It’s beginning to feel like fall in the Smokies: Plan ahead to ensure you have a great visit this season

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It’s beginning to feel like fall in the Smokies: Plan ahead to ensure you have a great visit this season

As fall foliage pops in the Smokies, the area sees a surge in visitors. GSMNP photo

Autumn is a beautiful — but busy — time in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Visitors should plan ahead and be prepared for incredible fall colors, but also crowds, traffic congestion and limited parking throughout the park.

The Smokies typically experience a stunning fall foliage season, thanks to the park’s wide range of elevations and rich biodiversity of deciduous trees. These elevation changes allow the peak color season to stretch over several weeks, as the vibrant display of colors gradually move down the mountainsides.

Avoid the crowds

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is consistently the most visited national park in the country, with October being one of the busiest months.

To make the most of your visit, consider arriving before 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to avoid peak crowds. If you're driving, please park responsibly — parking outside designated areas can damage natural resources, increase congestion and create safety hazards along busy roads. For additional information check out our traffic and travel tips.

Scenic Drives

Avoid the crowds by taking in the views from the Foothills Parkway. Cades Cove Loop Road and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail are consistently the busiest places in October. Please allow more time than you think if you’re planning to travel on these scenic roads.

Hiking

Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers more than 800 miles of trails to explore. Consider hiking less visited trails including Little River Trail, Little Greenbrier School, Lynn Camp Prong Cascades, Porters Creek or Chasteen Creek Cascade.

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Planning to hike a popular trail? Consider taking a shuttle from nearby communities to the trailhead. It’s a great way to reduce traffic and enjoy a more relaxed experience in the park. Learn more about hiking in the Smokies.

Got your parking tag?

Parking in the Smokies for more than 15 minutes requires a valid parking tag. Tags can be purchased online anytime at recreation.gov or in person at multiple locations.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park uses recreation fee dollars from parking tags to protect the park and enhance your park experience. The park is using this money to improve visitor safety, increase park ranger presence, and repair, enhance and maintain public park facilities. One hundred percent of the funds generated by park fees stay in the Smokies — learn about your fee dollars at work!

Fall programs

Check the online calendar or grab a park newspaper at any visitor center to find a variety of daily, ranger-led hikes and educational activities.

Wildlife safety

Fall is a prime time to spot bears and elk in the park. To ensure your safety and the well-being of wildlife, maintain a safe distance of at least 50 yards (150 feet).

When hiking, camping or picnicking, be mindful of food and garbage. All waste should be properly disposed of in bear-proof dumpsters or packed out. Bears that learn to associate humans with food can become defensive and pose a danger to visitors. By following these guidelines, you can help protect both yourself and the park's wildlife.

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