How to Spend 1 Day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Only have 1 day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Perhaps you’re driving through the area or just have a day trip to GSMNP. Either way, I’ll show you how to spend your limited time wisely!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is full of foliage, waterfalls, history, rivers (over 2,000 miles!), cabins, visitor centers, and tons of hiking. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out how to spend just one day in the park.

But don’t worry, I’ve put together a quick, easy, family-friendly itinerary for getting a great sample of the park in just one day. Take an easy hike, learn a bit about the history of the area, get some great views, and sneak in a waterfall! If you’re not sure how to spend 1 day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I’ve got you covered.

One Day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

We’ll spend the day along the Newfound Gap Road. This is the main road that travels from north to south (or south to north) through the park, from Gatlinburg to Cherokee. The road takes you by some highlights of the park, but most importantly, it gives you plenty of viewpoints to the mountain ranges of the park.

Before you head out, make sure to pack a lunch! You’l have the chance to stop at a beautiful picnic area. Eating inside a national park in such a beautiful setting is always one of our favorites!

Stop 1- Sugarlands Visitor Center

Sugarlands Visitor Center is a main hub of the park. It’s great for grabbing a souvenir, learning from the exhibits, chatting with rangers, or using the (real) bathroom.

I always suggest stopping at a visitor center when you visit national parks. We use to skip them, but now we love them. Our go-to souvenir is always a magnet, so we make sure to stop by to choose a magnet, at the very least!

You can also get a stamp for your national parks passport, get the kids a Junior Ranger booklet, and purchased your parking tag.

There is no entrance fee into Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but you do need to purchase and display a parking tag if you stay in any of the parking areas more than 15 minutes.

Stop 2- Cataract Falls

Cataract Falls in October. There’s a lot less water than in summer.

The Cataract Falls Trailhead is located right behind Sugarlands Visitor Center, so no need to move the car.

This hike is an easy, flat, 1 mile hike (roundtrip) along a small creek to a smaller waterfall. It’s an incredibly family-friendly trail in the park.

Cataract Falls will be impressive in late spring and into summer. Once you get into fall, there is still water, but it’s much less.

There are many waterfalls in the park, but this one is much easier than others and is conveniently right on route!

Stop 3- Big White Oak Quiet Walkway

Turn right out of the visitor center parking lot onto Fighting Creek Rd for a quick detour. Just a mile down the road and on the left is a pullover for the Big White Oak quiet walkway.

There are many “quiet walkways” in the park. Don’t be fooled, they are not all easy! In fact, most of the quiet walkways we did were quite steep.

Luckily, the Big White Oak quiet walkway way very flat and easy, making this a perfect one if you have kids.

The great thing about this specific walkway is, well, the big white oak.

You’ll come to the oak tree almost immediately upon entering the trail. Admire it and leave, or take the short loop through the trees.

This was the coolest quiet walkway we did, so I wanted to make sure to include it on your Great Smoky Mountains National Park 1 day itinerary.

Stop 4- Lunch at Chimney’s Picnic Area

Drive back toward the visitor center and take a right onto Newfound Gap Rd. Enjoy a scenic drive as you make your way to the Chimneys Picnic Area. You’ll find the entrance to the picnic area about 4.5 miles down the road after you turn from Sugarlands Visitor Center. The entrance will be on the right to a large picnic area that is beautiful and has plenty of tables.

Enjoy a packed lunch at one of the many picnic tables in the trees. A short walk from any table will take you to the West Prong Little Pigeon River along the north side.

There are garbage cans, bathrooms, and even a quiet walkway at this picnic area. Though I’ll warn you, this quiet walkway gets pretty steep!

Stop 5- Kuwohi Observation Tower

Kuwohi, formlerly known as Clingman’s Dome, is a popular spot in Great Smoky Mountains NP for a reason. It’s a shorter, albeit very steep, half-mile hike up to a 60 foot tower that overlooks 360 views of the mountains.

You’ll hike a half mile on a paved trail up the mountain, then you’ll get to a cement trail that leads straight up to the tower deck. Once at the top, you’ll be above the trees with unobstructed views.

It’s inspiring, to say in the least.

You can find the Kuwohi Observation Tower by taking Newfound Gap Rd to Kuwohi Rd. You’ll drive down Kuwohi Rd until it ends at the parking area, about 7 miles down.

Stop 6- Mountain Farm Museum

Head back to Newfound Gap Rd and continue south toward Cherokee, NC. Before making a stop at the Mountain Farm Museum, make sure to stop at some of the lookouts along Newfound Gap. We especially liked the Webb overlook, but there are many to choose from.

Continue down Newfound Gap, and before you exit the park boundary, you’ll see the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. This is where you’ll park to find the Mountain Farm Museum.

This area is a historic farm that you can take a nice, easy walk through. Go inside the old cabin home, check out the blacksmith cabin, try to spot chickens running around, see the springhouse, and visit the pigs in the pit (follow the smell!).

This is a fun area to walk around and enjoy history. You can then take the nearby trail along the Oconaluftee River to enjoy a gentle walk back to the visitor center.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park 1 day Itinerary

Here’s a quick-view graphic to planning your 1 day at Great Smoky Mountains NP.

Where to Stay

Gatlinburg is the best place to stay for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The town is located right at the border of the northern side of the park, giving easy access each day to drive in.

Gatlinburg is full of attractions and restaurants, but slightly less crowded than nearby Pigeon Forge which is just north. The tourist traffic is real, so it was nice not to have to drive through 2 busy towns!

We stayed at SureStay, right at the edge of town near the Newfound Gap entrance. The rooms were nice and spacious, breakfast was included, and it’s only a block or two from the main road in Gatlinburg full of attractions.

Other Great Places to stay in Gatlinburg

End- How to Spend 1 day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

If you only have one day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this is a great way to spend it! It gives you a great sample of history, hiking, mountain views, and even a waterfall. That’s a lot to see in one day, but it’s totally doable on this route.

This itinerary is great for families as there is nothing too intense, lots of stops, and live animals to keep the kids excited. Going down Newfound Gap Rd for the majority of the day also increases your chances of seeing things in the park. Many other areas of the park close down during winter months, but Newfound Gap Road stays open, depending on weather.

So any time of year, this Great Smoky Mountains National Park 1 day itinerary should work!

👉🏼 If you’re now realizing how much there is to see and want to expand your trip, check out this 3 day itinerary that takes you to 3 sections of the park.

Also Check Out:

Rainbow Falls – the tallest, single-drop waterfall in Great Smoky Mountains
Baskins Creek Falls – One of our faves in GSMNP
Spruce Flats Falls – best waterfall on the west side