lhbpe Loc: North Carolina

Google Smokey Mountains National Park or go to the gov web site for national parks. You should be able to order a complete package with all the information you will need, including maps with trails shown as well as difficulty for hiking. Many opportunities for pictures.

twhrider Loc: Indiana

Not only that, but if you go in prime "leaf peeping" time, try to go through the week. My brother and sister in law live on English mountain outside of Sevierville, and this time of year they try to not go down off the mountain from Friday-Sunday. It can take hours just to drive around Cades Cove if it's a nice weekend.

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

we did Cherokee Orchard rd, a big loop then there is a side road , one way with waterfalls old log cabins, its name escapes me.
Then we took the main road out of town and came to a waterfall trail, the name I think was Laurel Falls. The the wife wanted pics of the upside down building in the middle of the strip.

GEANNIE

I'm going in two weeks and we rented a house from Home Away. I've never been but I'm meeting up with some photog friends that have been many times. Looking forward to the adventure and fellowship with other photographers.

lhardister Loc: Brownsville, TN

I live in West Tennessee and have been to/through the "Smokies" many times. I definitely second the recommendations for Cades Cove and Abram's Falls (accessed by trail from Cades Cove. The Rainbow Falls/Mt. LeConte trail is very pleasant, and if you are staying in/near Gatlinburg, the trailhead is easily accessed from Gatlinburg. As others have noted, be prepared to deal with the traffic. If possible, I would avoid Sevierville/Pigeon Forge like the plague unless you have grandkids with you who may enjoy kiddy rides, etc; however, Dollywood can be amusing, more so if you enjoy country music.

If time and circumstances permit, you might consider driving on over to Asheville, N.C. on the east side of the mountains. The drive is beautiful, there you can tour the Biltmore mansion and grounds, and have great views of the mountains and fall colors. If the view pleased the Vanderbilts, you can feel pretty confident that it will suit the rest of us. You might want to keep in mind that the real leaf color is produced by the hardwoods (oak, hickory, sweet gum, etc.) which do not extend in profusion up to the highest elevations, in general only about half way up on the tallest mountains.

Have a great trip!

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

If you are in good shape and don't smoke, I would try Clingman's Dome. It is an unbelievable view of the smokies and you can see where they get the name. It is a walk uphill to the observation post. They do have benches along the way. Good luck.

wron

Look at Gatlinburg Chalets http://www.mountainchalets.com/default.aspx. There are some very beautiful places there.
Also, http://www.highlandscondos.com/. The first attached pic is a view from these looking at town.
In addition, do NOT fail to go to the Pancake Pantry downtown Gatlinburg (Pic #2). The best eats (Pic #3 is Apricot-Lemon Delight Crepes & there's more). While in town, look at all the shops there. You'll find some really beautiful things (Pic #4).
Cades Cove is very beautiful (Pic #5).
Almost every place you turn, there's something nice to see. Walk around town, drive out to Cades Cove, go thru the park to Cherokee on the other side. Go see the old mill on the NC side & take home some flour ground there.
Next to the Pancake Pantry is a nice sweets shop & in back, there are lots of different shops also.
There are lots of parking areas so you can take your time exploring. Have been there many times over the last 45 years. Take your time & don't hurry.

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tgshoe Loc: North Texas

Roaring Fork Motor Trail. Very nice drive and doesn't take a long time. Everything said here is true in regards to the area. I have been there many times as I used to live in NC. I would add that a trip through the park on route 441 to Cherokee and stop at the old mill on the Cherokee side is nice. Several things to see and do in Cherokee such as the museum and the indian village.

taxman Loc: Cleveland, Ohio

Roaring Fork (driving) nature trail, Catalochee Valley, Newfound Gap

cfmsp

After the de rigeur Cades Cove, try the remote Cataloochee Valley, especially if you tire of all the people. You'll see elk for certain, and most likely bears and turkeys. I prefer the eastern side of the Smokies to the more touristed western side.

geezer7 Loc: Michigan

REI has a National Park app available for both Android and IOS. They include Smoky Mountain National Park and have trail information complete with maps with contours and ascent and descent profiles. I would recommend visiting the Sugarlands Visitor Center where there are knowledgeable park rangers and volunteers who can advise you and provide maps. Also there is a comprehensive bookstore where you can buy detailed books with plenty of hiking information. I can recommend "Hiking Trails of the Smokies" and "Waterfalls of the Smokies"

Have a great trip. The Smokies are beautiful.

jimvanells Loc: Augusta, GA

Check the weather forecast if you are hiking in the higher elevations. Some of those trails get snowed in quickly.

rjriggins11 Loc: Colorado Springs, CO

Great place to visit. Especially in the fall. There's nothin for miles and miles but miles and miles of nothin. You could even get lost in the hills if you really tried. Watch out for the locals though. There are still some settlements scattered around the area.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Not in the National Park, though. RMNP Visitor's Center probably has some of the most interesting books of any N.P. One of them tells about the people who lived in the N.P. area before it became a N.P., and the process of moving them out.

MTG44 Loc: Corryton, Tennessee

Cataloochee entrance to the Smokys is a wonderful stop. You will see Elk and lots of wildlife . If you want some peace and quiet stay in Townsend and the road to Cades Cove is close.