GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS
NATIONAL PARK
HIKING TRAILS JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM
Whether out for a quiet stroll or outfitted for a day-
long hike, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
has a trail for you. Here are some
of the most popular. National parks offer a special Junior Ranger
program for kids 5-12 years old. By completing
a series of activities during a park
visit and sharing answers with
a park ranger, youngsters may
receive an official Junior Ranger
patch and certificate. Booklets are
available at any park visitor center
($2.50) or can be downloaded at
gps.gov/grsm.
Laurel Falls Trail: 2.6 paved
miles; 80-foot-high Laurel Falls is
found at the 1.3-mile mark. It is
the longest of four paved trails in
the park.
Clingmans Dome: At 6,643
feet, this is the highest point in
Tennessee. An observation tower
is at the end of a steep half-mile
paved trail, where you can see for
hundreds of miles on a clear day.
Alum Cave Trail: Creeks are
crossed on log bridges along this
5-mile round-trip trail that winds
through an old-growth hardwood
forest. It leads to Alum Cave Bluff,
an 80-foot-tall concave cliff, and Arch Rock, one of
the park’s most unusual geologic formations.
Gatlinburg Trail: Great for beginners, this trail
is an easy walk and located directly behind the
Sugarlands Visitor Center. It’s 0.9 miles long with
only a slight elevation of 93 feet.
Pet Lovers: Dogs are allowed on two park hiking
trails – Gatlinburg Trail and Oconoluftee River Trail.
Outside those two areas, pets are allowed in the
park only in campground and picnic areas.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TRAIL
Located near Sugarlands Visitor Center, the
Sugarlands Valley Trail is wheelchair accessible.
Partially paved and nearly level, the half-mile path
is good for all skill levels and is highlighted by
a waterfall. The self-guided nature trail features
numbered interpretive signs along the route.
CADES COVE
Laurel Creek Road, the only route
to access the popular Cades
Cove area of the national park, will
be closed to automobiles, cyclists
and pedestrians from Jan. 3,
2020, through Feb. 29, 2020.
Cades Cove is a lesson in Smoky
Mountain history. Park visitors
can view cabins, barns, gristmills, stores and
other buildings constructed by early settlers,
before the area became a national park. The cove
is a special place to see via car, on foot or by
bicycle. From early May until late September on
Wednesday and Saturday, 6-10 a.m., Cades Cove
Loop Road is open to bicyclists only. Bicycles can
be rented at Cades Cove Campground store.
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