20 Must-Do Hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Explore the heart of the South.
Sitting on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, the seemingly endless ridges of the Smoky Mountains attract more annual visitors than any other national park in the country. Don’t let that scare you away, it’s not too hard to find a small piece of the park to call your own for the day. Hailed for their biodiversity, scenic lookouts, and Southern charm, the Smokies belong on every adventurer’s national park bucket list. Check out some of our favorite hikes in the park and start making plans to see them for yourself.
1. Hike to Baskins Creek Falls
2. Hike to the Jump-Off
Photo: Nicholas Voyles
3. Hike Grotto Falls Trail
Photo: Seth Berry
4. Hike Charlies Bunion
Photo: Tiffany Edmiston
5. Catch a Sunrise at Newfound Gap
Photo: Matthew Chang
6. Hike to Clingmans Dome
Photo: Spenser Reid
7. Hike Three Waterfalls Loop
Photo: Johnathan Duncan
8. Hike Andrews Bald
Photo: Nathan Szwarc
9. Hike to Mount Leconte Cliff Tops via Rainbow Falls Trail
Photo: Adam Welch
10. Hike the Little River Trail to Backcountry Campsite #30
Photo: Adam Welch
11. Hike the Cucumber Gap and Little River Loop
Photo: Joshua Contois
12. Hike the Sugarland Mountain Trail
Photo: Chaney Swiney
13. Hike the Kephart Prong Trail
Photo: Joshua Contois
14. Hike to the Ramsey Cascades
Photo: Joshua Contois
15. Hike to Spruce Flats Falls
16. Hike to Tom Branch and Indian Creek Falls
Photo: Joshua Contois
17. Hike to Hemphill Bald
Photo: Steve Yocom
18. Hike to Hen Wallow Falls
Photo: Cassandra Harrison
19. Hike to the Mount Cammerer Lookout Tower
Photo: Robin Pfeifer
20. Hike to Abrams Falls
Photo: Jon King
Cover photo: Adam Welch
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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