One Day on the Tennessee Side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

If you have one day and are entering the park from the Tennessee side, start early, pack a picnic lunch, and drive to the Sugarlands Visitor Center to orient yourself to the park. Beat the crowds to the Cades Cove Loop Road and drive the 11-mile loop, stopping to explore the preserved farmsteads and churches. Spend some time in the Cable Mill area, visiting the gristmill, Gregg-Cable House, and other outbuildings. Depending on your timing, you can picnic at one of the stops in Cades Cove or Metcalf Bottoms. Make at stop at Elkmont Campground and look at the restored holiday cabins, at least four now open to the public. Take Newfound Gap Road up to Newfound Gap. Clingmans Dome Road is just over the state line, but if you've come this far you'll want to drive up. Stretch your legs and walk to the observation tower on Clingmans Dome. Return down Clingmans Dome and Newfound Gap Roads and then proceed on to Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Stop to explore the preserved cabins and other sites along the trail. At Auto Tour site no. 5, park in the parking lot at the Trillium Gap trailhead and—if you have the time and are up to a moderate 2.6-mile (round-trip) hike—walk to Grotto Falls.