#NORTH CAROLINA SCENERY SMOKEY MOUNTAINS FULL#

Hikers can enjoy impressive views from the nearly 6,600 ft. It’s a long eleven-mile round trip hike that has so many beautiful natural features. If you like hiking and had to do one hike in the Great Smoky Mountains, this is probably the trail you have to do. It is an easy trail to walk with all ages and offers three wonderful waterfalls: Juney Whank Falls, Tom Branch Falls, and Indian Creek Falls. It can be a little crowded if you don’t get here early but the trail is well worth it. This beautiful area on the Bryson City side of the park is a must-visit. Be sure to enjoy the calm pools below the waterfall as well. Here, visitors can escape the crowds and take in the serenity of this truly gorgeous park. This moderately strenuous trail takes hikers on a beautiful five-mile round trip trek through pines and oak to a 20-foot high and very powerful waterfall. If you’re looking to spend some time with family and friends while sight-seeing at some of the most beautiful spots in North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has you covered with endless things to do and see. The area, known for having active black bears, allows for great wildlife sightings (so long as done safely).Īfter spending so much time indoors, a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park will give you the reinvigoration we’ve all been needing. Visitors can take the 2.6 mile hike up to the waterfall and take some beautiful shots on the walkway. Laurel Falls is named after the mountain laurel, an evergreen shrub that grows in the area in May. The scenic 80-foot tall waterfall is a sight to behold and attracts some of the largest crowds. One of the most popular spots to stop at is Laurel Falls. It runs through the center of the park for 31 miles and has stops along the way including Mingus Mill, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, and Mountain Farm Museum, among others. Many visitors recommend it for its amazing views and photo opportunities as you take the scenic drive through the gap. Not only can you visit the highest point, but you can also visit the lowest of Great Smoky Mountains National Park at Newfound Gap.

The area is often much colder than the lowlands and has high amounts of precipitation, so it is best to bring a jacket with you even in the warmer months. On clear days, visitors can see viewing distances of up to 100 miles with a 360-degree view.

Perhaps the most visually striking spot of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Clingmans Dome puts you at the highest point of the park at 6,643 feet. Camping is also welcome in Cades Cove, with multiple campgrounds available to visitors looking for the full, immersive experience. Hiking trails sprawl for miles and include Abrams Falls and Cades Cove Nature Trail for a shorter hike.

Wildlife in Cades Cove is abundant, with white-tailed deer, black bears, coyotes, and turkeys wandering around the area for visitors to see. In the valley, you can find three churches, a grist mill, barns, log houses, and many more buildings from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

#NORTH CAROLINA SCENERY SMOKEY MOUNTAINS FULL#

A visit to the park means making sure to see all the very best it has to offer, and this list will allow you to make the most out of that next trip.Ĭades Cove is a valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park full of historical buildings to visit. Encompassing more than 500,000 acres, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has an endless amount of things to do and places to see. The park holds both historic and cultural significance and is filled with beautiful landscapes, wildflowers, and wildlife. A widely popular vacation spot, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a gorgeous, scenic mountain getaway located on the borders of North Carolina and Tennessee.

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