MSFT Place Travel Experiencing the Rugged Beauty of the Smokies

Experiencing the Rugged Beauty of the Smokies



There is no truer way to experience the rugged beauty of the southern Appalachians than to hike the trails of the Great Smoky Mountains.

The Smoky Mountains are a subrange of the Appalachian range, which runs all way from Canada to Alabama. The Smoky Mountains boast some of the most stunning features of the mountain range, including some of the tallest peaks east of the Mississippi, hardwood and spruce-fir forests, waterfalls, wildflowers, and a diversity of wildlife.

Bears, elk, foxes, boar, and deer are just a few of the creatures hikers may encounter in the Smokies.

Great Smoky Mountain Hiking

Our cabins are located just north of the Great Smoky Mountains border, within close proximity to several of the most popular areas to hike, including Newfound Gap, Roaring Fork, and Elkmont. These areas offer trails with a variety of difficulty levels, landscapes, and scenery. The hike to Mount LeConte

in Newfound Gap is considered rather strenuous but offers those who journey it the chance to encounter several interesting landmarks and spectacular views from the summit. Just outside of Gatlinburg in the Roaring Fork area is the Rainbow Falls trail, a moderate hike featuring dense forests and waterfalls. For those seeking a quieter, more historic adventure, the Avent Cabin trail in Elkmont passes by the remnants of several cottages built in the 1920s on its way to its namesake, built in 1845 and presently on the National Register of Historic Places.

Another popular hike not too far from our cabins is the Andrews Bald trail, beginning at Clingmans Dome, the highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains. The Andrews Bald trail is a short, moderate hike bringing you to a beautiful meadow with azalea and rhododendron blooms in the spring and views of Fontana Lake and the southern Smokies. Andrews Bald is the highest bald in the Smoky Mountains.

Great Smoky Mountain National Parks Walking Trails

There are four Visitor Centers located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. These centers offer visitors a variety of activities as well as short nature and historic hikes. The Oconaluftee Visitor Center, located just north of the Tennessee-North Carolina border, features a mountain life exhibit and trails through a mountain farm museum and along the Oconaluftee River. The mountain farm museum showcases a farmhouse, a barn, a smokehouse, and crop fields.