Alternatives to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Last month, I visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP)—the most popular national park in the United States. I scheduled the 5-day trip for the last week in October, when autumn foliage was predicted to be at peak color. So I knew it would be busy—especially after reading all the online warnings about chronic, year-round overcrowding at the park. Still, with 800 square miles at my disposal, I figured I’d still find plenty of quiet trails, serene mountain views, and remote, colorfully framed waterfalls. But the common advice for a stress-free visit left me unprepared for what I found. After just one day, I hastened to find alternatives to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Thankfully, there were plenty of equally or more attractive options nearby. (Photo gallery below.)

GSMNP

GSMNP straddles the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, with roughly equal portions in each state. Technically, there are six entrances to the park, but most visitors enter from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, or Cherokee, North Carolina. The Newfound Gap Road (US 441) passes through the park and connects the two towns in about an hour. The Gatlinburg area is more developed, but Cherokee is less congested. I based myself in the quaint town of Bryson City, North Carolina, about 20 minutes from the Cherokee entrance. It turned out to be a wise choice, especially when I began searching for alternatives to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

Overcrowding at GSMNP

All 63 national parks waive entrance fees annually on six days. But GSMNP is one of 20 parks that never charges admission. Instead, it generates revenue from the sale of parking passes ($5 per day or $15 for a week) that are required for any vehicle parked more than 15 minutes. 

But unlike other popular parks, there are no timed entrances or advanced reservations here. No shuttle buses. Not even traffic control at obvious choke points. And in the absence of strict enforcement often seen at other national parks, people here parked illegally once the designated pullovers and trailhead parking lots were full. All the improperly parked cars made the existing traffic jams worse.

Tips to Avoid Overcrowding (and Other Problems) at GSMNP

If you decide to test your luck, follow the standard advice as best you can. Visit during off-peak months. Stick to weekdays. Arrive super early in the morning. Hike late in the day (but leave enough time to finish before dusk). Avoid the popular areas. It sounds easy enough.

If you go, be sure to enter the park with a full tank of fuel—there are no gas stations inside. And in many parts of the park, there is no cell service to call for help. Also, there is zero lighting after dark, and the park is pitch black. So be sure to have a flashlight and road flares in case of trouble.

GSMNP’s Two Most Popular Sites

You know the traffic’s bad if I’m warning you to gas up. Here’s what I experienced…

Clingmans Dome (aka Kuwohi)

My first objective was Clingmans Dome, now known by its Cherokee name, Kuwohi. It boasts the park’s highest elevation (6,643 feet) and supposedly the best view. But one mile shy of the parking lot, traffic came to a dead stop as we waited for earlier arrivals to leave. It took one hour and twenty minutes to finish that final mile. Once I parked the car, a paved but steep half-mile trail led me to the peak—and an underwhelming view. (The alternatives to Great Smoky Mountains National Park listed below easily rivaled the scenery here, without the hassle of getting there.)

Cades Cove

So I held out hope for the legendary Cades Cove—my second objective of the day. Along the way I passed a 6-mile backup headed for the Gatlinburg exit. I was glad to be going in the opposite direction. Until I reached the cove. The one-way, 11-mile loop road that encircles that historic valley took three and a half hours to complete in bumper-to-bumper, stop-and-go traffic. I didn’t dare pull over to explore my surroundings for fear of even longer delays when I returned. The cove was scenic but not worth 3.5 hours stuck in the car. 

I came for hiking trails, mountain views, and waterfalls. Not traffic jams. So I abandoned my plans to spend two more days here and instead went in search of alternatives to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I found plenty…

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest

The 3,800-acre Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest near Robbinsville, NC offers a 2-mile path through trees that are 400+ years old, ten stories tall, and twenty feet around. The figure-eight trail, which runs over and alongside several streams, is easy but not suitable for people with limited mobility.

To reach the site, follow the directions posted here—my phone’s GPS led me completely astray. You’ll find ample parking, a picnic area, and restrooms. I passed just a handful of other hikers during a roughly 75-minute walk that afforded the peace and quiet I had hoped to find at GSMNP.

Sites Near Asheville, North Carolina

And just one hour away in the opposite direction is Asheville, NC, which serves as a good base to explore the Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. There’s a lot to see and do in this area, but I’ll stay focused on trails, mountain views, and waterfalls.

Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs from Cherokee, NC to near Charlottesville, VA. And in this part of North Carolina, you have beautiful mountain views that rival GSMNP—without traffic jams, even in the popular fall season. The winding, hilly parkway has frequent pull-offs with ample parking where the panoramas are particularly scenic. At higher elevations, it can get windy and cold. And there are no services for long stretches. But the Parkway had the kind of views I came to see and was a great alternative to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Parkway passes by Asheville and several other areas of interest. For a complete, interactive listing of things to see and do along the entire 469-mile route, click here.
 

Waterfalls in the Pisgah National Forest

There’s a second scenic roadway worth your consideration in the greater Asheville area, just 9 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s the scenic, winding 39-mile stretch of US 276 that runs from Brevard, NC to Waynesville, NC through the Pisgah National Forest. And it’s nicknamed the “Land of Waterfalls.” One popular spot is Looking Glass Falls—a 60-foot drop with upper and lower viewing spots immediately adjacent to the roadway.

If you’re eager for some hiking, choose among dozens of forest trails—from easy to strenuous—to reach the many other waterfalls in this area.                                                                       

US 276 was somewhat busier than the Blue Ridge Parkway when I visited but nothing close to the congestion I found at GSMNP. But here, too, you’ll find it easy to pull off and park whenever the view grabs your attention. Again, there are no services for long stretches, so come prepared.  

More Alternatives to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The final day of my trip was rained out. But these are the hikes, views, and waterfalls near GSMNP I had carefully selected for low effort / high reward. And they’ll be on the top of my list when I return to North Carolina.

Pickens Nose

I was particularly disappointed to miss this one-hour, 1.5 mile roundtrip hike. The moderately difficult—some say easy—climb rewards you with a stunning view at the summit. There are two possible approaches to the Pickens Nose Trailhead, but only one suitable for all vehicles. Avoid the road from Otto, NC. Instead enter the Nantahala National Forest from US 64 in the north, near Standing Indian Campground. Follow the more explicit directions posted here.

Dry Falls

About an hour’s drive from Pickens Nose you’ll find Dry Falls. It’s a 75-foot cascade alongside US 64 near Highlands, NC. You can snap pics from the observation platform by the parking lot. Or better yet, descend the stairs and walk behind the waterfall without getting wet! (The walkway behind the falls may be closed during cold spells if ice forms and poses a danger.) For more about Dry Falls, click here.

Whitewater Falls

Forty-five minutes further east, near Cashiers, NC, is Whitewater Falls. Here, you can make an easy, half-mile (roundtrip) trek to a multi-level waterfall 400 feet tall! The site has parking and picnic areas, and stairs you can descend for an extra-special vantage point. For more information about Whitewater Falls, click here.  

Final Thoughts

Overcrowding at GSMNP is nothing new. It’s been a focus of online discussion since before the pandemic. (And the recent government shutdown had nothing to do with it—a coalition of local businesses and donors pooled resources to keep the park fully staffed and operational throughout my visit.) But if you, too, nonetheless give it a try and find yourself stuck in the car amongst hordes of people, you’ll at least have these alternatives to Great Smoky Mountain National Park at the ready. After all, it doesn’t really matter where you find the awesome trails, views, and waterfalls, as long as you get to enjoy them.