After watching the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on April 21st, we traveled through northern Florida to Georgia, with a stop in Atlanta on Earth Day, April 22, on the way north to Great Smoky Mountains, the next stop on our electric road trip to all 51 National Parks in the Lower 48 states.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established in 1934. Both North Carolina and Tennessee donated land for the park, which straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, which are part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Blue Ridge Mountains are, in turn, a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The Appalachian Trail runs through the center of the park.
Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited National Park in the United States, with about 14 million visitors in 2021.
Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited National Park in the United States, with about 14 million visitors in 2021. And it’s not even close—Zion is the next most popular National Park at 5 million visitors.
But the park is also large—the 11th largest in the Lower 48 states and the largest in the eastern United States.
The downside of Great Smoky’s popularity is that there are crowds on the most popular trails a large part of the time, and there is car traffic on the main road that intersects the park from Cherokee in North Carolina in the east to Gatlinburg in Tennessee to the west. But the park is also large—the 11th largest in the Lower 48 states and the largest in the eastern United States.
The other downside of the park’s popularity is that the gateway towns at the entrances—Cherokee in the east, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in the west—are incredibly touristy.
Once you get into the park—and especially off the roads and onto the trails—it is a beautiful place with some of the best trails you will find in any National Park.
But once you get into the park—and especially off the roads and onto the trails—it is a beautiful place with some of the best trails you will find in any National Park. The trails are well constructed, maintained, and marked, with restrooms at the trailheads, and the views are spectacular. There is also a variety of wildlife to the observed, including black bears and wild turkeys.
Arriving in the early afternoon of April 23, we stopped for lunch in Cherokee, North Carolina, and then, as always, headed to the Visitor Center. The Ranger at the Oconaluftee Center suggested a number of “warm-up” hikes, including some that promised wildflowers in late April.
Driving east to west across the park from the entrance near Cherokee to the Sugarlands Center near Gatlinburg—a 29-mile journey on Route 441—proved to be a great way to orient ourselves to the park.
Driving east to west across the park from the entrance near Cherokee to the Sugarlands Center near Gatlinburg—a 29-mile journey on Route 441—proved to be a great way to orient ourselves to the park. The road passes most of the trailheads to popular hiking trails as well as some great vantage points.
A few miles into the park we stopped to do a 4-mile warm-up hike on the Kanati Fork trail. There were some wildflowers along the way, as well as some mountain vistas.
About halfway across Route 441 we stopped at the Newfound Gap overlook—which offers a commanding view to both the east and the west sections of the park.
About halfway across Route 441 we stopped at the Newfound Gap overlook. In addition to a commanding view to both the east and the west sections of the park, the overlook features a large parking lot and restrooms, as well as some interesting history. Although Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established in 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt officially dedicated the park at Newfound Gap in 1940. John D. Rockefeller, who had donated money to help establish the park in honor of his wife, was also there for the occasion.
After our visit to Newfound Gap, we traveled the rest of the way through the park, passing through Gatlinburg, the park’s gateway town in the west, and onward through Pigeon Forge, home of Dollywood, to Berry Springs Lodge in Sevierville, where we would spend the next four nights.
Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in the park, offers a commanding view of the park from a location right on the North Carolina-Tennessee border from its observation tower.
The following day, we did a couple of the premier activities in the park. In the morning, we traveled back east on Route 441 to the seven-mile road up to Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in the park. After a steep half-mile hike up the hill, you reach the observation tower, which has a commanding view of the park, from a location right on the North Carolina-Tennessee border.
Though lower in elevation than Clingman’s Dome, Andrews Bald has great views of the area and was a wonderful spot for a picnic lunch.
At the same parking area we found our destination for the afternoon, the trailhead for the four-mile round-trip hike to Andrews Bald. Though lower in elevation than Clingman’s Dome, Andrews Bald has great views of the area and was a wonderful spot for a picnic lunch before returning to the parking lot. This is one of the top-recommended trails, and we agreed with that assessment: a very pleasant trail, and our first introduction to the high quality of the trail maintenance at Great Smoky Mountains.
The combination of Clingman’s Dome and Andrew Bald didn’t quite fill the day, so we decided to try another recommended hike—Rainbow Falls, in the western area of the park near Gatlinburg. This is a beautiful trail through the woods along LeConte Creek to the 80-foot falls. The full round trip is 5.4 miles, but we decided we had enough hiking after the first mile or so—saving some energy for the next day’s hike.
For our second full day at the park, we targeted the top-rated, but challenging hike to the top of Mount LeConte.
For our second full day at the park, we targeted the top-rated, but challenging hike to the top of Mount LeConte. There are multiple ways to reach the peak, but we choose the most popular route, starting at the trailhead to Alum Cave on Route 441. This trail leads first to Alum Cave, about halfway through the hike, and from there to the summit of Mount LeConte.
