The oconaluftee visitor centerthe first visitor center in great smoky mountains national park built since the 1960sserves as a fantastic introduction to this most popular of u. Great smoky mountains national park visitor center in cherokee nc. What to pack for a great smoky mountains park vacation. Details about driving distances, directions, current weather and road conditions can all be obtained at the visitor center. The border between the two states runs northeast to southwest through the center of the park. Visitor centers in great smoky mountains national park my. The visitor center provides information on the park, including maps and. Plan your visit great smoky mountains national park u. The center is staffed daily except christmas by knowledgeable, helpful park rangers and volunteers.
The outdoor mountain farm museum and the restrooms are open but there is no date set for the visitor center opening. This trail will take you from the town of gatlinburg to the sugar. The main visitor centers are sugarlands and oconaluftee. The sugarlands visitor center features a 21minute movie about the great smoky mountains national park, nature exhibits, hiking see below, park exhibits, gift shop, restrooms, and plenty of free parking. Avian report get outside great smoky mountains national park visitors guide,national parks,smoky mountains great smoky mountains national park simonflickrcc by 2.
Though the sky harbor resort area is located just on the other side of gatlinburg, these rentals are still only minutes away from the sugarlands entrance to the national park and the smokies main visitor center. After passing ski mountain road, you will enter the national park. Stop by the oconaluftee visitor center for plenty of maps, guides, exhibits, helpful park rangers and programs. Great smoky mountains national park sugarlands visitor center. You dont have to be scottish in order to enjoy this unique. Smoky mountains visitor center at townsend tn vacation. Has great smoky mountains national park reached its. Great smoky mountains national park visitor center information. The park straddles the ridgeline of the great smoky mountains, part of the blue ridge mountains, which are a division of the larger appalachian mountain chain. In a field behind the oconaluftee visitors center and along the oconaluftee river, the park service has recreated a late 19th century mountain farm with authentic log structures moved from their original locations. For your convenience, here is a guide to each of the visitor centers in the park. Four visitor centers are located within the national park at cades cove, oconaluftee, sugarlands and clingmans dome. Its one of the most popular in great smoky mountains national park, so hit the trail early to miss the crowds. The cades cove visitor center is located about midway on the 11mile, oneway cades cove loop road.
The oconaluftee visitor center is a great source of information about visiting great smoky mountains national park. Sugarlands visitor center near gatlinburg, tn january february 8 a. Best mountain biking trails in great smoky mountains. About smoky mountain visitor center the center is the hub of the cosby community and focal point of many exciting events. Find the information you need to plan your next adventure. Great smoky mountains national park sugarlands visitor. The gatlinburg trail begins behind great smoky mountains national parks maintenance. The national park service maintains four official visitor centers inside great smoky mountains national park.
Great smoky mountains national park visitor centers. Gatlinburg trail is one of only four trails in the park where visitors may ride bikes. The adjacent mountain farm museum contains a fascinating collection of log structures including a farmhouse, barn, smokehouse. Elk were reintroduced to the park in 2001 after being. There are three entrances to great smoky mountains national park from gatlinburg, and every one takes you into a section of the 800 square miles of unspoiled appalachia. Your guide to the great smoky mountains national park. Oconaluftee visitor center and mountain farm museum in. Begin your exploration of the park at a visitor center. Visitor centers great smoky mountains national park u. Nice trail to jog or mountain bike along the river. Beautiful trail along the stream takes you to the visitor center. May 03, 2020 the great smoky mountains heritage center is first and foremost a museum.
Smoky mountain national park hours visit my smokies. Cades cove, clingmans dome, oconaluftee, and sugarlands. Great smoky mountains national park visitor center in. Townsend vacation guide smoky mountain tourism blount tourism. Visitor centers in great smoky mountains national park my smoky.
The civilian conservation corps ccc built the original. The sugarlands visitor center is one of four visitor centers in great smoky mountains national park, though it and the oconaluftee visitor center near cherokee, north carolina, are the two main ones. To get to the sugarlands visitor center, proceed through downtown gatlinburg on the main parkway. Gatlinburg trail great smoky mountains national park.
Dec 27, 2019 avian report get outside great smoky mountains national park visitor s guide, national parks, smoky mountains great smoky mountains national park simonflickrcc by 2. The visitor center provides information on the park, including maps and other information. Across more than 800 square miles of western north carolina and eastern tennessee, great smoky mountains national park is home to amazing wildlife, breathtaking views, and some of the oldest mountains in the world. Your guide to the great smoky mountains national park visitor. Here you can pick up a park map or newspaper, have your questions answered by a ranger, and purchase books and guides to the park. The closures are in response to efforts to inhibit the spread of the coread more. From nearby laurel falls to the chimney tops, youll find the location and routes to some of the the favorite trails in the smokies as well as hidden gems with fewer hikers. The national park has 5 visitor centers located either inside the park or at the entrance to the park. Download the official national park map to see the major park roads, rivers, park visitor centers, and the appalachian trail which bisects the park. One of the best spots to begin your visit to the great smoky mountains national park is at a visitor center. One of the most popular areas in the park, the cades cove valley is known for its abundant. Great smoky mountain national park visitor centers close march 17, 2020. Townsend is the peaceful side of the smokies, a gateway community to the great smoky mountain national park. Great smoky mountains national park is almost open with.
