The Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park has the most effective issues: it’s too standard. In recent times, the park has grow to be overcrowded with throngs of holiday makers parking for miles alongside the street’s shoulders, cramming onto slender mountain climbing paths, and clogging main intersections.
So, when is one of the best time to go to and keep away from the crowds?
From late Might till the top of October, the nationwide park is visited by greater than half one million individuals each month. As increasingly individuals search the preferred components of the park, it turns into increasingly tough to get there.
Happily, two shoulder seasons are one of the best instances to go to the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park. And there are all the time much less standard locations to go to that also supply mountain climbing trails and scenic views.
Learn this month-by-month breakdown of one of the best instances to go to Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park to study concerning the peak instances to keep away from, shoulder seasons which can be one of the best, and particular occasions chances are you’ll need to attend.
Do you might have a selected time of yr you go to yearly? Or do you base your plans on off-seasons and round holidays? Go away me a remark beneath and let me understand how you choose a date to go to this park.
Climate
I realized a lesson about climate predictions within the mountains the onerous method. One morning, I checked the native excessive for the day – it was purported to prime 70 levels. I grabbed shorts and a t-shirt, left my jacket behind, and headed to a close-by mountain summit for a day hike on the Appalachian Path.
Once I reached the car parking zone, which was practically 4,000 toes increased in elevation, the temperature was a frigid 50 levels. And the wind made it really feel even colder. I hiked to a spherical bald on the AT, captured exactly one picture, and instantly returned to my automobile.
Let this be a lesson.
The chart above exhibits the common month-to-month temperatures for the decrease elevations of the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park. Locations like Cades Cove, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Path, Oconaluftee, and Cataloochee Valley.
However if you wish to know the temperature at Newfound Hole, Mount LeConte, or Clingmans Dome, you’ll must subtract about 15 levels from the present temperature in Gatlinburg.
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April, Might, and September are essentially the most snug months for visiting the nationwide park. June and July are the most well liked and most humid months. Though it’s about 5 levels cooler within the shade of bushes, the humidity will cancel it out.
Rain falls within the park a number of days each month. March is the wettest month, with 4” of rainfall and fewer than an inch of snow. October is the driest month.
Crowds
2023 was the second-busiest yr ever within the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park. 13.2 million individuals visited the park for recreation, nearly 1 million shy of the report in 2021.
The Nice Smoky Mountains was the most-visited nationwide park within the nation. But it surely wasn’t the most-visited unit managed by the Nationwide Park Service. That report went to the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2023, with an astounding 3.5 million extra guests.
There are a number of the explanation why the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park is essentially the most visited. It’s inside a one-day drive of practically 70% of the nation’s inhabitants. The favored Blue Ridge Parkway feeds into the nationwide park at Oconaluftee. And there’s no admission price, though there’s a new parking tag price.
June and July are two of the busiest months of the yr within the nationwide park, however October is the busiest – practically 1.7 million individuals visited the park in October 2023. April and Might are a fantastic shoulder season earlier than the hustle and bustle begins in the summertime. August and September are a fantastic buffer season between the favored summer season and autumn.
Greatest Time to Go to
It’s inconceivable to definitively declare a selected greatest time to go to the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park. That reply is dependent upon what you need to do within the park – hike a path, spend an evening in a campground, or see the autumn colours.
However total, two instances a yr are greatest to go to: the shoulder seasons in April by Might and August by September.
The shoulder seasons have essentially the most snug climate with little rain, snug excessive and low temperatures, and low humidity. These are additionally the instances of yr with solely half the variety of month-to-month guests in comparison with July and October – the park’s busiest months of the yr.
You’ll be able to get pleasure from scenic drives, standard mountain climbing trails, and flowering vegetation all through the park from April by Might. It’s a good time of the yr to hike to Chimney Tops or Rainbow Falls. It’s additionally my favourite time of the yr to spend a day in Cades Cove. It’s one of the best time of the yr to hike to a waterfall to see essentially the most water spilling excessive.
From August by September, you’ll be able to get pleasure from most of the similar actions besides no flowering vegetation or thunderous waterfalls.