Mount LeConte proved to be a difficult hike. It is an 11-mile round trip, with an elevation gain of more than 3,000 feet. But the views from the top are well worth the effort.
Mount LeConte proved to be a difficult hike. It is an 11-mile round trip, with an elevation gain of more than 3,000 feet. But the views from the top are well worth the effort.
When first arriving at the top, hikers encounter the Mount LeConte Lodge, which accommodates hikers for overnight stays in rustic cabins. The staff lives up there for the summer, and supplies reach the lodge by helicopter lifts at the start of the season, supplemented by llama trips up the trails during the summer. The lodge provides meals only to overnight guests, but does have a small store that offers sack lunches. The store features one must-purchase item—t-shirts labeled, “I Climbed Mount LeConte.” There are also picnic tables to use for eating lunch in a comfortable spot.
After reaching the top of Mount LeConte, make sure you don’t end your journey at the lodge. There is another additional .2-mile trail to the summit.
After reaching the top of Mount LeConte, make sure you don’t end your journey at the lodge. There is another additional .2-mile trail to the summit. And although your tired legs might balk at the prospect of more uphill hiking at this point, the additional effort pays off with spectacular panoramic views of the valley below.
Thanks to the well-maintained trail, the trip back down the mountain was much easier and quicker.
During our hikes in Great Smoky Mountains, we noted the large number of rhododendrons along many of the trails. Unfortunately, they were not yet in bloom at the time of our visit in early spring. But this would be a highlight for visitors to the park in June and July.
There are lots of signs in the park commenting on the effects of air pollution on the trees and the water quality in the streams.
There are lots of signs in the park commenting on the effects of air pollution on the trees and the water quality in the streams. And you can see the impact in the form of many dead trees—made worse by some invasive pests. As the highest mountain chain in the east, the Great Smokies capture a large share of the air pollution from vehicles and other sources. The air pollution causes acid rain, affecting both the trees and plants and the animals that live in the streams. Another good reason to accelerate the transition to an electric economy powered by clean and abundant energy from the sun.
The day after our Mount LeConte hike we experienced the first bad weather of the trip—an entire day of rain. But we welcomed the opportunity for a break and to rest and catch up on writing articles describing the parks we had visited previously.
If we had one more day in the Great Smokies, we would have visited the other major area of the park—Cades Cove.
If we had one more day in the Great Smokies, we would have visited the other major area of the park—Cades Cove. That is a very large, picturesque meadow with a number of early homesteads and its own visitor center. There are some short hikes both around the cove and up the surrounding mountains. We had spent the day there in 2017 to observe the solar eclipse, so we didn’t feel bad about missing it during this visit.
Overall, Great Smoky Mountains is a great National Park with some of the best trails we have seen and beautiful mountain views. As the largest park in the east, it is also a popular one, so you can expect to see other cars on the roads and other hikers on the trails. But the size of the park, combined with the multiple access points, keeps the crowds from becoming oppressive, at least in the spring when we visited. The other manifestation of the park’s popularity is the touristy nature of the gateway towns.
Lodging
During the planning of our electric road trip to all 51 National Parks in the Lower 48 states, we spent a fair amount of time trying to find the best lodging option for Great Smoky Mountains. We had visited the park previously in 2017 for the solar eclipse and stayed in a very nice, upscale cabin complex just outside Gatlinburg. We were tempted to stay there again, but they didn’t offer EV chargers, so we looked elsewhere for other options.
At the time of our visit, there were no lodging options with chargers in Cherokee and very limited options in Gatlinburg. But there were a number of options in Pigeon Forge, which is further to the west beyond Gatlinburg. Over the past year, those options have grown and now include chargers at several national hotels, including the Holiday Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, and Tru by Hilton. Those are in the touristy area dominated by Dollywood, which is part of a strip development along Route 321.
We elected to stay further to the west in Sevierville. We choose Berry Springs Lodge B&B, which offers beautiful views of the unspoiled countryside.
We elected to stay further to the west in Sevierville. We choose Berry Springs Lodge B&B, which has a Tesla Destination Charger and a Level 2 charger. The name is descriptive because it is sort of a cross between a lodge and a B&B. The rooms are clean and spacious, and they offer beautiful views of the unspoiled countryside from private balconies, which include hot tubs along with the view. The lodge also offers a great breakfast in the morning, but it starts at 8:00, so we couldn’t take advantage of it on the days when we left early for long hikes in the park.
The charging setup at Berry Springs was excellent, with both a Tesla Destination Charger and a Level 2 charger that either a Tesla or other EV could use.
