Great Smoky Mountains National Park NC Vacation Guide

Top 15 Things to Do in the Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina

Cataloochee Valley is home to the elk that were brought back to the Smokies beginning in 2001. Watch the elk from your car as you enjoy a picnic. In the beautiful Cataloochee Valley, you can tour an historic school, churches, barn, and several homes. There several great hiking trails for all skill levels. The Boogerman Trail is challenging 7-mile loop. Read more.

The Oconaluftee Visitor Center is located at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on U.S. Highway 441 near Cherokee, North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Parkway ends nearby. Stop by the Oconaluftee Visitor Center for plenty of maps, guides, helpful park rangers and programs. At the center, find the Mountain Farm Museum with relocated farm buildings that create an open-air museum. Nearby is Mingus Mill.

The hike to the summit of Mount Cammerer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is accessible via a trail from the Big Creek area, just off Interstate 40 near the North Carolina/Tenneessee line (about 50 miles from Asheville). The Big Creek area is in the northern end of the park. There is a ranger station, campground, picnic area and restrooms here. Nearby is the Mt. Sterling Hike, along with Whitewater Rafting, Jeep Tours and Zip Line Canopy Tours.

CLOSED FOR 2013: To take a road less traveled, drive to Balsam Mountain via the Heintooga Ridge Road that starts at the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 458.2, just 11 miles from the south end of the Parkway. The road takes you into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, that includes a picnic area and the beautiful Heintooga Overlook. The one-lane unpaved Heintooga Round Bottom Road begins there for a more adventurous drive (or what we call "car hiking") through the Park, ending in the Cherokee Indian Reservation.

The Deep Creek area of the Great Smokies is popular for its streams and waterfalls. Hikers can choose from several loop hikes leading to several small waterfalls. Mountain bikers can take advantage of one of the few park bike trails. To get to Deep Creek, head to Bryson City and follow the signs three miles. Deep Creek Campground is open April until October. Trails to the waterfalls start from the large parking area at the end of Deep Creek Road. Rent tubes nearby and float down the creek. Read more.

Keep Distance from Bears!
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the few places remaining where black bears can live in wild, natural surroundings. Bears live in all elevations of the park, although visitors seldom see one. Approximiately 1,500 bears live in the park (spread throughout 500,000 acres). Bears (and elk on the NC side of the park) are wild animals that are dangerous and unpredictable. Here are some tips from the Park Rangers.

Do not feed bears! Do not approach bears or allow them to approach you. Willfully approaching within 50 yards (150 feet), or any distance that disturbs or displaces a bear, is illegal in the park. Violation of this federal regulation can result in fines and arrest. Use binoculars, telephoto lens, or a spotting scope to view the animals.

Bears, like humans, are omnivores. Plant materials such as berries and nuts make up approximately 85% of their diet. Insects and animal carrion provide valuable sources of protein for bears. Bears have color vision and a keen sense of smell. In addition, they are good tree climbers, can swim very well, and can run 30 miles per hour.

Bears are most active during early morning and late evening hours in spring and summer. Bears in the park are wild and their behavior is sometimes unpredictable. Although extremely rare, attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death.

If you see a bear, remain watchful. Do not approach it. If your presence causes the bear to change its behavior (stops feeding, changes its travel direction, watches you, etc.), you're too close. Being too close may promote aggressive behavior from the bear such as running toward you, making loud noises, or swatting the ground. The bear is demanding more space. Don't run, but slowly back away, watching the bear. Try to increase the distance between you and the bear. The bear will probably do the same.

If a bear persistently follows or approaches you, without vocalizing, or paw swatting, try changing your direction. If the bear continues to follow you, stand your ground. If the bear gets closer, talk loudly or shout at it. Act aggressively and try to intimidate the bear. Act together as a group if you have companions. Make yourselves look as large as possible (for example, move to higher ground). Throw non-food objects such as rocks at the bear. Use a deterrent such as a stout stick. Don't run and don't turn away from the bear. Don't leave food for the bear; this encourages further problems.

Most injuries from black bear attacks are minor and result from a bear attempting to get at people's food. If the bear's behavior indicates that it is after your food and you're physically attacked, separate yourself from the food and slowly back away.

If the bear shows no interest in your food and you're physically attacked, fight back aggressively with any available object--the bear may consider you as prey! Help protect others, report all bear incidents to a park ranger immediately. Above all, keep your distance from bears!

Photo by Deb Keny Campbell.