Great Smoky Mountains Hikes for First Time Visitors

Have you spent any time in Great Smoky Mountains NP? We’ve visited twice and both times were because I was running the Great Smoky Mountains half marathon. The race staging area in Townsend, TN is on the western side of the park, so that’s where we’ve spent the most time.

The second time we visited, we had plans to explore more of the park, including the eastern side. Those plans were thwarted when I broke my foot, but we did manage to do some hiking before my accident and even a little afterwards. Ok, my family did a little bit of hiking while I sat in the car 🙂

One of the great aspects of the half marathons hosted by Vacation Races are the Club Hikes and the Trifecta hikes that they encourage race participants and their families to do. The Club hikes are longer, more challenging hikes (think Charlie’s Bunion, Alum Cave, and Chimney Tops trails in Great Smoky Mountains NP). The Trifecta hikes are shorter and more manageable, even for kiddos.

Since the boys are still young, we haven’t attempted the Club hikes yet. Our first visit, we completed the three hikes/visits that make up the Trifecta (Laurel Falls, Clingmans Dome, and Cades Cove). Our second visit we hiked to Laurel Falls, drove around and did some hiking in Cades Cove, and drove to Clingmans Dome (more on that in a minute).

Cades Cove

Cades Cove is a valley surrounded by mountains, with an 11 mile road looping through it. There are numerous spots to stop and hike short distances to historical houses, farms, churches and such. Take the time to stop and explore the sites! The road is a slow, one way meander around the valley, so don’t try to do it while in a rush. We’ve seen a variety of wildlife, including eagles, deer, and even a bear.

The Cades Cove Visitor Center has a variety of historic buildings, including a cantilever barn and a <still in use> water-powered grist mill. Depending on the day, you might catch a blacksmithing historical demonstration. You may also hear local musicians playing old time folk music on the porch of the bookstore.

Laurel Falls

Laurel Falls is a popular hike, but I must warn you about the trail conditions. The trail is just over 2.5 miles round trip, and was paved over at some point in the distant past. These days, the pavement is broken and worn away in some places, making it a bit treacherous. This is the trail where I fell and broke my foot after tripping on one of those pavement edges. Jeremy mentioned the incident to a ranger the next day, and she said there have been a number of accidents on this trail.

That said, as long as you’re a bit more spatially aware than I am, it is a nice hike. It’s pretty much all uphill on the way to the falls, though it’s not super steep, which makes for a fairly easy hike on the way down. We went in the afternoon our first time, and it was quite crowded and difficult to get a picture without a bunch of random strangers in it. Our second visit was in the evening and while we passed a couple people heading up and coming down, we had the falls to ourselves. It was also cooler and less humid in the evening. The only issue with going in the evening is to make sure you get back before it gets dark- this is not a trail you want to be navigating in the dark.

Clingman’s Dome

Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the park and offers great views if the weather is clear, though we have yet to catch those views. The half mile paved trail from the parking lot to the lookout is quite steep, but there are benches  along the path to stop and rest on.

It was foggy the first time we visited, but we still hiked to the lookout, which looked ghostly in the fog. The second time, the fog was even thicker, and visibility was very low. Add in wind and cold rain, and we didn’t even attempt the steep hike to the lookout. Even so, the view from the parking lot of the fog drifting through the trees was spectacular.

Waterfall Stops

These aren’t actually hikes, more stops along the road, but we love looking for waterfalls, so we’re not super picky about where we find them. Looking for waterfalls keeps things more interesting for the kiddos. We had several others we’d planned on visiting, but they’ll have to wait for our next visit.

Meigs Falls

This waterfall is visible from the road. There’s a pullout 12 or so miles west of Sugarlands Visitor Center on Little River Road where you can stand and look at the waterfall in the distance. If you have a hard time finding it, it’s just over a mile from the parking lot for The Sinks.

There is a trailhead at The Sinks for a trail that you can hike to the falls (about 1.7 miles from the trailhead), but it involves multiple stream crossings and might not be the best idea for beginners, small kiddos, or those with mobility issues, especially if the water is high.

The Sinks

The Sinks were formed when a detonation was set off to clear a logjam. There’s a parking lot and viewing area with information boards about the history of The Sinks. The Sinks are quite cool, but not something my cautious self would want to explore up close. There are warning signs against getting in the water since people have drowned there, but we saw several people in the water.

Mingus Mill

This turbine-powered grist mill is half a mile from the Mountain Farm Museum at Oconaluftee Visitor Center. There’s just a short hike on a paved trail to the mill, but it was steep in places, so I opted to stay in the car rather than risk a fall while hobbling awkwardly on crutches. Jeremy took the kiddos and they enjoyed exploring.

Oconaluftee Visitor Center

Jeremy and the kiddos also explored the Visitor Center and the Mountain Farm Museum while I sat in a bench in the Visitor Center. Not super exciting for me, but they had fun exploring the historical buildings that have been brought in from various part of the Smoky Mountains and checking out the displays about the history of the area.

Fort Loudoun State Historic Park

Ok, so this isn’t in Great Smoky Mountains NP, but if you have the time and don’t mind driving a bit (it’s a little more than a 45 minute drive from Townsend), this state park is worth a visit. This historic British fortification dates back to 1756 and the French and Indian War. We visited this park during our first trip to the area and we need to go back again so the boys can explore the fort.

Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center

The Heritage Center is also located outside the park, but is in Townsend, so still very close. As the name implies, there are a lot of exhibits showcasing the history and culture of the Great Smoky Mountains. There is an admission fee, but it’s worth it; we learned so much when we visited during our first trip to the area. A number of buildings have been relocated to the center, and you can explore them. They even have an old moonshine still!

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While I do want to run the Great Smoky Mountains half marathon again, it won’t be this year. There’s always so many things to do, and only a limited amount of time to do them. We do have plans to return and explore more of the park and do more hiking, but in the meantime, if you’re looking for hikes that are fun and doable, check out one of the ones on this list.

If you’ve hiked some of the many other trails in the park, I’d love to hear about them so I can start making a list for when we return.