The tradeoff of the quiet, country location offered by Berry Springs is a longer travel time to the park, which took 20-25 minutes each way. The furnishings in the lodge could also use some modernization.
Dinners were a highlight of our visit to Great Smoky Mountains. Both the proprietors at the Berry Springs Lodge and online reviews gave high ratings to Seasons 101 and the Local Goat.
Dinners were a highlight of our visit to Great Smoky Mountains. Both the proprietors at the Berry Springs Lodge and online reviews gave high ratings to Seasons 101 and the Local Goat. We agreed and loved all our meals at both places, returning a second time to each one.
Seasons 101 was one of the best restaurants we have experienced on the trip, offering both excellent food and service and a wonderful atmosphere, including an option for outdoor seating. It is also in the old section of Sevierville, away from the busy highway.
Local Goat was also an excellent dinner spot. It was much larger and more crowded than Seasons 101, but they move the waiting list along quickly. And the food was excellent, with portions large enough for a doggy bag.
Charging
Traveling from Florida to Great Smoky Mountains National Park was uneventful due to the Destination Charger at our stop along the way at the Hilton Garden Inn in Tifton, Georgia, and the availability of Tesla Supercharging stations all along the route. We stopped to Supercharge three times on the way to Atlanta, and once on the trip from Atlanta to the Great Smokies.
After leaving Atlanta, we stopped at the Buford Supercharger north of the city, and then took back roads the rest of the way to Great Smoky Mountains. We were getting low on battery by the time we reached Cherokee for lunch. There is a Destination Charger at the welcome center, but we decided we had enough charge and went on after lunch to start the drive through the park.
The remainder of the trip was downhill from Newfound Gap to Gatlinburg and we experienced the benefits of regenerative braking as the electric motor used the energy captured from going down hill to generate electricity and return it to the battery—rather than lose it to heat from braking friction.
By the time we reached Newfound Gap, the highest point on the road from Cherokee to Gatlinburg, we were down to 61 miles of remaining range and starting to wonder if we should have topped off in Cherokee. Fortunately, the remainder of the trip was downhill from the Gap and we experienced the benefits of regenerative braking as the electric motor used the energy captured from going down hill to generate electricity and return it to the battery—rather than lose it to heat from braking friction. By the time we had traveled the remaining 15 miles to Gatlinburg, our range had actually increased from 61 to 78 miles, plenty to get to our lodging destination in Sevierville.
As another option, there is also a Tesla Supercharger in Pigeon Forge. But with a Destination Charger at Berry Springs, we did not need to use the Supercharger. When available, Destination Chargers are always the preferred choice because they are typically free, save time by charging overnight rather than during the day, and allow a full charge when needed.
Destination Charger at Hilton Garden Inn-Tifton, GA
Supercharging at Okehumpka, FL (34 kWh @ $0.34) $11.56
Supercharging at Valdosta, GA $4.01
Supercharging at Macon, GA $5.17
Supercharging at Buford, GA $8.63
Total Supercharging for the trip $185.05
Hiking Trails and Other Activities in the Parks
The highlights of our visit to Great Smoky Mountains were the drive through the park and the highly recommended hikes we enjoyed. If you have limited time in the park, the combination of Clingman’s Dome and Andrews Bald makes a great day. And if you’re up for a challenge, Mount LeConte is a great experience with a super view at the top.
Kanati Fork Trail 3.7 miles
Clingman’s Dome 1 mile
Andrews Bald 3.8 miles
Rainbow Falls Trail 2 miles
Alum Cave Trail to Mount LeConte 11 miles
Total Hiking Miles for the trip 53.7 miles
Impressions
Great Smoky Mountains felt familiar to us, because it is similar to Shenandoah, but on steroids. Instead of a ridgeline, it is a large mountain chain with more depth. The hikes on the well-maintained trails were a highlight, along with the beautiful views of the mountains. We visited in early spring, and it may be better in late spring and early summer, when the rhodos are in bloom, or in the fall, when the leaves turn.
The gateway towns are a little touristy for our tastes, but our lodging choice allowed us to get away from the crowds. And the real secret to enjoying the park—like most National Parks—is to get out of the car and onto the trails.
Visit Duration: We planned a visit of three and a half days to Great Smoky Mountains, and that was about right for us. The first half day was just the right amount of time to travel the road through the park, make a couple of orientation stops, and take a short hike. Two full days were perfect for the premier hikes—Mount LeConte and Clingman’s Dome plus Andrews Bald. Add a third day for Cades Cove, Rainbow Falls, or other areas of the park, and you’ve covered most of the highlights.
On the morning of April 27, we left Berry Springs Lodge B&B and Great Smoky Mountains, heading west and north through Tennessee to Kentucky for our next National Park, Mammoth Cave.