The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has among the finest issues: it’s too common. In current years, the park has turn out to be overcrowded with throngs of holiday makers parking for miles alongside the highway’s shoulders, cramming onto slender mountain climbing paths, and clogging main intersections.
So, when is the very best time to go to and keep away from the crowds?
From late May till the top of October, the nationwide park is visited by greater than half 1,000,000 folks each month. As increasingly folks search the preferred elements of the park, it turns into increasingly tough to get there.
Fortunately, two shoulder seasons are the very best instances to go to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And there are at all times much less common locations to go to that also provide mountain climbing trails and scenic views.
Read this month-by-month breakdown of the very best instances to go to Great Smoky Mountains National Park to study concerning the peak instances to keep away from, shoulder seasons which are the very best, and particular occasions it’s possible you’ll need to attend.
Do you’ve got a selected time of 12 months you go to yearly? Or do you base your plans on off-seasons and round holidays? Leave me a remark beneath and let me understand how you choose a date to go to this park.
Weather
I realized a lesson about climate predictions within the mountains the arduous method. One morning, I checked the native excessive for the day – it was presupposed to high 70 levels. I grabbed shorts and a t-shirt, left my jacket behind, and headed to a close-by mountain summit for a day hike on the Appalachian Trail.
When I reached the parking zone, which was practically 4,000 ft larger in elevation, the temperature was a frigid 50 levels. And the wind made it really feel even colder. I hiked to a spherical bald on the AT, captured exactly one photograph, and instantly returned to my automobile.
Let this be a lesson.
The chart above reveals the typical month-to-month temperatures for the decrease elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Places like Cades Cove, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Oconaluftee, and Cataloochee Valley.
But if you wish to know the temperature at Newfound Gap, Mount LeConte, or Clingmans Dome, you’ll have to subtract about 15 levels from the present temperature in Gatlinburg.
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April, May, and September are essentially the most snug months for visiting the nationwide park. June and July are the most well liked and most humid months. Although it’s about 5 levels cooler within the shade of timber, the humidity will cancel it out.
Rain falls within the park a number of days each month. March is the wettest month, with 4” of rainfall and fewer than an inch of snow. October is the driest month.
Crowds
2023 was the second-busiest 12 months ever within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 13.2 million folks visited the park for recreation, nearly 1 million shy of the document in 2021.
The Great Smoky Mountains was the most-visited nationwide park within the nation. But it wasn’t the most-visited unit managed by the National Park Service. That document went to the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2023, with an astounding 3.5 million extra guests.
There are a number of the explanation why the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is essentially the most visited. It’s inside a one-day drive of practically 70% of the nation’s inhabitants. The common Blue Ridge Parkway feeds into the nationwide park at Oconaluftee. And there isn’t any admission payment, though there’s a new parking tag payment.
June and July are two of the busiest months of the 12 months within the nationwide park, however October is the busiest – practically 1.7 million folks visited the park in October 2023. April and May are an excellent shoulder season earlier than the hustle and bustle begins in the summertime. August and September are an excellent buffer season between the favored summer time and autumn.
Best Time to Visit
It’s not possible to definitively declare a selected greatest time to go to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That reply is dependent upon what you need to do within the park – hike a path, spend an evening in a campground, or see the autumn colours.
But general, two instances a 12 months are greatest to go to: the shoulder seasons in April by way of May and August by way of September.
The shoulder seasons have essentially the most snug climate with little rain, snug excessive and low temperatures, and low humidity. These are additionally the instances of 12 months with solely half the variety of month-to-month guests in comparison with July and October – the park’s busiest months of the 12 months.
You can get pleasure from scenic drives, common mountain climbing trails, and flowering vegetation all through the park from April by way of May. It’s a good time of the 12 months to hike to Chimney Tops or Rainbow Falls. It’s additionally my favourite time of the 12 months to spend a day in Cades Cove. It’s the very best time of the 12 months to hike to a waterfall to see essentially the most water spilling excessive.
From August by way of September, you possibly can get pleasure from lots of the similar actions besides no flowering vegetation or thunderous waterfalls.
