Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains

Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most popular outdoor activities for Gatlinburg visitors and can be experienced year-round. The park has over 150 trails to choose from with over 800 total miles of hiking adventure and each season provides a beautiful and unique look at the park's vistas and foliage. Trails range from easy to difficult and vary from half-mile roundtrip hikes to 13 mile round trip hikes. Additionally, there are wheelchair-accessible paved walkways that can be enjoyed by everyone. Knowing what you'd like to see and experience about the park will help you in making a trail choice. There are loop hikes, waterfall hikes, hikes to see old forest growths, hikes along riversides, and hikes with spectacular mountain views. No matter which trail you pick, you are sure to enjoy the grandeur of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Though there are many trails to choose from, there are several that are the most popular hiking trails in the park. Laurel Falls is a very popular hike that is an easy 2.6-mile round trip paved trail. The Porter's Creek Trail is 7.2 miles round trip and is considered moderate and runs along the creek to show old homesteads, family cemeteries, and beautiful old-growth forests. If you're up for a challenge, the strenuous Chimney Tops Trail is 4 miles round trip and offers spectacular views.

Before embarking on your hike, stop by the Gatlinburg Welcome Center or the Sugarlands Visitor Center and get a hiking map. These maps can provide you with valuable information about the hiking trails in the park. They not only map out the trail, but also give a brief description, distance, degree of difficulty, and trailhead location. These maps are also full of pertinent safety and preparedness information to help you make your hike a safe and enjoyable one.