When considering a National Park vacation, many might imagine a road trip through the , with red rocks, canyons, and . And while I absolutely recommend you might be surprised to find that the quintessential you may have imagined is not the most popular – not by a long shot. In fact, the is actually east of the Mississippi.
in Tennessee is always at the top of the “most visited” list regarding National Park sites. With just under 13.3 million visitors in 2023, the second most visited National Park – the – counted just 4.
7 million. And this isn’t a fluke; the park has long been the most visited in the system, with incredible hiking trails, gorgeous drives, and the nearby towns of and catering to visitors worldwide. I’ve visited the area multiple times and recently again spent a long weekend exploring the park and the nearby cities.
Here are my recommendations. WHERE TO EXPLORE IN THE PARK: Hiking Trails The is one of the most popular hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and for good reason. The relatively easy 2.
4-mile roundtrip hike leads to a cascading 80-foot waterfall, Laurel Falls. The paved trail winds through a lush forest, with plenty of opportunities to spot wildflowers and wildlife along the way. Easy to moderate.
The trail is paved the entire way, and the elevation gain is only about 300 feet. The roundtrip distance is 2.4 miles.
The is a challenging but rewarding hike rated as the number 1 hike in the park on AllTrails. But with a total of.