While restrooms are open, there is no date set for the visitor center opening. Welcome to the great smoky mountains national park information page. The centers offer a bookstore and gift shop, park maps, restroom facilities, and telephones. Operated by the nonprofit great smoky mountains association, proceeds generated by purchases at the store are donated to educational, scientific, and historical projects in the park.
The featured photo above is cades cove visitor center. Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between north carolina and tennessee in great smoky mountains national park. Great smoky mountains national park has over 4,000 species of plants that grow there. Learn about the geology, trees, mammals, birds, or other plants and wildlife of the area. An extensive collection of trail guides atsugarlands visitor centersat this great smoky national park visitors center, you can find a map for almost every trail in the park. Oconaluftee visitor center and mountain farm museum in great.
Townsend vacation guide smoky mountain tourism blount. In 2011, the current, much more spacious building opened as the first great smoky mountains national park visitor center to be built since the 1960s. Smoky mountain information visitor center hours, information. Enjoy your ride, but please be careful around pedestrians on the trail.
The park contains some of the highest mountains in eastern north america, including clingmans. Great smoky mountains national park visitor centers gifts. The sugarlands visitor center features a 21minute movie about the great smoky mountains national park, nature exhibits, hiking see below, park exhibits, gift. Oconaluftee visitor center great smoky mountains national. Stop into one of these convenient smoky mountain visitor centers to learn more about the national park, plan your visit, speak with a park ranger, or to purchase great smoky mountain national park merchandise. A male elk lays in a field along us 441, north of the oconaluftee visitor center in the great smoky mountains national park on oct. Stop at sugarlands visitor center to view a free 20minute film about the park. Additionally, these smoky mountain visitor centers offer restroom facilities for your convenience. Here you will find all you need to know about the natural history of the park. Great smoky mountains national park oconaluftee visitor. Park entrances to great smoky mountains national park the majority of visitors enter through the sugarlands entrance on the parks north side by driving through gatlinburg, tennessee. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of southern appalachian mountain culture, this is americas most visited national park. Formerly the site of a cherokee village and appalachian community, the valleys bottomland is now home to the main entrance to the north carolina side of the great smoky mountains national park. Mountain farm museum great smoky mountains national park.
We love the national park service and came to the smoky mountains a few years back to explore our local national park. Formerly the site of a cherokee village and appalachian community, the valleys bottomland is now home to the main entrance to the north carolina side of the great smoky mountains national park the oconaluftee area parallels the oconaluftee river as its basin gradually. Highway 441 newfound gap road near cherokee, north carolina. Great smoky mountains national parks mountain farm museum at oconaluftee visitor center will see new growth this summer with the construction of a. Jul 26, 2017 check out two museums in this visitor center just north of cherokee, nc. Open year round, sugarlands offers public restrooms and telephones, a free 20minute video, exciting plant and animal exhibits, the natural history associations bookstore and gift shop, backcountry permit station, snack machines, seasonal rangerled programs, and a. Park staff and volunteers will provide handson traditional crafts and activities from 10. The chimney tops trail twists up sugarland mountain by gushing streams and beautiful outlooks. The cades cove visitor center is located inside the park near the midpoint of the oneway cades cove loop road.
When you enter the park for free, might we add, stop by one of the visitor centers there is a lot to see and do in great smoky mountains national park and you can make the most of your time by asking a ranger or volunteer about weather conditions, road closures, and any other factors that might affect your time in the park. Children and adults will have the opportunity to learn about and experience some of the traditions surrounding an appalachian christmas. Sugarlands visitor center near gatlinburg smoky mountains. Sugarlands was a very nice little visitor center and there were several excellent trails that originated from the visitors center, which was very convenient. This steep 4miler gains 1,400 feet in just two miles. Exhibits in the center provide an overview of the history of the area and the rare sprucefir forest ecosystem. The appalachian trail passes through the center of the park on its route from maine to georgia. Smoky mountain national park shares a guide to the great smoky mountains national park visitor centers, including the facilities that are offered, and more. There is plenty of free parking near the visitor center.
