How do you enjoy the fall in the Great Smoky Mountains? The first thing to do is—be here! There is a reason October is the busiest month in one of the busiest tourist destinations in the nation. Fall in the Great Smoky Mountains is spectacular!
I have lived near the Great Smoky Mountains for five years, and I have tried to find the best ways to enjoy the fall. Here’s five great places to enjoy the fall in the Great Smoky Mountains.
1. Laurel Falls Trail. Even though fall is glorious in the Smoky Mountains, one thing we lack is red leaves. Most of our trees turn yellow or orange. So, when you see a lot of red leaves, it really stands out.
I remember the first year I was living in Sevierville. It was an overcast day near the end of October, and I drove into the park to hike in Elkmont in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). I drove by the Laurel Falls Trailhead on my way, and I noticed something. There were red leaves everywhere. I changed my hike for the day. I hiked up to Laurel Falls and beyond. It is still the most beautiful hike I have done in the park (and I’ve hiked a lot!).
That day, I texted my wife: “Whatever you’re doing, stop, and come to the GSMNP.” I put the same on Facebook. This was peak color at the place of the most varied color I had yet seen. The Laurel Falls Trail is a 3 mile round trip hike on a paved trail. It is a relatively easy hike for those who want to get out and see the colors.
To get there: Go to the Sugarlands Visitor Center in the GSMNP just south of Gatlinburg. Take a right onto Fighting Creek Gap Road. The Laurel Falls Trailhead is 3.7 miles from the Visitor Center on your right.
Tip: if you don’t mind walking in a little bit of rain, an overcast day is a great way to see the colors without all the crowds. The Laurel Falls Trail gets crazy busy. On the other hand, if you’re an extrovert and love talking to people, go on a sunny day and talk to everyone on the way up and down.
2. Newfound Gap Road. If you come to the Great Smoky Mountains in early October, you may be disappointed with the lack of color. Don’t worry! The different elevations of the GSMNP provide color from late September into November. Just go up!
The Newfound Gap Road is essentially the same road as the Parkway in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. You just keep going south. As you go south, you will go up. If the leaves haven’t changed at one elevation, keep going. This road will take you all the way to the stunning views of Newfound Gap. Keep going past Newfound Gap, and you can turn right to go to Clingman’s Dome.
People ask me from time to time, what is the best hike for good views? To get good views on a hike in the GSMNP generally requires a lot of walking. However, you can experience great views of the mountains by simply driving up the Newfound Gap Road. At any time of year, it’s worth driving this road but especially in the fall.
Tip: remember that the change in elevation also means a change in temperature. If you want to walk around at the higher elevations, bring additional clothing or jackets for much cooler weather.
3. Ober Mountain (HT: my friend Art Stump). Ober Gatlinburg is known for skiing, but it has a lot more to offer. It has ice skating, a mountain coaster, shops, restaurants, and much more. One great way to see the fall colors is by taking the aerial tramway up to Ober Mountain.
Ober Mountain has a German theme to it. So, not surprisingly, these folk also celebrate Oktoberfest. You can enjoy traditional German food, drinks, and music.
4. For the ambitious: hike Mount LeConte. As you drive around Sevier County, you can see Mount LeConte from almost any spot. It is the mountain that dominates the southern horizon in our county.
Mount LeConte is a hard but rewarding hike. There are five trails that lead to the summit of Mount LeConte, and they all are at least 5 miles one way with at least a 2500 ft. elevation change. The shortest is the Alum Cave Trail, but it is very crowded throughout the year.
The trails to Mount LeConte feature a variety of panoramic views of the topography and the changing leaves of the forest. Mount LeConte is only around 6,000 feet above sea level, but the contrast with the surrounding area (which is at around 1,000 feet above sea level) is dramatic.
Some people stay in the cabins near the summit of Mount LeConte. Even if you are not staying overnight, you can call ahead and order a meal or purchase coffee, hot chocolate, or lemonade (without calling ahead) at the Lodge. There is also a place to refill water bottles and use the restroom.
Tips: this is not a hike for the faint of heart. Remember to bring appropriate clothing, first aid kits, water, food, and other essentials for a long hike in the wilderness.
5. Local events. There are many events that take place in the fall. The most popular is probably Dollywood’s Great Pumpkin Luminights. Dollywood puts out an astonishing number of pumpkins and fall decorations. The park is open at night, and you can see the pumpkins and other fall decorations lit up. I highly recommend it, but it’s very busy. Dollywood also has their Southern Gospel concerts at this time.
Tip: If you can get to the Great Smoky Mountains early in the week, go to Dollywood on a Monday or Tuesday for smaller crowds. If you like big crowds, go on Friday or Saturday night!
A couple of other events that I enjoy in the fall are First Baptist Church of Sevierville’s corn maze. On the first week of October, First Baptist Church sets up a free corn maze with free food and other activities. It is their way of loving the community. You can find the corn maze directly across from Sevierville City Park (If you miss it, try Kyker Farms’ corn mazes).
Another event that I attend every fall is the Scots Irish Festival in Dandridge. Dandridge is Northeast of Sevierville/Pigeon Forge. The drive along the northern shore of Douglas Lake is fantastic. It will lead you to the small, historic town of Dandridge, TN. This festival always takes place on the last Saturday of September. It is a free festival that features food, music, and Celtic paraphernalia for sale. The small town itself and the location below the dyke make for a great atmosphere. I highly recommend it.
And, finally, don’t forget to just walk around and see the fall beauty around you. Once the color descends from the mountains, you can see beautiful fall views just about everywhere. By late October, my favorite place to enjoy the fall is simply walking around my neighborhood (like in the picture below). Go from wherever you are in the Great Smoky Mountains, walk around, and enjoy the colors and the views of the mountains.
And what about you? Do you feel there’s something I should add to this list? Is there a favorite of yours that I’ve missed? Please add it in the comments below. If you like this post, go to the sidebar (laptop) or scroll down (cellular device) to subscribe to this blog. I will be posting travel articles regularly to encourage you to travel now and explore the world.
In the meantime, enjoy the fall, y’all!
Other favorite locations to enjoy the incredible beauty of the fall colors (and the gifts of all the seasons) is the Little River Trail at Elkmont, the Porters Creek Trail in Greenbrier and the Quiet Walkway at the end of the road at Tremont (at the parking area, walk across the bridge and stay to the left). These are group friendly trails for those that experience a lot of guests at this time of year where you hike along the river and enjoy a pleasant walk. You will be surrounded by the spectacular colors of fall or the brisk beauty of winter or the delicate wildflowers of spring or the lush green of summer. These trails will not disappoint no matter what the season.
Great suggestions, Cindy! It’s also cool to hear how you have enjoyed the fall here in the Smokies!
We love the Greenbriar area of the park. Never crowded. I always think it feels like a secret. We really enjoyed Elkmont, when we came last time. I’m not sure how we missed it in the past. And no trip to PF is complete for us without a trip (or 3) to the Lazerport arcade LOL.
Haha, Jennifer! That is great. I always love when you all can come down. Good point on Greenbrier. It is amazing how less crowded it is in light of the fact that it is only a couple of miles from the Gatlinburg strip. I tell people about it all the time and say, “Have you heard of Greenbrier?” “No” is the most common answer.
Let me know when you all are coming down again.