Great Smoky Mountains - family driving trip
 

Hi!
Our family (me, husband, 2 boys - 15 yr old and 12 yr old) are driving from PA to Great Smoky Mountains in August. I'd love advice on a few things:

1. We love to hike the quiet trails, but I am concerned about running into a bear. What trails would be good?

2.What else should we do in and out of the park - besides enjoy the park to the fullest?

3. Where to stay, we are quite content with a simple clean room that has a bathroom and fridge. Stay in NC or TN?

4. We are driving from PA, down Rt. 81, to the park. Can anyone give us ideas on good stops on the way down? Either somewhere to stop and enjoy for a few hours and stay overnight OR just neat things to see/do? I already know about Luray Caverns and the Car Museum in that town.

5. Any other advice would be appreciated :)

Thanks!!!

You will love the Smokies!

The best hiking trails (IMHO) in the Smokies is on the Tennessee side. Yes, there are bears in the Smokies, although in all the years I've hiked in the Smokies, I have yet to see one on a trail. Having four people in your group is a great deterrent. That said, you should always be prepared for a bear encounter!

Depending on how far you want to hike each day, there are some trails that aren't as crowded as others.

For a short hike, Andrews Bald has LOTS of acreage on top and plenty of grassy spots for a family to have a lovely picnic lunch while enjoying some amazing views.

http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/andrewsbald.htm

If you're looking for something longer and a bit more challenging, Gregory Bald is a great hike:

http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/gregory.htm

Some great hikes, but may be crowded (especially on a weekend), are Abrams Falls, Alum Cave and Charlie's Bunion.

You'll want to make the scenic drive around Cades Cove (11 mile one way loop) which has lots of historical structures to enjoy. You'll want to arrive EARLY as it gets very crowded and you'll be sitting in traffic. Keep in mind it is closed to car traffic in the summers on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10AM for bicyclists.

Gatlinburg is a touristy, touristy town. Around 4-5 PM when everyone starts coming out of the park to go to dinner in town, it can take 30 minutes to an hour to get into Gatlinburg.

We like to stay in Townsend, TN, also known as the quite side of the Smokies. Just a handful of motels and cabin rentals, but totally different atmosphere. We've had great luck with Dogwood Cabin Rentals.

Thank you so much, this is very helpful :)

If you're looking for quiet, you might also look at rentals in the Cosby area. The Greenbriar section of the park is nearby and I really enjoy the hiking there. I may be an outlier here on Fodors, but I don't hate Gatlinburg. Yes, it's tacky and crowded, but I like its centrality in terms of visiting the various sections of the TN side of the park, and we enjoy some of the restaurants and shops. For me, Townsend was a bit cut off from the rest of the park. Yes, you can drive through the park from Townsend to get to other areas, but that road itself can be busy and frustrating. We've rented a cabin in Gatlinburg and that helps disengage from the crowds. This next time, we're staying at a cabin in Cosby though for a change of pace.

Here is my favorite online hiking resource for the Smokies.
http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/location.htm

You likely won't encounter a bear (I've seen one out of any number of visits and hikes), but you need to learn how to respond if you do see one and practice good bear safety. If you want to see one though, you might visit Cades Cove at dusk. We've spotted them there (from our car).

I have seen lots of bears over the years in the Smokies and surrounding TN,NC,GA,SC and VA. Also NH and ME, though not in bear-infested NE PA and NW Jersey.

The only time I worry is when they are hungry and sex-crazed in the spring and when they have cubs.

Talk, sing, clap hands if you smell them (unexplained extremely foul smell in woods) or hear them crashing around in the blackberries.

indyhiker: Sorry if I sounded like I disliked Gatlinburg, which is not the case at all. But I do like to warn first-time visitors in case they are expecting a quiet mountain town which you usually find near most national parks. We've stayed in cabins and on the strip in Gatlinburg when we visit. We especially enjoy the Smoky Mountain Brewery for dinner! :)

My comments about Gatlinburg weren't necessarily directed at you. Gatlinburg is just generally maligned here and elsewhere and while I more than understand the criticism, I think it does have some positive attributes, too. For us, it just provides better access to several of our favorite hiking areas. We do prefer to rent a cabin there rather then a hotel. That allows us more flexibility with meals.

Thank you so much. This is great. Keep the advice coming, I appreciate it all!

Any advice on Le Conte Lodge - the different trails leading to it? How difficult is the easiest one? I see that the shortest one will be closed for a while in 2015, open just on Fri, Sat, Sun. How about the other trails?

Arguably Trillium Gap is the easiest trail to get to the Lodge. But you gotta hike smart, especially in August in the heat. I'm amazed at how many people we see hiking in the Smokies without water or sturdy shoes. But it sounds like you may do some hiking and hopefully know how to prepare.

We hike with a bear whistle on each pack if that would make you feel better.