January
Each 12 months begins quietly within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. January sees the very best month-to-month snowfall within the park, with 3.8” on common. U.S. Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) closes often in January as a result of snowfall and sometimes stays closed for a day or two.
January is the coldest month of the 12 months within the nationwide park. Average temps in Gatlinburg attain a excessive of 47 levels and dip as little as 29 levels in a single day. The larger elevations may be 10-20 levels colder, particularly on windy days.
It’s the least-visited month of the 12 months within the park. The customer facilities, mountain climbing trails, and scenic roads have an eerie “ghost town” vibe. 500,000 folks nonetheless go to the park, however that’s solely 25% of the variety of guests that peak in October.
Best Things to Do in January:
February
Following on the heels of January, February is the second least visited month of the 12 months within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Temperatures enhance barely, which implies much less snow and extra rainfall.
There are not any actions or festivals in February. Clingmans Road and the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail are nonetheless closed. February isn’t the very best time of 12 months to do something within the park.
Best Things to Do in February:
- Visit historic constructions
March
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is dwelling to over 1,500 species of flowering vegetation. Beginning about mid-March, the flowers begin blooming within the decrease elevations.
It’s the wettest month of the 12 months, with a mean of 4” of rainfall and fewer than an inch of snow. Daytime highs attain about 60 levels within the decrease elevations however barely break into the 50s at Newfound Gap. It’s the primary month of the 12 months that in a single day lows are above freezing.
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March sees a leap in daytime guests, practically doubling the variety of guests in February. Weekends turn out to be crowded, but it surely’s nonetheless higher than through the summer time months.
Best Things to Do in March:
- Find the blooming wildflowers
- Hike to a waterfall
- Visit Cades Cove or Cataloochee Valley
April
April is my favourite month within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And it’s one of many busiest instances of 12 months for ranger-led occasions and pure splendor.
Daytime highs attain the higher 60s within the decrease elevation and the higher 50s round Clingmans Dome. Overnight lows nonetheless dip into the 40s, so carry an additional layer for after darkish.
April is the second-wettest month of the 12 months, with a mean of three.9” of rain. But the April showers are nice for the spring flowers and waterfalls – two of the very best issues to do throughout this spring month.
Clingmans Dome Road, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Forge Creek Road, and Rich Mountain Road open across the finish of March and the primary week of April. This brings the primary alternatives of the 12 months to go to a few of these areas of the nationwide park which are sometimes overcrowded in the summertime.
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Hiking to waterfalls is the very best factor to do in April. The plentiful rain leaves the waterfalls churning, creating spectacular sights. Although the paths may be moist and muddy, particularly the path to Abrams Falls, seeing the waterfalls at their peak is value the additional effort.
The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage and Music of the Mountains are annual festivals that entice 1000’s of holiday makers. It’s a good time for these outside occasions with snug daytime temperatures. National Park Week brings a surge of weekend guests, however not that many through the weekdays.
April is the primary month of the 12 months to see a couple of million guests sometimes.
Best Things to Do in April:
- Find the blooming wildflowers
- Hike to a waterfall
- Go for a drive on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
- Day mountain climbing on common trails
May
May is the top of the shoulder season earlier than the busy summer time months start in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s the very best month of the 12 months to go to the nationwide park due to the proper alignment of climate, crowds, and issues to do.
Daytime highs rise above 70 levels for the primary time all 12 months. Overnight lows stay within the 50s within the decrease elevations, although you’ll nonetheless see higher 30s and 40s at Clingmans Dome and Newfound Gap. An common of three.6” of rain falls all through the month, which stays regular all through the summer time.
The variety of guests grows barely from April, reaching about 1.2 million in May. It’s the midpoint of month-to-month guests for the 12 months – 5 months are busier, and 6 are much less crowded.
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Pro Travel Tip | The greatest time to go to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in May is through the week. Weekends, particularly later within the month, will turn out to be more and more crowded. However, till faculties are closed for the summer time, there can be far fewer weekday guests than on the weekends.
