With winter finally in the rearview, most people attempting a northbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail this year have already started their trek at Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia—and many have already made it to or through the 71.6 miles that fall within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. So far in 2024, the park has issued 2,190 thru-hiker permits, a number that is likely
More than a year has passed since Great Smoky Mountains National Park launched its parking tag program March 1, 2023, and the park is spending the more than $12 million raised since then—by the parking tags and higher camping and backpacking fees approved at the same time—to significantly improve the visitor experience at America’s most-visited national park. “This is a legacy program that we’ll see
The Great Smokies Welcome Center is located on U.S. 321 in Townsend, TN, 2 miles from the west entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Visitors can get information about things to see and do in and around the national park and shop from a wide selection of books, gifts, and other Smokies merchandise. Daily, weekly, and annual parking tags for the national park are also available.
