Hiking
Great Smoky Mountains National Park 17
Alum Cave Trail – Creeks are crossed on log bridges along this five-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 .
Kuwohi ( formally Clingmans Dome ) – Formally known as Clingmans Dome , the Cherokee name of Kuwohi was restored to the mountain in September 2024 and translates to “ mulberry place .” Kuwohi is a sacred place for the Cherokee people and is the highest point within the traditional Cherokee homeland and in Tennessee at 6,643 feet .
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 .
Cades Cove
Take a Hike Hike to the Little Greenbrier School and Walker Homesite .
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 . On Wednesdays from early May until late September , Cades Cove is closed to motor vehicle traffic . The 11-mile one-way Cades Cove Loop Road is open to bicyclists only . Bicycles can be rented at Cades Cove Trading Company .
Hike 3.4 miles ( 5.5 km ) roundtrip from Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area through hardwood forest to see remnants of stonework , the historic one-room Little Greenbrier School , and the preserved homesite of the Walker family . This trail includes sections of well-packed dirt path and wide gravel roadbed .
“ Of all the paths you take in life , make sure a few of them are dirt .”
- John Muir
Sugarlands Visitor Center Get your park visit off to a great start at Sugarlands Visitor Center where park rangers are available to answer questions and point you in the right direction . 107 Park Headquarters Road , Gatlinburg , Tenn .