Explore beautiful mountain cascades and forest trails with a guided hiking tour in the Great Smoky Mountains. Choose from moderate treks to multi-waterfall hikes, complete with snacks and professional guides.
Free Cancellation This three-hour guided hike covers 2.5 miles of stream-side trails and waterfalls starting from Sugarlands.
Free Cancellation This half-day, four-mile hike hits four waterfalls in two state parks before a stop at a local brewery.
Read what travelers share about their experience visiting Great Smoky Mountains — from practical tips to personal highlights.
Most guided hikes in the Smokies focus on waterfalls and old-growth forests rather than high-alpine summits. You will walk two to four miles over uneven, root-heavy terrain while gaining several hundred feet in elevation. The canopy keeps things shaded, but the humidity stays high.
Trails often lead to 80-foot drops like Laurel Falls or smaller unnamed cascades. The rocks stay slick year-round. Expect to get mud on your boots.
The park preserves the largest block of uncut forest in the eastern US. You walk under towering hemlocks and native pawpaw trees.
A typical 2.5-mile hike climbs 900 feet. You navigate exposed roots and downed trees. It is a genuine workout.
Guides point out claw marks on trees and scat on the trail. If you spot a bear, federal law requires staying 50 yards back.
Some routes pass 19th-century log cabins and gristmills. The Civilian Conservation Corps built many of the stone bridges here in the 1930s.
Booking a hiking tour here means deciding how you want to handle transportation and parking. The park has no official shuttle system, and trailheads fill up by 8 AM.
Many local tours do not include transportation. You meet the guide at a visitor center, like Sugarlands, and follow them to the trailhead in your own car.
While the park has no entrance fee, you need a parking tag for any stop over 15 minutes. A daily tag costs $5. Buy it at recreation.gov before you arrive.
Some operators run full-day trips from Nashville. These cost around $150 and include round-trip transport, snacks, and sometimes a brewery stop on the way back.
These are not paved nature walks. A standard waterfall hike covers uneven surfaces and requires climbing over downed trees. Skip these if you have cardiovascular issues.
Guides provide snacks, but you must bring your own water. Wear sturdy hiking boots, as the trails near water stay muddy and slick.
Tours operate rain or shine. Operators will only pivot or cancel if the National Park Service closes roads due to severe weather or ice.
Pets are banned on all but two trails in the park. You cannot bring a dog on a guided backcountry hike.
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| Local Waterfall Hike | Nashville Day Trip Hike | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 3 hours (2.5 miles) | Half-day (4 miles) |
| Elevation Gain | 900 feet | Moderate/Rolling |
| Transport Included | No (drive yourself) | Yes (from Nashville) |
| Price from | $95 | $150 |
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can start a hike at any time. The only major exception is Cades Cove Loop Road, which opens at dawn and closes at dusk daily.
Visitor centers like Sugarlands and Oconaluftee operate year-round and only close on Christmas Day. Their hours change seasonally, usually opening at 9 AM.
Secondary roads close for the winter. Kuwohi Road, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, and Parsons Branch Road shut down when snow and ice hit the higher elevations.
The park has no public transportation. You have to drive or book a private shuttle. If you fly in, McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville is 45 miles from the Gatlinburg entrance. Asheville Regional Airport is 55 miles from the Cherokee entrance.
Most visitors base themselves in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge on the Tennessee side. Drive south on US-441 to reach the Sugarlands Visitor Center.
Commercial shuttle operators run seasonal service from March through October. They pick up in gateway towns and drop off at popular trailheads. This is a smart workaround for the limited parking.
Late April through May and October are the best months for hiking. Spring brings heavy wildflower blooms. October delivers the famous fall foliage across the mountains.
Skip the summer if you hate traffic. June through August sees over a million visitors a month. Cades Cove and Newfound Gap Road turn into parking lots.
No matter the month, arrive at your trailhead before 8 AM or after 3 PM. Parking lots for spots like Laurel Falls fill up entirely by mid-morning.
Most backcountry hiking trails are steep, rocky, and covered in roots. They are not wheelchair accessible.
The park does offer free GRIT Freedom Chairs. These are off-road wheelchairs that handle rougher terrain. You can check them out at the Sugarlands and Oconaluftee Visitor Centers. They are first-come, first-served from November to April, and require a reservation in the summer.
For a flat, fully accessible route, use the Oconaluftee River Trail. It runs for three miles roundtrip and accommodates wheelchairs and strollers easily.
Cell phone service is nonexistent across most of the park. Download offline maps before you leave your hotel. Do not rely on your phone for navigation on the trail.
Restrooms and water fountains are available at the major visitor centers. Once you hit the trailheads, facilities drop down to basic pit toilets, and many have no restrooms at all.
You must store all food and scented items in a locked, hard-sided vehicle. The park enforces this strictly to keep black bears away from parking areas.
Drones are completely banned. You cannot launch, land, or fly unmanned aircraft anywhere inside the park boundaries.
Stay away from the bears. Federal law requires you to stay at least 50 yards away from black bears and elk. Approaching them can result in fines and arrest.
No. The park does not charge an entrance fee. You do need to buy a parking tag if you leave your vehicle for more than 15 minutes. A daily tag costs $5.
Usually no. Most local Gatlinburg-based hikes require you to meet the guide at a visitor center. You then follow them to the trailhead in your own car.
Operators typically recommend their 2.5-mile waterfall hikes for children aged eight and up. The trails involve steep 900-foot climbs over roots and rocks.
No. The park bans pets on all backcountry trails to protect wildlife. Dogs are only allowed on the paved Gatlinburg and Oconaluftee River trails.
Hikes proceed rain or shine. Guides will only cancel or reroute the trip if the National Park Service closes the roads due to severe weather.
It is possible but not guaranteed. If you do spot one, federal law requires you and your guide to stay at least 50 yards away.
Yes. Trails near the waterfalls get extremely slick and muddy. Sneakers lack the necessary traction for climbing over wet roots and rocks.
No. The park strongly discourages swimming due to swift currents and hidden hazards. Climbing on the waterfalls is strictly prohibited.
Guides usually provide snacks, but you must carry your own drinking water. Pack at least two liters per person for a three-hour hike.
No. Drones are completely banned everywhere inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You will be fined if caught flying one.
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This 2.5-mile hike climbs 900 feet through the forest to reach several mountain cascades. It takes about three hours starting from the Sugarlands Visitors Center. The path is moderate. Expect steady uphill sections over roots and rocks. Families with kids over eight should pick this for a shorter alternative to full-day treks. Naturalist guides lead the way to point out stream ecology and the plants that grow in damp microclimates. You'll likely see Southern Appalachian salamanders under wet rocks or old-growth trees that survived early logging. Look for trillium or violets. Photographers should bring a tripod; the canopy is thick and the light gets low near the falls. Summer is the busiest time for this trail, so expect to share the view at the main falls. If it's rained recently, the trail gets slick and muddy—wear boots with actual tread. It's cooler by the water, but the humidity is high. Skip this for solitude. Book the morning slot to beat the heat and the heaviest crowds.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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Two Tennessee state parks are the stops for this half-day trek past four distinct waterfalls. You'll spend roughly three hours on a four-mile trail that gets muddy and slick near the water. Wear boots. The path passes Mississippian-era limestone and native pawpaw trees. It's a decent workout. Guides point out rock fossils, explain the local history, and spot wildlife like blue herons or kingfishers. If there's been a dry spell, the falls can turn into a trickle (check the recent rainfall before booking). The trip ends at a local restaurant and brewery for lunch and a pint—a solid reward—before the return drive to Nashville. Bring a spare pair of socks for the ride back.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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