Great Smoky Mountains National Park With Kids | updated June 2026
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of those parks that just feels like a National Park.
Sweeping mountain vistas, jawdropping waterfalls, scenic drives, and wide open fields with epic views. Greast Smoky Mountains has it all, and a trip to the Smoky Mountains with kids will deliver something for everyone.
But as the most visited of the 63 National Parks, planning a Trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park with kids requires a ton of research, advanced planning, and early reservations.
What campgrounds should you stay at…
With 800 miles of trails, where should you start…
Are the most popular hikes worth the early rise to snag parking…
How long do I need…
That’s where this guide comes in:
We’re going to help you plan the absolute best trip to the Smoky Mountains with kids that gets your accommodations, hikes, and other plans squared away so all you have to do is enjoy!
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Table of Contents
Info About Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Fun Facts About Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States.
- The park gets its name from the natural blue haze that settles over the mountains.
- The Smoky Mountains, in general, are a sub-range of the Appalachian Mountains, and the park is known for its remnants of Appalachian Mountain culture.
- There are more than 850 miles of hiking trails, including 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail.
- GSMNP is home to over 19,000 documented species of plants and animals, including 31 species of salamanders and 23 species of snakes.
- Seeing black bears is extremely common.
- It is the biggest free entrance park in the US (though we’ll get into my thoughts on the parking pass)
Fees for Great Smoky Mountains National Park
There is no entrance fee for visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park. However, you do need a parking pass if you plan to stop anywhere for more than 15 minutes. Parking tags can be purchased online or at visitor centers throughout the park.
And I have some thoughts about this…
I have absolutely zero problem giving the National Park Service my money. But I think calling GSMNP a “free entrance park” is a stretch when parking isn’t free. If you’re an annual pass holder, this is actually confusing. I have never entered another park with our annual military pass and had to then pay for parking.
Honestly, I think Great Smoky Mountains is probably making more money this way, because they’ve found a way to still charge people with annual passes, including complementary passes like our military pass. I think it’s a little sneaky, NPS.
Still, we paid $15 for the weekly parking tag and moved on. Oh, and that was in addition to paying for a camp site, which I also think should cover parking in the park, right?!
I’ll move on though…
Getting to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The two main gateway towns to Great Smoky Mountains National Park are:
- Gatlinburg (10 minutes from the park)
- Pigeon Forge (20 minutes from the park)
Most families visiting the Smoky Mountains with kids fly into:
- McGhee Tyson Airport (about 1 hour away)
- Asheville Regional Airport (ideal if exploring the North Carolina side)
From there, it’s an easy drive into the mountains.
Best Time to Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park With Kids
The best time to visit the Smokies with kids depends on what kind of trip you want.
Traveling around a school schedule can be challenging, so we personally target our April Spring Break for parks in this region. Despite one day of rain, the weather was perfect for hiking and camping in mid April.
- In spring, wildflowers are in bloom, waterfalls are flowing heavily, and the temperature is mild – perfect for camping! By early spring, though, the park is getting busy and parking at Visitor’s Centers is a challenge.
- Summer is even busier with school recess but the climate is still very nice.
- Fall brings gorgeous foliage and smaller crowds (though it is still the busiest park)
- And winter is quiet and peaceful, though many roads close for the season.
How Long Do You Need in Great Smoky Mountains National Park With Kids
We’d recommend spending at least 3 to 5 days exploring the Smoky Mountains National Park with kids.
Three full days, at minimum, will allow you to experience some of the best trails, traverse to the different sides of the park, drive scenic roads, and enjoy the nearby mountain towns. Our family is definitely the hike six miles and head to a cute mountain town for some craft ciders and food truck grub kind of family.
That said, 5-7 days would allow for more downtime and more trails. Some of those quieter moments you don’t get when it’s go-go-go. Smoky Mountains is a huge park, so budgeting time to get to a different area for a hike can often take up a half to a full day.
Where to Stay In Great Smoky Mountains With Kids
If you want to stay inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, camping is your main option.
There are frontcountry campgrounds in ten park locations. Cades Cove, Smokemont, and Elkmont are the most popular and reservations go quickly. With the exception of Cades Cove and Smokemont, which are open year round, all other sites are seasonal.
- Cades Cove Campground: is ideal for wildlife viewing and biking.
- Smokemont Campground: is located on the North Carolina side of the park near Cherokee.
- Elkmont Campground: is one of the most popular campgrounds due to its central location and easy access to hiking. If your timing is good, you can snag a riverside campground the day they open on rec.gov. But yes, you absolutely need to be on the website the second they open.
- Find a full list of campgrounds and amenities here.
Where to Stay Outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park With Kids
Most families visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park with kids stay outside the park in the nearby towns:
Gatlinburg
The closest town to the park entrance and packed with restaurants, attractions, mini golf, candy stores, and family entertainment. From Anakeesta, Gatlinburg’s outdoor adventure park, to mining for gem stones, there’s something for everyone.
If you’re family isn’t into camping in the park, Gatlinburg can be a very convenient home base with plenty to do, albeit very touristy.
