Great Smoky Mountains for Visitors on a Budget

It might surprise you to learn that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located on both sides of the Tennessee-North Carolina border, regularly draws more visitors than famous places like the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, or Yellowstone. 

Two key reasons for its popularity: it is located within driving distance of many major East Coast and Midwestern metropolitan areas (representing about 60 percent of the U.S. population), and there is no admission charge for entering the park.

Visitors arrive to find scenic beauty, superb hiking, and other recreational opportunities. Although there is no admission charge (a term negotiated by the families that donated this land to the park service), you will have to pay for camping sites and a variety of optional services within the park such as horseback riding, hayrides, and pavilion rentals.

Reservations are wise for camping and other services, especially in the summer and during fall foliage season, which this far south can run into November. 

The region is served by airports in Knoxville, Tenn. and Asheville, N.C., with Knoxville providing more convenient access. Drivers can use Interstates 75 and 40 to arrive at the park.

Below, are overviews of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the attractions and accommodations offered both within the park property and in the nearby Sevierville-Pigeon Forge-Gatlinburg area, which offers an array of services such as hotels and restaurants. On days when the weather doesn't cooperate, a visit to attractions in town can salvage a vacation day that otherwise would be dull or unpleasant.