January
Every year begins quietly within the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park. January sees the best month-to-month snowfall within the park, with 3.8” on common. U.S. Freeway 441 (Newfound Hole Highway) closes regularly in January as a result of snowfall and usually stays closed for a day or two.
January is the coldest month of the yr within the nationwide park. Common temps in Gatlinburg attain a excessive of 47 levels and dip as little as 29 levels in a single day. The upper elevations may be 10-20 levels colder, particularly on windy days.
It’s the least-visited month of the yr within the park. The customer facilities, mountain climbing trails, and scenic roads have an eerie “ghost city” vibe. 500,000 individuals nonetheless go to the park, however that’s solely 25% of the variety of guests that peak in October.
Greatest Issues to Do in January:
February
Following on the heels of January, February is the second least visited month of the yr within the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park. Temperatures improve barely, which implies much less snow and extra rainfall.
There are not any actions or festivals in February. Clingmans Highway and the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Path are nonetheless closed. February isn’t one of the best time of yr to do something within the park.
Greatest Issues to Do in February:
- Go to historic constructions
March
Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park is residence to over 1,500 species of flowering vegetation. Starting about mid-March, the flowers begin blooming within the decrease elevations.
It’s the wettest month of the yr, with a mean of 4” of rainfall and fewer than an inch of snow. Daytime highs attain about 60 levels within the decrease elevations however barely break into the 50s at Newfound Hole. It’s the primary month of the yr that in a single day lows are above freezing.
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March sees a leap in daytime guests, practically doubling the variety of guests in February. Weekends grow to be crowded, but it surely’s nonetheless higher than throughout the summer season months.
Greatest Issues to Do in March:
- Discover the blooming wildflowers
- Hike to a waterfall
- Go to Cades Cove or Cataloochee Valley
April
April is my favourite month within the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park. And it’s one of many busiest instances of yr for ranger-led occasions and pure splendor.
Daytime highs attain the higher 60s within the decrease elevation and the higher 50s round Clingmans Dome. In a single day lows nonetheless dip into the 40s, so deliver an additional layer for after darkish.
April is the second-wettest month of the yr, with a mean of three.9” of rain. However the April showers are nice for the spring flowers and waterfalls – two of one of the best issues to do throughout this spring month.
Clingmans Dome Highway, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Path, Forge Creek Highway, and Wealthy Mountain Highway open across the finish of March and the primary week of April. This brings the primary alternatives of the yr to go to a few of these areas of the nationwide park which can be usually overcrowded in the summertime.
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Mountaineering to waterfalls is one of the best factor to do in April. The plentiful rain leaves the waterfalls churning, creating spectacular sights. Though the paths may be moist and muddy, particularly the path to Abrams Falls, seeing the waterfalls at their peak is price the additional effort.
The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage and Music of the Mountains are annual festivals that appeal to 1000’s of holiday makers. It’s a good time for these outside occasions with snug daytime temperatures. Nationwide Park Week brings a surge of weekend guests, however not that many throughout the weekdays.
April is the primary month of the yr to see a couple of million guests usually.
Greatest Issues to Do in April:
- Discover the blooming wildflowers
- Hike to a waterfall
- Go for a drive on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Path
- Day mountain climbing on standard trails
Might
Might is the top of the shoulder season earlier than the busy summer season months start in Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park. It’s one of the best month of the yr to go to the nationwide park due to the right alignment of climate, crowds, and issues to do.
Daytime highs rise above 70 levels for the primary time all yr. In a single day lows stay within the 50s within the decrease elevations, although you’ll nonetheless see higher 30s and 40s at Clingmans Dome and Newfound Hole. A median of three.6” of rain falls all through the month, which stays regular all through the summer season.
The variety of guests grows barely from April, reaching about 1.2 million in Might. It’s the midpoint of month-to-month guests for the yr – 5 months are busier, and 6 are much less crowded.
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Professional Journey Tip | The very best time to go to Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park in Might is throughout the week. Weekends, particularly later within the month, will grow to be more and more crowded. Nevertheless, till faculties are closed for the summer season, there can be far fewer weekday guests than on the weekends.