Pigeon Forge
Similar to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge is great option for families looking for larger cabins, resorts, dinner shows, and easy access to activities. Famously, it’s also home to Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Theme Park.
You’re only about 20 minutes from the park entrance and about 10 minutes from Gatlinburg.
Townsend
A quieter, more laid-back option, closer to the Cades Cove area and what many consider the “peaceful side of the Smokies.” While a less crowded option, you’ll still find a handful of chain hotels, cabin style lodging, restaurants, and outdoor gift shops.
Search for Smoky Mountains Hotels Here
Search for Smoky Mountains Rentals Here
Our family is always more inclined to stay inside a National Park, enjoying quiet mornings and evenings at a campsite, being closer to nature. That said, the ample options outside of Great Smoky Mountains National Park with kids makes for a more inclusive, easier trip for many.
What to Pack for Great Smoky Mountains National Park With Kids
Hiking Gear
- We always carry the ten essentials: a basic first aid kit, navigation, a knife, fire starter, headlamps, sun protection, an emergency blanket, extra food, extra water, and extra clothes (especially socks!) in a day pack.
- GPS: we use AllTrails offline maps (subscription required) with a solar powered charger or power bank for our phones. If you’re hiking remotely, a GPS with an SOS like the Garmin In Reach Mini is key.
- Our Osprey Poco Plus child carrier – great for kid carrying six months and up.
- Trekking Poles – help with stability and weight distribution, especially if kid carrying.
- Quality hiking shoes for kids and hiking boots for adults.
Read more about our top hiking gear for kids and families.
Camping Gear:
- Tent: we have the REI coop 4 person backpacking tent and love it
- Sleeping pads: we have two of these queen size ultra light sleeping pads
- Sleeping bags: we use the 40 degree Kelty Mistral (it’s the budget one!) and our kids use these inexpensive Coleman 50 degree.
- Light: Black Diamond tent lantern light
- Cooking: Jet Boil Flash Cooking System
Best Things to Do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park With Kids
Visit One of the Many visitor’s Centers
If you’re visiting the Smoky Mountains with kids, try to get to the visitor’s centers to learn about the park. With four visitor’s centers, there’s ample opportunity for museum exhibits, ranger led programs, book stores, and to learn about the culture and history of the park.
The four visitor’s centers are:
- Sugarland: near Gatlinburg, this is a popular starting point where you’ll find an exhibit on the park’s plants and animals, along with a fun bookshop.
- Cades Cove: about halfway through the Cades Cove Scenic Loop, the visitor’s center boasts an old Grist Mill, the Becky Cable House, other historical structures, and exhibits on mountain life and culture.
- Kuwohi: formerly Clingman’s Dome, Kuwohi is at the highest point in the park where you’ll find sweeping views of the Smoky Mountains and a bookstore and giftshop.
- Oconaluftee: on the North Carolina side, Oconaluftee is a natural starting point from that side of the park where you’ll find exhibits, a bookstore, and the Mountain Farm Museum, featuring a collection of log structures including a farmhouse, barn, smokehouse, applehouse, corn crib and more.
Join the Junior Ranger Program
You know we love a good Junior Ranger Program and we do them in every single National Park Service site we visit. For Great Smoky Mountains National Park with kids, you can pick up a booklet at one of the visitor centers, complete activities throughout the park, and earn a Junior Ranger badge : you only need one book per family.
Surprisingly, this is the first park we’ve experienced where the Junior Ranger book was not complementary. However, it was one of the nicest and most comprehensive books so it was absolutely worth the $4 for our family to enjoy it.
Our kids took their assignment extremely seriously — every leaf, salamander, and historic cabin became “important park research.”
Take in the Views at Kuwohi
Formerly Clingman’s Dome, Kuwohi is the Cherokee name for the highest peak in the park, and the name has since been restored. At 6643 feet of elevation, the peak features a 54 foot observation tower that visitor’s can climb and take in the sweeping views of the Smokies.
From the parking lot and Kuwohi Visitor’s Center, it’s a steep, half mile to the tower. On a clear day, from the top, you can see up to 100 miles.
Fun Fact: Kuwohi has a “sister” dome in Everglades National Park – the Shark Valley Observation Tower. Both sites were built during the National Park Service’s mid-century “Mission 66” modernization period.
Go For a Scenic Drive
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
This scenic driving route feels straight out of a fairytale with rushing streams, old cabins, bridges, and lush forest scenery.
It’s a great low-effort activity for families who need a break from hiking but still want to experience the beauty of the park. And if you want to get out to stretch, there are plenty of scenic overlooks and spots to do this.
Cades Cove
Cades Cove has some of the absolute best views in the Smoky Mountains. The scenic loop, which has plenty of spots to get out and learn, takes visitors through historic cabins and churches, open fields perfect for getting kid energy out, mountain views, and tons of wildlife.
It is one of the most popular spots for wildlife viewing, and note that the loop gets extremely crowded and backed up. During our drive, we spotted horses, elk, deer, and turkeys. You’ll likely observe black bears, too, especially in the early mornings and evenings.
