Great Smoky Mountains National Park comprises many ridges of lush forest, straddling the border between the US states of Tennessee and North Carolina. There are many hiking trails to follow, including a section of the Appalachian Trail.
If you want to see the region for yourself by visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park, then this guide is here to help you. It’s not always easy to reach parts of the US National Parks, but this article shares with you directions to Smoky Mountains via car, plane, train and bus.
Whether you want to know where is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the distance to Smoky Mountains from various US locations or which airports near Smoky Mountains you could fly into, read on to discover it all.
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How to Get to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Where is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park located?
The first step in working out how to reach it – and looking for directions to Smoky Mountain National Park – is to know the precise Great Smoky Mountains National Park location.
So where is the Smoky Mountains National Park? The park lies within both eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. Knoxville in Tennessee can be found to the west, and Asheville in North Carolina to the east. The park includes part of the western Appalachians in Tennessee and the Blue Ridge escarpment in North Carolina.
Within the Great Smokies is a segment of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Tennessee’s highest point at Clingmans Dome, and around 40 per cent virgin forest. The park is rich in flora and fauna, and home to the Cherokee Indian Reservation.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Entrances
When working out the location of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it’s helpful to know that there are three entrances, as follows.
Gatlinburg Entrance: On Park Headquarters Road in Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Townsend Entrance: On Townsend Entrance Road in Townsend, Tennessee
Cherokee Entrance: On US-441 in Cherokee, North Carolina
What are the towns near Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Towns and cities near to Great Smoky Mountains National Park include the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area in Tennessee, which is the main gateway to the park. These two towns are around six miles apart.
There is also a park entrance in Townsend, which is also in Tennessee. This area is more peaceful than the Gatlinburg area.
Cherokee in North Carolina is also home to one of the park’s three entrances. This is reservation home of the Cherokee Nation’s Eastern Band. It’s thus a unique place to visit.
Other towns near Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Bryson City is a pleasant place that feels like a mountain village – and the Deep Creek area is paradise for fans of outdoor life. There is plenty of dining, accommodation and other facilities here. In Bryson City you’ll also find a microbrewery, lovely cafes, boutiques, galleries and small museums, plus the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad.
- Sevierville is close to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, but is quieter. Here there’s a Dolly Parton statue and a historic, restored downtown with places to stay and eat.
- Hot Springs is home to North Carolina’s only hot springs. The little mountain town is relatively close to the Catalooche area of the park.
- Maggie Valley and Waynesville are closest to the Cataloochee Valley area, where there’s a ski resort and herds of elk.
Taking a Tour to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
If you’re wondering about directions to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and how to get there, the idea of taking an organized tour might occur to you. Trips to explore the park tend to be of the self-guided driving type, but there are some activity tours you can take in the area.
Self Driving Tour of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
A self-guided driving tour allow you to delve deeper into Great Smoky Mountains National Park. With an audio guide, you can interpret what you’re seeing while discovering local history. The app works as a three-in-one guide, map and tour, and even includes some animated videos.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK THIS SELF DRIVING TOUR OF THE SMOKIES
Whitewater Rafting in the Smokies
The thrill of whitewater rafting allows you to experience the Smokies in a whole new way. This one-and-a-half hour experience takes you over class 3 and 4 rapids in the hands of an expert, with all required equipment and tuition required.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK THIS SMOKIES WHITEWATER RAFTING TOUR
Zipline Canopy Tour in the Smokies
Ride through the treetops for panoramic views over the Great Smoky Mountains area. All instructions and gear are supplied, and the tour covers six ziplines and two suspension bridges that are 60 feet high.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK THIS SMOKIES ZIPLINE CANOPY TOUR
How to Fly to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
What’s the closest airport to Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Knowing which airports near the Smoky Mountains you can fly into is a key step in planning your trip. Many visitors take flights to Great Smoky Mountains National Park by arriving in Knoxville, but there are various other options as well.
McGhee Tyson Airport south of Knoxville is the main airport in East Tennessee, and often used as the Great Smoky Mountains airport. It’s around 40 miles (or an hour and 10 minutes) from Gatlinburg, where the main park entrance is located, or about 20 miles (or half an hour) from Townsend.
This airport is a good choice if you’ll be staying in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg or Townsend. You can fly to more than 30 US destinations from here. There are several car rental options, and a local shuttle service is supplied by Rocky Top Tours.
Asheville in North Carolina is about 70 miles from Cherokee. An hour and 10 minutes’ drive will get you there. Several US carriers and car rental companies operate here, and it’s the closest domestic airport to Cherokee.
Gatlinburg is about two hours’ drive (or 110 miles) from Tri-Cities Airport. From here you can fly to and from Dallas/Fort Worth, Orlando Sanford, St. Pete-Clearwater, Hartsfield Jackson and Charlotte Douglas International Airport. There are car rental services here.
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport
This is the second-busiest airport in North Carolina, and some local transport is provided here by Eastside Transportation. There are several car rental companies and domestic airlines operating here. The closest entrance is Cherokee, around 130 miles or two hours and 10 minutes away.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
If you want the closest international airport to Cherokee, then you need Charlotte Douglas International Airport. There’s a car rental facility here, and flights to and from US and international destinations. Cherokee is just under three hours – or about 170 miles – away.
Townsend is the closest park entrance to Chattanooga in Tennessee. The drive from the airport to Townsend is about two hours, or 125 miles. There are rental cars available, and can you fly direct to Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Orlando, Washington and seasonally to Tampa in Florida.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta is around three hours from Cherokee, or closer to four if you want to get to the entrances in Gatlinburg or Townsend. Though it’s further away, it’s good for international flights to destinations across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and Central and South America. You can rent a car from various companies here too.
