Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour in Great Smoky Mountains

As the audio guides play commentary based on your gps location, you can create your own itinerary along the tour route to match your interests and schedule. Or you can use our trip planners for our suggestions on half, full or multi day itineraries. Some of the many highlights are listed below;

The 11-mile loop drive around Cades Cove is the culmination of all the fantastic things about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and one of the Park's must-do areas. This fertile valley is surrounded by beautiful Smoky peaks, and its idyllic setting and conditions attracted the earliest of European settlers to the region - a place where the Cherokee enjoyed fruitful hunting and foraging. As you tour the loop, we have the opportunity to visit historic cabins, churches, mills and barns. Always keep an eye out for black bears, deer and wild turkeys, which are frequently seen.

Driving the Roaring Fork short, one way 6-mile loop drive, is a surprisingly enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours right from Gatlinburg. You quickly leave the bustle of town and find ourselves in the peaceful forest and streams of the Roaring Fork Drive. Along the way you'll see picturesque cabins and buildings from the days before the National Park. Some of the Park's best waterfalls are available on short hikes from the road, including Rainbow and Grotto Falls, or the Trillium Gap Trail. Or directly accessible from the car, Noah "Bud" Ogles cabin, and Place of a Thousand Drips. Pack a lunch and enjoy at one the picnic spots along the way, there are no services along the road. Trailers, RVs and buses are prohibited on Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.

There is a good selection of moderately distanced hikes throughout the national park, and many of them visit attractive waterfalls. It's difficult to declare an absolute best one to choose, but a favorite is the Grotto Falls hike which departs from the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail The 2.6 mile loop trail is not particularly difficult and most hikers will complete it in under 2 hours, with generous time for stops along the way. The falls themselves are pretty, though not massive, but one of the fun things about this hike is that the trail actually passes behind the waterfall.

Dating back to 1886, the Mingus Mill served about 200 local families by grinding corn and grains into grits and flour. Learn about the novel (for its time) engineering behind the powering of the mill. Today, the restored building and the square penstocks that direct water make for great photos and you can often see the mill in action from Spring until the Fall.

Explorers are always looking for the low points in mountains for easier passable routes. And so when Swiss geographer Guyot found an improved pass, it was given the label Newfound Gap. Because there are several different ecosystems descending through the valley, you find a unique mix of trees including hardwood, pine-oak and spruce that contribute to a stunning fall foliage. And it's the perfect spot to see the blue "smoke" trails that the Smokies are so famous for. The haze is actually moisture released by this vegetation absorbing the sky's blue color. This was the site of the dedication of the National Park, and a memorial acknowledging the vital $5M contribution the Rockefeller family made towards the creation of the Park.

Gatlinburg, TN, is the most popular base for accessing the National Park. Located on the doorstop of the National Park, the town features just about every type of paid attraction, entertainment, dining and adventure operators. Or try some of the local moonshine at one of the distilleries. And there are no less than 3 chairlifts and tramways to get you to elevated views above the town.

Clingmans Dome (Kuwochi) is the tallest peak in the Park and on a perfect day, we can see 7 states from the top. At the junction of Newfound Gap Road and the Clingmans Dome (Kuwochi) access road, we will often see the famous smoky-effect rising from below. After reaching the car park, a paved trail climbs steadily leading to the observation tower. Although the trail is paved, it can be quite steep in places, so wheelchairs are not advised. The trail is 1.2 miles with an elevation of 331 feet. Sitting at over 6,500 feet, you'll see many walkers stopped along the trail trying to catch breath.