Visit a Waterfall
There is no shortage of epic waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And if you’re visiting with kids, it’s good to know that many of them are a stone’s throw from the road!
- The Sinks (located along Little River Road)
- Meigs Falls (located along Little River Road)
- Place of a Thousand Drips (located along the Roaring Fork Motor Trail)
If you’re visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park with kids willing to hike a little…or a lot… there are plenty more waterfalls that offer a great payoff for the hiking effort.
- Cataract Falls (0.9 miles)
- Lauren Falls (2.5 miles)
- Grotto Falls (2.6 miles Trillium Gap Trail)
- Deep Creek Waterfalls Loop (2.4 miles)
- Abrams Falls (5 miles)
- Rainbow Falls (5.4 miles)
Take a Hike Through Great Smoky Mountains National Park with Kids
With over 800 miles of trails, you won’t be hard pressed finding that just right trail for your family. There is truly something for every age, skill level, preference, distance, etc.
Easy Hikes in the Smoky Mountains with Kids
- Cove Hardwood Trail (0.9 miles) – hike through towering forest trees on the side of a mountain
- Deep Creek Trail to Indian Creek Falls (1.6 miles) – roundtrip along Deep Creek, which features views of two waterfalls
- Deep Creek Waterfall Loop (2.4 miles) – extend the hike above for a third waterfall
- Gatlinburg trail (4 miles) – a riverside stroll through the park that is both pet and bicycle friendly, with paved sections
- Grotto Falls (2.6 miles) – along the Trillium Gap trail, hike to Grotto Falls and walk behind the waterfall
- John Oliver Cabin (0.3 miles) – part of the Cades Cove Loop, stop at the John Oliver Cabin and take the short path to the hold homestead
- Kuwohi (1 mile) – a steep mile to the Kuwohi Overlook yields sweeping views of the park
- Lauren Falls (2.6 miles) – a hardwood trail that ends at an 80 foot waterfall
- Look Rock Tower (0.8 miles) – ends at an observation tower with beautiful views
- Lynn Camp Prong Cascades (1.4 miles) – follow an old railroad bed along a mountain stream to a dramatic waterfall
- Oconaluftee River Trail (3 miles) – a flat, pet and bike friendly trail along the Oconaluftee River
- Smokemont Nature Trail (0.6 miles) – peaceful and short, perfect for small kids
- Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail (0.5 miles) – short path near the visitor’s center
- Twenty Mile Cascade (1.2 miles) – follow a peaceful stream to a cascade
Moderate Hikes in the Smoky Mountains with Kids
- Abrams Falls (5 miles) – hike through a pine-oak forest to a 25 foot cascading waterfall
- Alum Cave Trail to the Bluffs (4.6 miles) – hike to arch rock and onto the bluffs where you’ll find great views of the Smokies. This is a technically challenging trail.
- Andrew’s Bald (3.6 miles) – one of the more challenging shorter hikes, this out and back features a strenuous climb back, but the views are worth it!
- Chasten Creek Cascade (3.6 miles) – a peaceful hike through hardwood forest, following a mountain stream to a waterfall
- Goldmine Loop via Tunnel Bypass (4 miles) – a moderate trail with remnants and signs of old homesteads
- Little Greenbriar School and Walker Homestead (3.4 miles) -from Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area, hike through hardwood forest to a historic one-room school and and the preserved homesite of the Walker family
- Rainbow Falls (5.4 miles) – one of the most popular hikes in the park, featuring rock scrambling near the famed waterfall
For us, it’s no surprise that the highlight of visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park with kids was the hiking. As our boys get older, they’re already outpacing me and pushing themselves to go further and take more (reasonable) risks. It’s been such a positive shift in our adventures to be able to do and see more with our kids.
As always, you know your kids best and should assess appropriate risk/reward based on your own family’s dynamic. We’ve worked hard to establish boundaries and safety protocols to be able to do hikes that come with moderate risk, like Alum Cave, with smaller kids.
What’s Nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Looking to add more to your Smoky Mountains with kids road trip? Want to escape the dirt for an afternoon? Here’s what we’d recommend nearby:
- Gatlinburg, TN (Adjacent to GSMNP)
- Pigeon Forge, TN (15 mins from GSMNP)
- Wears Valley, TN (20 mins from GSMNP)
- Townsend, TN (25 mins from GSMNP)
- Knoxville, TN (1 hr. from GSMNP)
- Cherokee, NC (1 hr. from GSMNP)
- Asheville, NC (1 hr. 15 mins from GSMNP)
- Blue Ridge Parkway (1 hr. 15 mins from GSMNP)
- Chattanooga, TN (2 hrs. 30 mins from GSMNP)
- Nashville, TN (3 hrs. 30 mins from GSMNP)
- Mammoth Cave National Park (4 hrs. 30 mins from GSMNP)
- Congaree National Park (4 hrs. 30 mins from GSMNP)
- New River Gorge National Park (5 hrs. 30 mins from GSMNP)
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