Must-see attractions in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

In Appalachian parlance, a cove means a valley, but Cades Cove is far more than that. One of the most popular destinations in the Tennessee section of…

Mt LeConte (6593ft) is the park’s third-highest peak and one of its most familiar sights, visible from practically every viewpoint. The only way to get to…

To get bread on the table, early residents of Cades Cove first had to mill their grains and corn. Above all other staples, corn was the most important…

‘On top of Old Smoky’ is Clingmans Dome (elevation 6643ft), the park’s highest peak. At the summit, a steep, half-mile paved trail leads to an observation…

One of the park's most picturesque 19th-century buildings, the Mingus Mill is a turbine-powered mill that still grinds wheat and corn much as it has since…

This restored stone fire tower provides 360-degree views over the ridges and valleys in the eastern half of the Smokies. It's a lovely site, reachable by…

With its weatherboarding, interior paneling and shingled gables, as well as its white exterior and jaunty blue trim, this frame house, built in 1906,…

Children enjoy splashing in the shallows of Abrams Creek at this woodsy picnic spot, where a number of tables are perched by the water. You'll find grills…

The picturesque Tipton homestead was built by Mexican War veteran ‘Colonel Hamp’ Tipton in the early 1870s. The grounds include a spacious two-floor cabin…

Adjacent to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, this excellent collection of historic buildings evokes life on a typical farmstead of the late 19th century…

Built in the early 1940s to provide power for America's industrial needs during WWII, Fontana is the tallest dam east of the Rockies. At 2365ft wide, it's…

This 8-mile-long road is permanently closed to motorized traffic, though it's open to mountain bikers and walkers, who can enjoy some serene forest views…

The lowest drivable pass through the Smoky Mountains is located here, at 5046ft. After the pass was discovered in 1872, a new road followed suit,…

This scenic overlook provides a sweeping view of the various types of forests covering the slopes to the east. You'll see spruce-fir forest at the top,…

Cades Cove's 1902 Methodist Church has a small but picturesque white steeple and includes gravestones on its lawn. It was built by blacksmith and…

Elkmont has much history hidden in its woodlands. Just south of the campground (crossing the bridge over Little River), you'll find a clubhouse and…

Located along the western section of the Foothills Pkwy (around Mile 7.3 if driving north from Chilhowee), this tower is reachable on an easy half-mile…

It's an uphill slog to get here, but you'll be rewarded with jaw-dropping views once you make it to the historic fire tower and clamber your way to the…

This long, narrow reservoir east of the Fontana Dam stretches for around 29 miles across some 10,000 acres. Located along the southern fringe of the…

One of three rural churches that remain standing in Cades Cove, the 1887 Primitive Baptist Church is flanked by an atmospheric cemetery. Look out for the…