Compare parks
Choose up to three parks. Compare the season, suggested stay and practical details for your trip.
Which park fits your trip?
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| Trip details | Great Smoky Mountains |
|---|---|
| Suggested park days | 3–5 days |
| Useful base | Gatlinburg / Townsend / Cherokee |
| Landscape | Mountains |
| Activities | Hiking · Camping · Wildlife |
| October daytime high | 67° |
| October nighttime low | 47° |
| Monthly precipitation | 80 mm |
| Daylight | 11.1 hours |
| Mild-weather months | May · Sep · Oct |
| Selected access guidance | Parking tags are separate from entrance passes |
| Climate source town | Gatlinburg (4 km away) |
Park facts & research inventory
Record counts describe the research inventory, rather than the quality or availability of an outing.
| Trip details | Great Smoky Mountains |
|---|---|
| Region | East & South |
| State / territory | North Carolina, Tennessee |
| Named trail records | 244 |
| Mapped points of interest | 1,929 |
| Mapped parking features | 0 |
| Park area | 522,426.88 acres |
| Annual visits (2025) | 11.5M visits |
| Established | June 15, 1934 |
Climate describes nearby source towns, not park-wide conditions or a forecast. Terrain and altitude matter. Locations over 150 km away are regional context only. Selected access guidance is incomplete.