Blue Ridge Park way - Massanutten Resort

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located in the
states of North Carolina and Tennessee, encompasses 815 square
miles of which 95 percent are forested. World renowned for the
diversity of its plant and animal resources, the beauty of its ancient
mountains, the quality of its remnants of southern Appalachian
mountain culture, and the depth and integrity of the wilderness
sanctuary within its boundaries, it is one of the largest protected
areas in the East. The park is open year-round. Visitor centers at
Sugarlands, Oconaluftee, and Cades Cove are open all year, except
Christmas Day. There is no entrance fee due to restructions in
deeds that transferred state highways to the Park.
What to See and Do - Much of what the Smokies offers,
including wildflowers, flowering trees, colorful fall foliage,
mountain vistas, and historic buildings can be seen from your
car. There are abundant opportunities for hiking, bicycling,
and camping in the Park.
Cable Mill in Cades Cove - Open from March 17
through the Sunday following Thanksgiving 9:00-5:00.
Located inside the park near the mid-point of the 11-mile, oneway
Cades Cove Loop Rd. Exhibits - Water-powered grist mill.
Mingus Mill - Open From March 17 through the Sunday
following Thanksgiving 9:00-5:00. Located inside the park,
2 miles north of Cherokee, NC, on US 441. Exhibits -
Turbine-powered grist mill.
Camping - Reservations can be made at
www.recreation.gov or (877) 444-6777
Horse Camps - Open from 4/1/12 through 11/14/12.
The reservations for both the horse camps and front country
camping are made at www.recreation.gov or (877) 444-6777.
For More information contact: Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Phone (865)436-1200 www.nps.gov/grsm.
Visitor Information Recorded Message - (865) 436-1200
Elevations in the park range from 800 feet to 6,643 feet
and topography affects local weather. Temperatures are 10 to
20 degrees cooler on the mountaintops.
Spring brings unpredictable weather, particularly in higher
elevations. Snow may fall in March, but by May daytime highs
often reach the 80s. Nighttime temperatures vary from below
freezing in March to the 50s in May. Rainfall is common during
the season.
Summer is hot and humid, but more pleasant in higher elevations.
July and August highs reach the 80s and 90s. Evening
lows are in the 60s and 70s. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms
are common.
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Ridge upon ridge of endless forest straddling the
border between North Carolina and Tennessee, Great
Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the largest
protected areas in the Eastern United States and attracts
over nine million visitors each year. Once a part of the
Cherokee homeland, the Smokies today are a hiker’s
paradise with over 800 miles of trails.
VISIToR CENTERS
(Open all year, with varying seasonal hours)
Cades Cove Visitor Center - Located inside the
park near the mid-point of the 11-mile, one-way
Cades Cove Loop Road.
oconaluftee Visitor Center - Located inside the park,
2 miles north of Cherokee, NC, on US 441.
Sugarlands Visitor Center - Located inside the park,
2 miles south of Gatlinburg on US 441.
Gatlinburg Welcome Center - Located in
Gatlinburg on US 441 south.
Gatlinburg Welcome Center at the Aquarium -
Located at Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies
Sevierville Visitor Center - Located on TN 66,
1 mile south of I-40. Exit 407.
Towsend Visitor Center -
Located in Townsend, Tennessee, on US 321.
Clingmans Dome Visitor Contact Station -
Located near the parking area. Open April 1
through November 31.
Fall has warm days and cool nights and is the driest period.
Frosts occur starting in late September. Daytime highs are in the
70s and 80s during September, falling to the 50s and 60s in early
November. By November, nighttime lows are usually near freezing
and snow is possible.
Winter is generally moderate, but extreme conditions can
occur. It is not unusual to have warm temperatures in the low
elevations and snow in the higher areas. Half the days in the winter
have high temperatures of 50 degrees or more. Nighttime lows
are normally at or below freezing, but can drop to -20°F at high
elevation. In the lowlands, snows of 1” or more occur 1-5 times
a year.