Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Spence Field Loop
Wander from bubbling cascades to scenic balds to wide ridgelines to old-growth forest on this classic 12.5-mile, 2-day loop in the shadow of several 5,000-foot peaks.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the worst kept secret of the East, is perennially overrun with hikers, tourists and passersby looking to ‘rough it’ in Blue Ridge Mountains. Hiking in the smokies can be almost impossible on holiday weekends because of its popularity, and driving along its scenic routes equal parts rewarding and infuriating. Even so, Smoky Mountain hiking trails will make it worth your while. Families in particular love the park, and many make a trek down smoky mountain trails an annual tradition. If you visit this popular park, be sure to make a stop at some of our favorite trails. They will give you a picture into the natural past of Tennessee and North Carolina forests.
Going to the Smokies? We Made You a Playlist.
Want a national park to visit this winter? Great Smoky Mountains is your place. Download this playlist for maximum vibes.
Latest in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Snake Den Ridge Trail
Rising 2,500-plus feet over 4.6 miles, this strenuous trail zigzags through hemlock and rhododendron to a pair of exposed ridges with long Appalachian views.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Ramsay Cascades
This 7.3-mile out-and-back has all the highlights you expect from a Smokies outing: trailside streams, old-growth timber stands, and a raging waterfall.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Rainbow Falls
Waterfall aficionados: This challenging 5.2-mile route traces a tumbling creek, then passes under an old-growth forest to one of the park's highest cascades.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Albright Grove Loop
This 7-mile loop is a trailside study of the past: old cabins, ancient forests, and the legacy of a pioneering conservationist.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Porters Creek Trail
Find wildflower nirvana on this 7.4-mile hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park that runs past vibrant blooms, visits an historic farm site, and passes a waterfall.
National Parks: Great Smoky Mountains
For guaranteed solitude in the park's southwest reaches, explore this quiet loop during the off-season.
Rip & Go: Thunderhead Loop
Hike from forest floor to a rocky ridge linking twin summits in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Gear Checklist: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
From the deep wooded hollows to the lofty Appalachian summits prepare for rain (Clingmans Dome, the park's high point, averages 85 inches each year), humidity, rapidly varying weather conditions, and lots of creek crossings. Here's what you'll need.