There are so many great ways to experience nature and the fresh mountain air during your trip to the Smoky Mountains, from exploring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to visiting unique outdoor attractions. You’ll want to soak up as much of the beauty of the area as possible and make lasting memories with your family and friends! To help you plan your vacation, we’ve put together this list of Smoky Mountain activities that you definitely won’t want to miss:
1. Explore Cades Cove
One of the most popular Smoky Mountain activities is exploring Cades Cove. This is the most-visited section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and offers a number of ways to enjoy the great outdoors. You can take a scenic drive along the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road to see beautiful views, historical structures, and maybe even some wildlife! You can park and walk around many of the historical structures, including cabins, churches, barns, cemeteries, and a grist mill. There are also a number of hiking trails in Cades Cove that you can walk to see nature up close.
2. Hike to the Top of Clingmans Dome
Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, standing at 6,643 feet tall. You can hike to the top of the Clingmans Dome Observation Tower to see panoramic views of the mountain landscape all around you. On a clear day, you can see up to 100 miles in every direction and seven different states! The hike to the top is one mile round trip along a paved but steep path. If you don’t want to hike to the top, you can still enjoy spectacular views from the parking area.
3. Discover a Beautiful Waterfall
One of the best Smoky Mountain activities is discovering waterfalls in the national park! There are a number of spectacular waterfalls scattered throughout the Great Smoky Mountains, and you can reach them via hikes of varying lengths and difficulty levels. A popular waterfall to hike to is Laurel Falls, which is an 80-foot falls found along a 2.6-mile round-trip hike. Other popular waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains include Abrams Falls, Rainbow Falls, Grotto Falls, and Ramsey Cascades.
4. Race Down a Tubing Hill
A Smoky Mountain activity you won’t want to miss is tubing at Rowdy Bear’s Smoky Mountain Snowpark. This Pigeon Forge adventure park offers year-round tubing on the longest outdoor tubing hill in the state of Tennessee! You and your family or friends can race down side-by-side lanes or connect your tube with up to two others to experience this exciting adventure together. You could reach speeds up to 35 miles per hour as you soar down 500-foot-long tubing lanes! In winter, the tubing hill is covered in snow so you can experience the thrill of outdoor snow tubing.
5. Make Memories at SkyLand Ranch
Are you looking for unique Smoky Mountain activities to experience during your vacation? You’ll definitely want to visit SkyLand Ranch! Take a chairlift ride to the top of our Sevierville attraction where you’ll enjoy spectacular views of town below and the mountains in the distance. At the top, you can meet miniature animal friends, take a scenic walk along Legacy Lookout, enjoy live entertainment, and play with your kids at Buckaroo Playbarn. There are also a number of delicious foods to try and unique souvenirs to bring back home. Make sure you take a ride on the The Wild Stallion Mountain Coaster for extra thrills, and join us on a Safari Hayride to meet our ranch animals up close!
Start Planning Your Smoky Mountain Vacation
Are you ready to plan the ultimate vacation full of fun Smoky Mountain activities? Learn more about all of our SkyLand Ranch attractions and get your tickets today!