Cabins near sugarlands visitor center smoky mountains. Visitor center visit nc smokies great smoky mountains. Situated outside the historic mountain farm museum, the visitor center serves as the gateway to great smoky mountains national park with all its natural beauty, outdoor attractions, and amenities. Great smoky mountains national park is an american national park in the southeastern united states, with parts in tennessee and north carolina. Theres over 800 square miles of land that is made up of hiking trails, driving tours and historic sites, so theres a.
Sugarlands visitors center great smoky mountains national. Jan 31, 2019 the great smoky mountains national park visitor centers offer a variety of resources that help you to navigate through the park and have a truly memorable time. An extensive collection of trail guides atsugarlands visitor center sat this great smoky national park visitors center, you can find a map for almost every trail in the park. With over 11 million visitors each year, the great smoky mountains national park is, by far, the most visited national park in the united states. Sugarlands visitors center great smoky mountains national park. The mountain farm museum and oconaluftee visitor center are located at the entrance to the great smoky mountains national park on u. This is actually the second oconaluftee visitor center. Four visitor centers are located within the national park at cades cove. Located on us 441 two miles north of cherokee at the park entrance, the oconaluftee visitor center is the parks main welcome and information center for the north carolina side. Sugarlands visitor center smoky mountain national park.
You can support great smoky mountains national park by becoming a member of gsma, shopping in our stores, and participating in the many exciting programs we offer. In addition to the interior exhibits, there are three great hikes all. Great smoky mountains national park has a visitor center in the sugarlands area, located just outside gatlinburg, tennessee at the entrance to the park. Theres over 800 square miles of land that is made up of hiking trails, driving tours and historic sites, so theres a way for everyone to see the smokies. We provide visitor information to the area and have delightful people to answer all your questions when drop by. Visitors flock to great smoky mountains national park. Top great smoky mountains national park visitor centers. Oconaluftee visitor center holiday homecoming heysmokies. Great smoky mountains national park offers 800 miles of trails to accommodate hikers of all levels. The 10 best great smoky mountains national park visitor centers. Are there hikes located atnear sugarlands visitor center. Sugarlands visitors center, great smoky mountains national park. Review of oconaluftee visitor center in national park.
The oconaluftee visitor center is great smoky mountains national parks first new visitor service facility to be constructed since the early 1960s. This is your source for park information if you arrive from gatlinburg, tennessee, which is located only a few miles outside the park boundary. Great smoky mountains national park hosts the oconaluftee visitor center holiday homecoming on saturday, december 16, 2017. Gps went out halfway back its roughly 4 miles outback from the gatlinburg parkway. Oconaluftee is a river valley in the great smoky mountains of north carolina, located in the southeastern united states. They are sugarlands, cades cove, clingmans dome, and oconaluftee. Inside, exhibits on human history teach about native americans, pioneers, and the development of the national park. Check out two museums in this visitor center just north of cherokee, nc. Online store for books, maps, and guides to the park. Points of interest great smoky mountains national park. Visitor centers in great smoky mountains national park. Great smoky mountains national park mountain biking. This visitor center is located just 2 miles inside the gatlinburg entrance to the park on us441.
Additionally, these smoky mountain visitor centers offer. At 10 am on saturday, may 9, the heritage center will reopen its outdoor facilities the village as well. Visit nc smokies visitor center the visit nc smokies visitor center in maggie valley offers regional brochures, maps, directions, a calendar of events and public restrooms. Visitor center museum exhibits tell the story of life in these mountains from native americans and early european settlement time periods through the civilian conservation corp and the development of the national park. Along with its picturesque beauty, haywood county and its. Apr 27, 2016 welcome to the great smoky mountains national park information page. The sugarlands visitor center provides a fantastic introduction to the great smoky mountains national park with maps, natural history exhibits and a free 20minute film about the park.
The three visitor centers are open daily and the operating hours are as follows. Smoky mountain information on visitor center hours, locations, exhibits and. The townsend spring festival features bluegrass and mountain music, arts and crafts booths, wildflower walks, demonstrations of appalachian skills, traditional food including bbq, ice cream, and cast iron cooking. Your guide to the smoky mountain visitor centers visit my smokies. Stop in and we will help make your great smoky mountains and blue ridge parkway vacation one youll never forget. Pi beta phi elementary school students emily blankenship, center, and marc muszik, right, ride the cades cove loop thursday, sept. Great smoky mountains national park gatlinburg, tn. Every trip to the smokies begins with a drive on the newfound gap road, so pack a picnic and see highlights along the way, including the sugarlands visitor center, newfound gap. An enjoyable escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown gatlinburg that extends to the sugarlands visitor center. Oconaluftee visitor center, great smoky mountains national park. Best mountain biking trails in great smoky mountains national. Great smoky mountains national park visitor centers gifts books.
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