Best Things to Do in May:
- Find the blooming wildflowers
- Look for blooming rhododendrons
- Hike to a waterfall
- Go for a scenic drive
- Visit Clingman’s Dome and Cades Cove
- Go for a day hike
- Spend the weekend backpacking by way of the park
June
June and July are two of the busiest months within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 1.5 million folks go to the park in June, pushing Gatlinburg, Cherokee, and Townsend to its capability for lodging and eating. Parking within the nationwide park turns into a nightmare as too many vehicles attempt to park in too few areas.
Daytime temperatures attain the 80s within the decrease elevations and 70s within the larger elevations. It’s essentially the most snug time of the 12 months to go to Clingmans Dome or hike to one of many Southern Sixers.
The synchronous fireflies occasion attracts 1000’s of holiday makers to the nationwide park. The annual occasion on the Elkmont Historic District turned so common that the nationwide park workers created a lottery system for selecting guests like in a single day friends at LeConte Lodge.
Best Things to Do in June:
- Look for blooming rhododendrons
- Hike one of many common trails
- Go for a scenic drive
- Visit Cataloochee Valley, Fontana Dam, Greenbrier, or Cosby
- Go horseback driving
July
July is the height month for nearly all the pieces you don’t need to see within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s the most well liked month of the 12 months, with a mean daytime excessive within the mid-80s. It’s essentially the most humid month of the 12 months, with a mean humidity of 75%. It’s the second-busiest month of the 12 months for guests, with 1.6 million guests – only one hundred thousand shy of the busiest month.
Between the Fourth of July weekend, overcrowding, parking points, and scorching and humid climate, it’s the definitive worst time of the 12 months to go to the nationwide park.
But if it’s the one time of the 12 months you possibly can go to, there’s nonetheless a sliver of hope. Cataloochee Valley, Greenbrier, and Cosby are much less common park areas with mountain climbing trails, waterfalls, wildlife, and scenic views. July is a good time to go to these areas.
And the Foothills Parkway remains to be a comparatively peaceable place to go to within the nationwide park. Go for a brief drive to Wears Valley and get on the scenic freeway. Drive so far as Look Rock Observation Tower.
Best Things to Do in July:
- Visit Cataloochee Valley, Fontana Dam, Greenbrier, or Cosby
- Go for a drive on the Foothills Parkway
- Hike one of many much less common trails
August
After the mayhem of July, the typical variety of guests to Great Smoky Mountains National Park drops 20%. You’ll discover the 400,000 fewer guests once you attempt to discover parking, guide a campsite, or hike one of many trails.
August and September are a brief shoulder season. It’s a lull between the summer time vacationers and the autumn leaf peepers. Temperatures start to chill, though daytime highs nonetheless linger within the 80s. Interestingly, it’s the second-driest month of the 12 months with simply 3” of rainfall.
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It’s a good time to plan a trip to the nationwide park. The climate is ideal for outside actions, like mountain climbing, horseback driving, and in a single day backpacking. The crowds are sufficiently small to get pleasure from visiting Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome. August is the final nice hurrah for inexperienced leaves and shorts.
Besides August being my delivery month, it’s additionally my favourite month of the 12 months for sunsets. Late night humidity can flip an odd sundown right into a spectacular show of reds, oranges, and pinks throughout the partly cloudy sky. Head to the Foothills Parkway, Morton Overlook, or Clingmans Dome for the very best sundown views within the park.
Best Things to Do in August:
- Visit Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, or Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
- Go for a drive on the Foothills Parkway
- Hike one of many common trails
- Go horseback driving in Cades Cove or Smokemont
- Watch the sundown from an overlook
- Spend an evening in a campground
September
September is a shoulder month within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, making it among the finest instances to go to for smaller crowds. After peaking with a mean of 1.6 million month-to-month guests in July, the quantity drops to about 1 million by September. It’s extra crowded than the spring months however not as crowded as July or October.
It’s among the finest instances of 12 months to view wildlife from a distance safely. The annual elk rut begins about mid-September – it’s the time of 12 months when younger bull elks problem different bulls for dominance within the herd. The elk are often noticed on the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Cherokee and Cataloochee Valley.
