America's Most-Popular Treasure

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The most-visited national park in the United States (with more than 9 million visitors each year), the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, more than 800 square miles of protected land straddling the North Carolina/Tennessee border, is easily accessed from Haywood County. Take the quick drive to Cherokee, where the park's main entrance on the North Carolina side is located. U.S. 441 leads directly into park, becoming Newfound Gap Road. Stop at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center for information, and then take a trip back in time with a stroll through the Mountain Farm Museum, "a unique collection of farm buildings assembled from locations throughout the park" that highlight what life was like in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the area that is now the National Park. Mingus Mill, a historic grist mill built in 1886, stands in its original location (only a half-mile from the visitor center) and is worth checking out.

There are several ways to experience and enjoy this natural treasure, from auto touring to backcountry camping. With 384 miles of road in the park, seeing the park via automobile is a popular choice for many visitors. Map out your trip through the park, or buy a Smokies Road Guide from the Great Smoky Mountains Association. The park's main thoroughfare, Newfound Gap Road (which runs from Cherokee, NC, to Gatlinburg, TN), reveals the diverse ecosystems within the park. Free podcasts are available for those who want an audio guide to the drive. Other popular drives offer amazing vistas, wildlife viewing, access to hiking trails, and more. Be sure to check the seasonal road schedule and weather-related road closures when planning your trip.

With more than 800 miles of trails, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is indeed a hiker's paradise. From short, relaxing walks to strenuous but rewarding hikes, from trail heads alongside roads to backcountry trips, from waterfalls to dense forest, the options are numerous. Check out this Trail Map and these safety tips. Camping, whether it be at one of several frontcountry campgrounds to a site off the beaten path, is another way in which visitors take advantage of all the park has to offer.

Some of the most popular spots and attractions within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park include:

• Cades Cove, an open valley surrounded by tall mountains where an 11-mile loop road (which can be traveled by foot, bike or automobile) provides access to historical buildings, numerous hiking trails, some of the best wildlife viewing, and spectacular scenery;

• Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the park at 6,643 feet (also the highest point in Tennessee and the third tallest mountain east of the Mississippi) where an observation tower reward those who make the steep half-mile hike with breathtaking views of the Smokies in all directions;

• Deep Creek, an area known for its streams and waterfalls;

• Newfound Gap, the nearly mile-high spot where Newfound Gap Road crosses the mountain ridge and motorists stop to take in the scenic views.

A large portion of the eastern section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2009, is located within Haywood County. Accessible from Cove Creek Road (take I-40 to exit 20, see map & directions), Cataloochee Valley is one of the most remote and most beautiful areas of the park, and a unique place to explore both the natural and cultural history of the Smokies. Once a populous settlement and mountain community, Cataloochee Valley is perhaps now best known for elk, which were reintroduced in the valley in 2001 after disappearing from North Carolina in the late 1700s as a result of over-hunting and loss of habitat. Early morning and late evening are regarded as the best times for viewing the elk (usually as they graze along the roads and in the meadows). Other wildlife, including black bear, white-tailed deer and wild turkeys, also roam the area. Cataloochee Valley is rich in history; with original homesteads still standing (tour a school, churches, a barn, and several homes), learn what life was like for early settlers of the area. There's also plenty of hiking, camping and fishing to be had here, so make sure a trip to Cataloochee Valley is on your itinerary while visiting Haywood County.