There is a place I like to go to when I need a breath of inspiration, just 10 minutes away from where I live in Jersey City. It has a gorgeous view of New York City and the World Trade Center is right in front of you. At night, there are few people around and it is very quiet. The dark waters of Hudson river softly touch the concrete of the pier, reflecting the moon light, and a Statue of Liberty is seen dutifully holding her torch. It took me some time to realize what made the place so special for me. The stillness, the grandness of things and state of being the observant of the little lights flashing through few of New York streets visible from that spot. My worries leave me within a matter of 15-20 minutes. We tend to get worried about little things and forget to appreciate all the greatness of life. This place reminds me that on a large scale life is so beautiful and awesome and little intricacies are there just to make it more valuable, interesting and delightful.
Great Smoky Mountains are just that but on a different level. Looking at these immense mountain tops of the Appalachians bestows a sense of calmness in you. It is a perfect place to recharge and bring to balance your mindset and soulset. Here, there is no need to rush for anything, and inspiration to create great things floods your soul.
The biggest part of our four-day trip here was the place where we stayed. Doesn’t sound quite like me as I usually try to take in everything and have the day planned out from early morning to late night trying to see and experience as much as possible. Nevertheless, that was it. Our rental, located in Sevierville, was stunning and offered so much, that we didn’t want to leave our temporary home.
Just as many other Airbnb rentals in the area, ours had plenty of entertainment options, and most importantly, mountain views from most rooms in the house.
Here, I understood why the Mountains were called “Smoky” – the mountain tops were often surrounded with cloud clusters even on the clear sunny days. The green scenery was extremely enlightening and provided a sense of hope and tranquility. The purity of air was just on another level and it felt as though in a tropical jungle, not in one of the central states of The United States.
After recharging for a couple days enjoying the views and green spaces around, on the third day we finally headed to the national park. The route was scenic and very green. Getting to the park from nearby towns seemed to be very easy.
If coming to the park from Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Sugarlands Visitor Center should be your first stop. Aside from the souvenir shop this visitor center has a cool small museum presenting the wildlife that you may come across in the park. Here you can also get a park map with useful information and leave a donation for the park infrastructure as unlike other national parks, the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains is free of charge.
From Sugarlands Visitor Center you can drive for about 20-25 minutes to the Newfound Gap, which offers beautiful views of the mountains. This spot is 5,046 feet above the sea level, and clouds definitely feel much closer here than they would in a non-elevated area.
The two unusual things to note about this spot is that first, it is located right on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, which stretches right through the entire park and intersects with paved road right about here. And secondly, the Newfound Gap intersects with the Appalachian Trail. From here to northern end of Appalachian Trail it is 1,972 miles… It is one of the United States’ longest trails, and it’s hard to believe that it’s so long, as it actually starts in Georgia!
The next stop was Clingmans Dome, which was another 15-minute drive into the park. Here a gorgeous view opened up: a number of mountain tops stretching across the horizon at the elevation of 6,643 feet. But it only gets better if you take a 15-20 minute walk up to the observation tower.
Unobstructed view 360° all around. It’s a unique feeling to find yourself on the top of the mountain top surrounded with so many other mountain peaks all around. According to the park website on the clear days visibility from this spot is as far as 100 miles away, although air pollution often negatively affects this. On the day we visited the park there were some clouds in the sky, and even still it seemed as though the farthest mountains were dozens of miles away.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is quite like Shenandoah, which I visited a couple times in the past. The Appalachians are very different in that respect from Rocky Mountains. There, on the West Coast, not only is each national park very different from one another but there are even noticeable differences in landscape within the same park. To the contrary, it seems that Appalachian Mountains have similar views, landscape and vegetation throughout different parks. The Rocky Mountains offer a nice feeling of inspiration and serenity, but at the Appalachians the feelings of serenity, calmness and relaxation are on a different level. If you had a long period of intense work and are looking for a break to just rest – Great Smoky Mountains is the right place for your next trip.
Here are a couple other tips and things to know about Great Smoky Mountains National Park:
There are very few picnic areas, so consider eating before getting to the park and bring some light snacks;
There are also not many food options within the park. At the stops we visited we didn’t see any food courts or coffee stands within the visitor centers and shops;
Exploring park in late spring and summer would probably be the best, as many roads are closed during winter;
It gets noticeably colder at the higher points of the park so bringing a light jacket even during summer months might be a good idea.
Back to our trip. On the way back to our Airbnb we passed by Pigeon Forge - a small rural town, where you can find a great number of dining options. Nothing fancy, mostly casual dining, so don’t worry if you didn’t get to pick up your cute outfits from the dry cleaners before heading on to the trip. 😁 Most places offer a traditional American menu – burgers, steaks and famous Tennessee BBQ. Many local restaurants and cafes, but also plenty of American chain restaurants, especially those that are hard to find in big cities. While I always promote healthy food options, I will tell you that your cravings for fatty hearty meals would be easily satisfied here – Waffle House, Texas Roadhouse, Cracker Barrel, IHOP, Fridays – pick your poison!
Pigeon Forge also has many stay options – hotels, motels, resorts, Airbnb’s and surprisingly many areas for RV’s and camper parking. If you’re looking for a place to visit with kids – this is a great option for a trip.
It seemed that entertainment for all ages here was endless – amusement parks, escape games, mini golf courses and many other fun entertainment spots. Also, fun fact – we considered several Airbnb’s and quite a few of them had arcade games right in the house – a bit unusual, I would say! So, if you’re planning a family trip you would have a blast here.
Would I consider coming back, and would I plan anything differently on the next trip? Yes, I would come back the next time when I feel burned out! This is a very rejuvenating and inspiring place, and as a bonus it’s within the same time zone for me – EST time zone. I would still plan a stay at Airbnb, as staying in a hotel or resort wouldn’t allow me personally to immerse into the ocean of serenity offered here. I would probably take more time to explore other areas of the park and would certainly update this article with more info. 😊
If I had more time, I would possibly consider flying to Atlanta and driving to the place of stay by the park, instead of flying into Knoxville, which was only about 30-40 minutes away from Sevierville. Atlanta airport is only about a 3-hour drive from the Great Smoky Mountains and I love Atlanta for its history and dining scene, so I’d certainly use that as an opportunity. Driving from New York could also be an option, as it’s only a 10-hour drive (not considering any breaks). Shenandoah is mid-way and could be a perfect stop for a day or two. Would driving be an eco-friendly option though, you might ask? Well, if traveling in the same car with others, opting for a low-emission/compact car, and considering the planes get booked fully during the time you travel (read as: if the plane ride is more expensive at the time you travel) - then most certainly. You can always calculate your potential CO2 emissions by looking up flight info and calculating car emissions based on the travel distance and your car emissions by mile, and then make your choice accordingly!
If you end up taking a trip to Great Smoky Mountains too – let me know your thoughts in the comment section! Let’s chat! 😉
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