A Trip to the Smoky Mountains

Living in Springfield means we have easy access to outdoor adventures less than three hours away. But we’re just as fortunate to live within reach of adventure-rich vacation destinations you can drive to in a day.

Count the Great Smoky Mountains National Park among them. If you long for soaring peaks, amazing vistas, tall waterfalls, rivers to raft, incredible hikes and historic culture, put the Smokies on the top of your go-to list.

Covering half a million acres and straddling two states—Tennessee and the western tip of North Carolina—there’s more to see and do inside and around the park than you could get to in a single week. But you’ll have a blast trying.

While Ozarkers tend to book lodging on the Tennessee side, we visited North Carolina’s southern side near Bryson City, about 90 minutes farther, for a less touristy experience.

The Smoky Mountains’ Southern Border

Bryson City is a convenient place to start your first day out. Stop by the 1908 historic courthouse, now a visitor center and heritage museum, where staff can help you plan. Also find maps, brochures and information to take along.

On our first day, we entered the Smokies via the Deep Creek Recreation Area, just north of Bryson City. It was a lovely introduction to the national park with easy hiking trails and three beautiful waterfalls, plus places to fish, camp and picnic. We also enjoyed watching a popular activity: tubing down Deep Creek (on our “next trip” list). Hike a short loop trail to see the Juney Whank Falls, then hike the Deep Creek Trail to Toms Branch Falls and Indian Creek Falls. There is plenty to see and photograph.

Not far from Deep Creek is the “Road to Nowhere,” as locals call it. Officially, it’s the scenic Lakeview Drive, which goes six miles into the park and ends somewhat abruptly at the opening of a tunnel. The short scenic drive provides views of Fontana Lake and access to several trails including the Noland Creek Trail (a good place to fish). Like other tourists, we parked and walked through the quarter-mile tunnel, which was good timing since it started to rain. The tunnel area also connects to the Goldmine Loop, Forney Creek Trail, Lakeshore Trail and more.

Adventures Start in Cherokee

The main North Carolina Smoky Mountains gateway is the reservation town of Cherokee. Stop at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center to gather maps, information, ranger advice and, if you don’t have one yet, a parking pass ($5, $15 or $40) for stopping in the park. You might even see elk grazing in fields nearby.

Explore a bit of Cherokee before entering the park, or plan to return another day. A few spots of interest include the Museum of the Cherokee People, the Oconaluftee Indian Village, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, shopping, fountains in the summer, the Oconaluftee Islands Park and painted bear sculptures. Stop at the Cherokee Visitor Center for information.

Don’t miss the Smoky Mountain Farm Museum near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. The late 19th century farm was recreated by the National Park Service using authentic structures from around the park. Walk the easy Oconaluftee River Trail and, if it’s open, visit the Mingus Mill.

Less than 15 minutes from town at the Mingo Falls Campground is one of the southern mountain area’s tallest waterfalls at 120 feet. The trail, less than half a mile, is mostly up a long set of stairs. It’s worth the uphill climb to see and photograph these spectacular falls.

Newfound Gap Road

Our longest day in the Smokies centered around Newfound Gap Road (a.k.a. US-441). Some of the most scenic areas of the park can be accessed from the 31-mile south-north artery that connects the two states between Oconaluftee and Sugarlands visitor centers.

Plan your priorities before getting too far, you could stop dozens of times and hike a variety of trails. The southern end of the road passes on Fighting Creek Gap Road about four miles to reach Laurel Falls. The paved 2.4-mile out-and-back trail attracts families with kids who love to splash.

During our return trip south, we made a few more scenic stops including the Morton Overlook for its panoramic views (also known for great sunsets). Just past Newfound Gap, we turned west for seven miles to Clingmans Dome, an observation tower and the highest point in Tennessee at 6,643 feet. We hoped the fog would clear by time we arrived but alas, it did not. We still huffed our way up a steep half-mile trail to reach the 45-foot tower with a 360-degree view. Once in the dome, the clouds broke long enough for a taste of the amazing view.