Greatest Issues to Do in Might:
- Discover the blooming wildflowers
- Search for blooming rhododendrons
- Hike to a waterfall
- Go for a scenic drive
- Go to Clingman’s Dome and Cades Cove
- Go for a day hike
- Spend the weekend backpacking by the park
June
June and July are two of the busiest months within the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park. 1.5 million individuals go to the park in June, pushing Gatlinburg, Cherokee, and Townsend to its capability for lodging and eating. Parking within the nationwide park turns into a nightmare as too many automobiles attempt to park in too few areas.
Daytime temperatures attain the 80s within the decrease elevations and 70s within the increased elevations. It’s essentially the most snug time of the yr to go to Clingmans Dome or hike to one of many Southern Sixers.
The synchronous fireflies occasion attracts 1000’s of holiday makers to the nationwide park. The annual occasion on the Elkmont Historic District grew to become so standard that the nationwide park employees created a lottery system for selecting guests like in a single day friends at LeConte Lodge.
Greatest Issues to Do in June:
- Search for blooming rhododendrons
- Hike one of many standard trails
- Go for a scenic drive
- Go to Cataloochee Valley, Fontana Dam, Greenbrier, or Cosby
- Go horseback driving
July
July is the height month for nearly the whole lot you don’t need to see within the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park. It’s the most well liked month of the yr, with a mean daytime excessive within the mid-80s. It’s essentially the most humid month of the yr, with a mean humidity of 75%. It’s the second-busiest month of the yr for guests, with 1.6 million guests – only one hundred thousand shy of the busiest month.
Between the Fourth of July weekend, overcrowding, parking points, and scorching and humid climate, it’s the definitive worst time of the yr to go to the nationwide park.
But when it’s the one time of the yr you’ll be able to go to, there may be nonetheless a sliver of hope. Cataloochee Valley, Greenbrier, and Cosby are much less standard park areas with mountain climbing trails, waterfalls, wildlife, and scenic views. July is a superb time to go to these areas.
And the Foothills Parkway continues to be a comparatively peaceable place to go to within the nationwide park. Go for a brief drive to Wears Valley and get on the scenic freeway. Drive so far as Look Rock Commentary Tower.
Greatest Issues to Do in July:
- Go to Cataloochee Valley, Fontana Dam, Greenbrier, or Cosby
- Go for a drive on the Foothills Parkway
- Hike one of many much less standard trails
August
After the mayhem of July, the common variety of guests to Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park drops 20%. You’ll discover the 400,000 fewer guests if you attempt to discover parking, e book a campsite, or hike one of many trails.
August and September are a brief shoulder season. It’s a lull between the summer season vacationers and the autumn leaf peepers. Temperatures start to chill, though daytime highs nonetheless linger within the 80s. Apparently, it’s the second-driest month of the yr with simply 3” of rainfall.
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It’s a good time to plan a trip to the nationwide park. The climate is ideal for outside actions, like mountain climbing, horseback driving, and in a single day backpacking. The crowds are sufficiently small to get pleasure from visiting Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome. August is the final nice hurrah for inexperienced leaves and shorts.
Moreover August being my beginning month, it’s additionally my favourite month of the yr for sunsets. Late night humidity can flip an unusual sundown right into a spectacular show of reds, oranges, and pinks throughout the partly cloudy sky. Head to the Foothills Parkway, Morton Overlook, or Clingmans Dome for one of the best sundown views within the park.
Greatest Issues to Do in August:
- Go to Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, or Roaring Fork Motor Nature Path
- Go for a drive on the Foothills Parkway
- Hike one of many standard trails
- Go horseback driving in Cades Cove or Smokemont
- Watch the sundown from an overlook
- Spend an evening in a campground
September
September is a shoulder month within the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park, making it the most effective instances to go to for smaller crowds. After peaking with a mean of 1.6 million month-to-month guests in July, the quantity drops to about 1 million by September. It’s extra crowded than the spring months however not as crowded as July or October.
It’s the most effective instances of yr to view wildlife from a distance safely. The annual elk rut begins about mid-September – it’s the time of yr when younger bull elks problem different bulls for dominance within the herd. The elk are regularly noticed on the Oconaluftee Customer Heart in Cherokee and Cataloochee Valley.
