Gatlinburg & the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Day One - 1 May 2019 - The Drive 🚘

We started our journey in Nashville and headed east on I-40 towards Knoxville. Along the way, we made a stop at the Caney Fork rest stop, where we were able to appreciate the Marking Time art sculpture. After a quick break, we continued our drive and stopped in Cookeville for lunch at Chick-fil-A.

Once we finished our meal, we resumed our journey by getting back onto the highway and turning onto I-140 towards Maryville. In Maryville, we stopped to fill up my Honda Fit with gasoline. Luckily, the car has decent highway mileage and only required a half-tank top-up.

From there, we switched gears and headed to Walland, TN, where we traveled along the Foothills Parkway to the Wears Valley Road Terminus. Continuing our journey on Wears Valley Road, we stopped at Publix in Pigeon Forge to buy food for that evening. Finally, we made our way to Gatlinburg and checked into our hotel.

Day Two - 2 May - Little River Trail, Husky branch falls, Newfound Gap, and Clingman’s dome

We woke up early Around 5:45 am to prepare for the day. We had breakfast at the Hotel, a free continental breakfast, and then we went back to our room and grabbed our daypacks. Then we headed off to the Elkmont Trailhead to hike the Little River Trail. We hiked along the trail to Huskey Branch Falls, and then hiked a little ways up the Cucumber Gap trail. For a total of 5 ½ miles.

After the hike, we were a tad exhausted. So, we drove back to the Sugarlands Visitor Center and Gift Shop. I picked up a small black bear 🐻 plush toy, a T-Shirt, and a Hat at the gift shop. Then we drove up Newfound Gap Road (Highway 441) to Newfound Gap.

At Newfound Gap, we took many pictures of the vistas that could be seen from the gap. From there we drove up to Clingmans Dome and took even more photos of the vistas there. Then we drove back down Newfound Gap Road to Gatlinburg and back to our hotel. After getting back to our hotel, we went out to eat at a No Way Jose’s Catina off the Gatlinburg Parkway. I had forgotten how much of a pain it is to drive around Gatlinburg. The food at the restaurant was excellent.

Day Three - 3 May - Andrews Bald and the Oconaluftee Visitor Center

We began our adventure by walking down the 1.8 mile Forney Ridge trail and winding through the evergreen forests to reach Andrews Bald. The first stretch of the trail from the Clingmans Dome parking lot had a steep drop in elevation and numerous stairs, but eventually evened out and became a pleasant ridge walk to Andrews Bald. The hike back up to the parking lot from Andrews Bald was challenging, but we kept our spirits high despite the fog and light rain that fell.

Next, we drove down from the Clingmans Dome Parking Lot to Newfound Gap Road and continued on to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. After exploring the Visitor Center and Gift Shop, we ventured into Cherokee, NC for lunch. Once we finished our meal, we drove back over Newfound Gap and spotted some elk grazing in the meadows around Oconaluftee. To conclude our day, we went to Publix in Pigeon Forge to pick up some supplies and dinner before driving back to our hotel in Gatlinburg.

It was an exhilarating day filled with hiking, exploring, and encountering wildlife. Let me know if you have additional questions or want more ideas for your next trip.

Day Four - 4 May - Laurel Falls and Cades cove

To avoid the crowds, we started our day early and ventured to Laurel Falls around dawn. On the drive to the falls, we were fortunate enough to spot a coyote on Little River Road. Upon our arrival at the falls, we had the area all to ourselves, which allowed us to fully appreciate the majesty of the waterfall. As we left the falls, we noticed that the number of people walking towards it had risen to 67 by 9 a.m. Therefore, it's best to get to the trailhead by 7 am if you want to avoid the crowds.

After Laurel Falls, we drove to Cades Cove, where we indulged in an eleven-mile scenic loop around the cove. While halfway through the loop, a turkey guided our way, and later on, we spotted a bear causing a commotion as people were too close to it. During the trip, we also discovered several fantastic scenic overlooks that offered ideal photo opportunities.

As the day continued, a summer thunderstorm rolled in. In the summer months, the Smoky Mountains are well-known for having sunny days that often give way to afternoon rains and thunderstorms due to increased humidity. However, the storms quickly move on and the clear skies return.

In the late afternoon, we went for an early dinner at Five Guys on the Gatlinburg Parkway.

It was an eventful day filled with wildlife sightings, scenic views, and delicious food. Let me know if you have additional questions or want more recommendations for activities in the area.

Day Five - 5 May - leaving Gatlinburg and driving back home 🚘

In the morning, after packing our bags and having a complimentary hotel (❤️ Hampton Inn) breakfast, we checked out and left Gatlinburg around 6:30 am. Unfortunately, it was raining on our way back. We went through the park on the Little River Road back through Townsend, TN, and then navigated the circuitous directions on Google Maps to go through Maryville before getting back on I-140 and I-40 to drive back home.

Fortunately, our drive back was peaceful as it was Sunday morning and there was minimal traffic on the interstate at that time. After stopping at the Caney Fork rest area, we finally made it back to Nashville in around 4 hours or so.

Although the weather could have been better, it was still an enjoyable and memorable trip.

Using points from my Capital One Venture card, I managed to offset some travel-related expenses, which significantly reduced the overall cost of the trip.