Best Things to Do in September:
- Witness the elk rut at Oconaluftee
- Visit Cades Cove or Cataloochee Valley
- Hike one of many common trails
- Watch the sundown from an overlook
- Spend an evening in a campground
- Go for a scenic drive
October
October defies the legal guidelines of nature as a result of it concurrently exists in two states. It’s the very best and worst time of the 12 months to go to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
It’s the very best time of the 12 months due to the spectacular autumn colours sweeping the mountains. But it’s the worst time of the 12 months due to the 1.7 million guests – essentially the most of any month of the 12 months.
It’s tough to chase the autumn colours within the nationwide park due to the large variations in elevation. Another problem is timing the pure occasion to guide your lodging earlier than it’s all gone. The fall colours peak from mid-October till early November in several park areas.
Whenever the colours start to peak, right here’s when you possibly can count on to see the very best fall colours in several areas of the park:
- Week #1 | Little River Road, Cades Cove, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Oconaluftee
- Week #2 | Cataloochee Valley, Fontana Dam, Foothills Parkway, and the decrease parts of Newfound Gap Road
- Week #3 | Clingmans Dome, Newfound Gap, Look Rock, Mount LeConte, and the Appalachian Trail
Pro Travel Tip | Many accommodations, resorts, and short-term lodging have a window for reserving cancellations. Make a number of bookings in case you can go to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park each time the autumn colours are peaking. Book your lodging for as soon as every week from the second week of October till the primary week of November. When the cancellation date approaches, make your choice about when to go to.
While the daytime highs stay within the 70s within the decrease elevations, by September, the upper elevations start dipping into the 60s through the day and 30s in a single day. It’s the driest month of the 12 months, so at the least you don’t have to fret about being chilly and moist.
Best Things to Do in October:
- Visit Cades Cove, Cataloochee Valley, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Newfound Gap, or Clingmans Dome
- Go for a scenic drive (final probability of the 12 months)
- Visit a much less common place like Greenbrier, Cosby, or Fontana Dam
November
Everything modifications within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in November. Campgrounds, scenic drives, and customer facilities start closing for the season. The climate takes a major flip towards winter. And the guests lastly go dwelling.
Smokemont, Cades Cove, and Elkmont are the one campgrounds open year-round. The Balsam Mountain Campground is the primary to shut seasonally in mid-October. These campgrounds shut for the 12 months by the top of October:
- Cosby
- Abrams Creek
- Big Creek
- Cataloochee
- Deep Creek
- Look Rock
Cades Cove, Cataloochee Road, and Newfound Gap Road are open year-round. These scenic drives shut between the top of October and the top of November:
- Clingmans Dome Road
- Heintooga Ridge Road
- Rich Mountain Road
- Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
The Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome Visitor Centers shut on the finish of October. But in case you want data or recommendation, you possibly can nonetheless go to the Sugarlands Visitor Center in Gatlinburg or the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Cherokee.
The climate will get nearer to freezing temperatures, with in a single day lows dipping into the 30s within the decrease elevations. November is a wetter month, and sometimes, it’s the first month in autumn to see snowfall.
The variety of guests plummets by nearly 50% after the height of fall colours. November isn’t the quietest month of the 12 months – that’s January – but it surely’s quiet sufficient to get pleasure from scenic drives and mountain climbing trails with out seeing many others.
Best Things to Do in November:
- Visitor historic constructions (exterior solely)
- Build campfires within the campgrounds
December
The 12 months ends with thunderous silence after the chaotic leaf peeping season and overcrowded summer time. Temperatures drop to the second lowest of the 12 months, and as much as one inch of snow blankets the mountain summits and Newfound Gap.
Surprisingly, 700,000 folks go to the nationwide park in December. Most are day journey guests from Gatlinburg and Cherokee desperate to hike the sparsely populated trails.
Sugarland Visitor Center and Oconaluftee Visitor Center are closed through the winter. December and January are the one months of the 12 months with no open customer facilities.
Best Things to Do in December:
- Winter tenting at Cades Cove, Elkmont, or Smokemont