Gatlinburg is a mountain town at the main entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the United States. The walkable downtown Parkway is lined with shops, candy stores and attractions, and most visitors stay in a cabin or chalet up in the surrounding hills, many with hot tubs, decks and mountain views.
Where to stay
- Downtown and the Parkway put you within walking distance of shops, restaurants and the trolley, but cabins here are few and close together.
- Chalet Village and Ober Mountain, on the hillsides above downtown, have the most cabins and chalets, with views and a short drive into town.
- The Arts & Crafts Community area northeast of town is quieter, with cabins in the woods near the craft studios on the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts loop.
Best times to visit
- Fall colors: October is the busiest month, when the leaves turn; book early.
- Winter lights: From November through February, Smoky Mountain Winterfest decorates Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville with holiday lights, and January and February have the lowest cabin rates.
- Spring: April and May bring wildflowers and waterfalls in the national park, with lighter crowds than summer.
- Weather to know: Snow and ice can make steep cabin driveways hard to climb in winter, so check the access road before you book if you don’t have four-wheel drive.
Getting there
The nearest airport is McGhee Tyson (TYS) near Knoxville, about an hour’s drive. Gatlinburg sits at the south end of the Parkway (US-441), about 8 miles past Pigeon Forge, and the road continues into the national park over Newfound Gap to Cherokee, North Carolina.
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Things to do
- Hike to waterfalls like Laurel Falls or Grotto Falls, or drive the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
- Walk the Gatlinburg SkyBridge or take the aerial tramway to Ober Mountain, with skiing in winter.
- Visit Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies and Anakeesta, a mountaintop park with treetop bridges and views.