Greatest Issues to Do in September:
- Witness the elk rut at Oconaluftee
- Go to Cades Cove or Cataloochee Valley
- Hike one of many standard trails
- Watch the sundown from an overlook
- Spend an evening in a campground
- Go for a scenic drive
October
October defies the legal guidelines of nature as a result of it concurrently exists in two states. It’s one of the best and worst time of the yr to go to Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park.
It’s one of the best time of the yr due to the spectacular autumn colours sweeping the mountains. But it surely’s the worst time of the yr due to the 1.7 million guests – essentially the most of any month of the yr.
It’s tough to chase the autumn colours within the nationwide park due to the great variations in elevation. One other problem is timing the pure occasion to e book your lodging earlier than it’s all gone. The autumn colours peak from mid-October till early November in several park areas.
At any time when the colours start to peak, right here’s when you’ll be able to count on to see one of the best fall colours in several areas of the park:
- Week #1 | Little River Highway, Cades Cove, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Path, Oconaluftee
- Week #2 | Cataloochee Valley, Fontana Dam, Foothills Parkway, and the decrease parts of Newfound Hole Highway
- Week #3 | Clingmans Dome, Newfound Hole, Look Rock, Mount LeConte, and the Appalachian Path
Professional Journey Tip | Many resorts, resorts, and short-term lodging have a window for reserving cancellations. Make a number of bookings for those who can go to the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park each time the autumn colours are peaking. Ebook your lodging for as soon as per week from the second week of October till the primary week of November. When the cancellation date approaches, make your determination about when to go to.
Whereas the daytime highs stay within the 70s within the decrease elevations, by September, the upper elevations start dipping into the 60s throughout the day and 30s in a single day. It’s the driest month of the yr, so at the very least you don’t have to fret about being chilly and moist.
Greatest Issues to Do in October:
- Go to Cades Cove, Cataloochee Valley, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Path, Newfound Hole, or Clingmans Dome
- Go for a scenic drive (final probability of the yr)
- Go to a much less standard place like Greenbrier, Cosby, or Fontana Dam
November
All the pieces modifications within the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park in November. Campgrounds, scenic drives, and customer facilities start closing for the season. The climate takes a major flip towards winter. And the guests lastly go residence.
Smokemont, Cades Cove, and Elkmont are the one campgrounds open year-round. The Balsam Mountain Campground is the primary to shut seasonally in mid-October. These campgrounds shut for the yr by the top of October:
- Cosby
- Abrams Creek
- Massive Creek
- Cataloochee
- Deep Creek
- Look Rock
Cades Cove, Cataloochee Highway, and Newfound Hole Highway are open year-round. These scenic drives shut between the top of October and the top of November:
- Clingmans Dome Highway
- Heintooga Ridge Highway
- Wealthy Mountain Highway
- Roaring Fork Motor Nature Path
The Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome Customer Facilities shut on the finish of October. However for those who want data or recommendation, you’ll be able to nonetheless go to the Sugarlands Customer Heart in Gatlinburg or the Oconaluftee Customer Heart in Cherokee.
The climate will get nearer to freezing temperatures, with in a single day lows dipping into the 30s within the decrease elevations. November is a wetter month, and usually, it’s the first month in autumn to see snowfall.
The variety of guests plummets by nearly 50% after the height of fall colours. November isn’t the quietest month of the yr – that’s January – but it surely’s quiet sufficient to get pleasure from scenic drives and mountain climbing trails with out seeing many others.
Greatest Issues to Do in November:
- Customer historic constructions (outdoors solely)
- Construct campfires within the campgrounds
December
The yr ends with thunderous silence after the chaotic leaf peeping season and overcrowded summer season. Temperatures drop to the second lowest of the yr, and as much as one inch of snow blankets the mountain summits and Newfound Hole.
Surprisingly, 700,000 individuals go to the nationwide park in December. Most are day journey guests from Gatlinburg and Cherokee desirous to hike the sparsely populated trails.
Sugarland Customer Heart and Oconaluftee Customer Heart are closed throughout the winter. December and January are the one months of the yr with no open customer facilities.
Greatest Issues to Do in December:
- Winter tenting at Cades Cove, Elkmont, or Smokemont