accessible | Sugarlands | E | 1.00 | |
| Thunderhead | Along Appalachian Trail | Cades Cove Picnic Area | S | 13.0 | |
| Mountain Roads | ||||
Road |
Location |
Drive Time |
One-Way Mileage |
Road Conditions |
| Balsom
Mountain Road |
Blue Ridge Parkway | 30
minutes |
9 |
Two-way
Paved |
| Cades Cove Loop | Cades Cove Historic | 60
minutes |
11 |
One-way
Paved |
| Cataloochee | I-40 at U.S. 276 | 30
minutes |
6 |
Two-way
Dead End |
| Cherokee Orchard Road | Gatlinburg to Roaring Fork | 15
minutes |
3.5
|
Two-way
Paved |
| Foothills Parkway East | Hwy. 321, Cosby | 30
minutes |
6 |
Two-way
Paved |
| Foothills Parkway West | U.S. 321 N ot U.S. 129 | 30
minutes |
18 |
Two-way
Paved |
| Heintooga Ridge | Balsam Mountain Road | 60
minuts |
14 |
Two-way
Paved |
| Lakeview Drive | Bryson City,, NC | 20
minutes |
6 |
Two-way
Dead End |
| Parson Branch | Cades Cove | 60
minutes |
8 |
One-way
Unpaved |
| Rich Mountain | Cades Cove | 60
minutes |
7 |
One-way
Unpaved |
| Roaring Fork Motor Trail | Cherokee Orchard | 60
minutes |
5 |
One-Way
Paved |
| Travel Tips |
Temperatures can vary by as much as 20 degrees from the
base of the mountains to the highest elevations and the top
of these ranges receive 80 to 100 inches of precipitation per year.
Seasonal Temperatures
| Month | High/Low |
| January | 50.1ºF/28.4ºC |
| February | 50.7ºF/27.5ºC |
| March | 59.8ºF/35.3ºC |
| April | y3.5ºF/44.8ºC |
| May | 78.0ºF/48.6ºC |
| June | 86.2ºF/56.7ºC |
| July | 87.1ºF/59.6ºC |
| August | 87.1ºF/59.6ºC |
| September | 84.1ºF/53.3ºC |
| October | 74.1ºF/41.5ºC |
| November | 64.4ºF/37.8ºC |
| December | 50.6ºF/28.1ºC |