Nashville International Airport
If you want to spend time in the Nashville area, then the airport there might be a great choice. You can also fly to this international airport from all over the world, including Australia and the UK. At three hours or 190 miles, Townsend is the closest park entrance to Nashville International, and there are plenty of car rental companies.
For more information about flying to Great Smoky Mountains, read my guide to the best airports for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Check prices on flights to the Great Smoky Mountains’ airports here
Taking the Train to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Though you can take a Great Smoky Mountain scenic train ride in the Bryson City area, there are no Amtrak services close to the national park.
Most visitors to the most popular national park in the US tend to bring their own car, or rent one at the airport.
However, if you really want to travel by train, the only Amtrak stations in Tennessee are in Newbern-Dyersburg and Memphis, both in the western part of the state. They are both on the City of New Orleans route which runs between Chicago and New Orleans. You can rent a car in Memphis or take a bus to Gatlinburg where you would then need to rent a car.
On the other side of the park, Clemson, Greenville and Spartanburg in South Carolina are all about a 2 hour and 10 minute-drive to Cherokee. They are all on the Crescent route which goes between New York and New Orleans via Atlanta. Greenville and Spartanburg have more car rental agencies and bus connections.
Taking a Bus to Great Smoky Mountains National Park USA
There are no National Park Service shuttles into Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
However, you can take a Greyhound bus or train/ bus combo to nearby cities such as Knoxville, Asheville or Cherokee and then take a local private shuttle into the park.
Authorized Shuttle Providers are:
- AAA Hiker Shuttle – 865-322-0691
- A Walk in the Woods – 865-436-8283
- Bryson City Outdoors – 828-342-6444
- Carolina Bound – 828-569-6699
- Great Smoky Mountains Eco Tours – 865-900-5979
- RockyTop Tours – 865-429-8687
- Smoky Mountain Rides – 865-562-2833
Driving to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC & TN
Due to limited public transport options, getting a rental car and Smoky Mountains directions from the airport you fly into is the most popular option for accessing Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
To find out the distance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park from various cities across the country, read on. Whether you want to know how to get from Knoxville TN to the Smoky Mountains, Asheville NC to Great Smoky Mountains National Park or are wondering about accessing the park from Gatlinburg TN to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, here’s all you need to know.
Knoxville to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
It’s around a 45-minute drive, via US-129 S and E Lamar Alexander Parkway, from Knoxville to the Smokies. The distance from Knoxville to Smoky Mountain National Park is just over 35 miles.
Asheville to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
You can also drive from Asheville in North Carolina to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The route to take is via I-40 W, and the distance is a little over 35 miles. It takes around 50 minutes to drive between the two locations.
Nashville to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
If you will be visiting or flying into Nashville in Tennessee, then you might want to drive from here to the Smokies. The journey of around 195 miles is via I-40 E, and takes around there hours and 10 minutes.
Gatlinburg to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Gatlinburg entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is only around two miles from the center. If you want to reach this entrance from neighboring Pigeon Forge, then the distance is about eight miles.
Atlanta to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Driving from Atlanta, Georgia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park takes just under three hours. You can drive via US-23 N, and the distance between the two destinations is about 165 miles.
Cherokee to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Cherokee entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is only five minutes’ drive from town. It’s around three miles away, via US-441 N.
Sevierville TN to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Sevierville in Tennessee makes a more peaceful alternative to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. If you want to drive to the park entrance in Gatlinburg from here, the car journey takes about 25 minutes. It’s a distance of around 13 miles.
Check out my guide to saving money on rental cars before you book.
FAQs about Getting to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Where is Great Smoky Mountain National Park located?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the border between Tennessee and North Carolina.
There are entrances to the park along US Highway 441 in the towns of Gatlinburg and Townsend in Tennessee, or Cherokee in North Carolina. The park forms part of the Appalachian Mountains, and the famous Appalachian trail.
Where you do fly into for the Smoky Mountains?
For the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the closest major airport is McGee-Tyson Airport (TYS). This is immediately south of Knoxville in Alcoa, Tennessee. The airport is about 40 miles from Gatlinburg, where the main park entrance is.
The airport offers flights to over 30 US destinations via Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier and United Airlines. For driving directions to the Smoky Mountains, take US-129 S, then US-321 N toward Line Springs Road in Sevier County. Next, drive toward Little River Gorge Road before taking a left for US-441 N.
What is the closest major city to the Great Smoky Mountains?
The closest towns to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in Tennessee. These two towns are around six miles apart, and many visitors stay in this area when visiting the park.
This popular area has lots of places to stay, eat and shop within easy reach of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Other options where there are park entrances include Townsend, also in Tennessee, which is far quieter. You could also stay in Cherokee, North Carolina, where there is also a park entrance.
If you want to fly to an airport serving around 30 US cities, then Knoxville could be considered the closest major city to the Smokies.
Travel Insurance for Great Smoky Mountains
You should definitely have travel insurance when you travel to Great Smoky Mountains. Good travel insurance will cover you for trip cancellation, theft or damage of your property when traveling, medical help if you have an accident in or while visiting the Smoky Mountains or medical repatriation if you need to get medi-vaced out.
A great insurance option is Travelex. It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can choose the best travel insurance plan for your trip here or get a quote right now:
You might also like to read:
- Smoky Mountain National Park Guide
- Best Hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- The Best Airports Near Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- 10 Fun Facts about Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Enjoy Great Smoky Mountains National Park!
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How to Get to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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About the Author
James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and all of the main national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for most of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, comprehensive camping and hiking gear reviews and buying guides, and helpful packing lists and gift guides will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.
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