Tour Bus Guide

Great Smoky MountainsNational Park

National Park ServiceU.S. Department of the Interior

General Information

Great SmokyMountains NationalPark is the largestdeciduous forestwilderness area inthe eastern UnitedStates. The parkcontains over 800square miles ofland and providesa sanctuary for arich diversity ofplant and animalspecies. The parkalso provides aplace to find achange from thesights and soundsof our everydaysurroundings.

For further information about the roads in thepark, you may want to purchase The SmokiesRoad Guide. This publication can be found atany visitor center in the park and offers detaileddescriptions of what you might see while tour-ing the park roads. The park staff wishes you asafe and enjoyable visit to Great SmokyMountains National Park.

HIKINGHiking is a popular activity on the park’s 832miles of maintained trails. Even though mostbus tour groups do not have time for hiking,there are trails identified as “self-guiding naturetrails” and “quiet walkways” which are good forshort walks. Generally from one-half to onemile in length, these paths offer your passen-gers the opportunity to experience the Smokieswilderness. The Sugarlands Valley Nature Trailis accessible to all visitors.

Pink lady’s slipper orchid.

RECOMMENDED READING LIST

• Smokies Road Guide · $11.95

• Exploring the Smokies: Things to See & Do in Great Smoky MountainsNational Park · $9.95

• Newfound Gap Road Auto Tour booklet · $1

• Smoky Mountains Audio Tour: TheNewfound Gap Road · Free Podcast

• Cades Cove Auto Tour booklet · $1

• Oconaluftee Mountain Farm Museum self-guiding booklet · $1

• Great Smoky Mountains Starter Kit · Includes eight maps and tour booklets · $5

TO ORDER CALL (865) 436-7318 OR LOG ONTOWWW.SMOKIESINFORMATION.ORG

Visitor Centers

Cades Cove: Locatedat the halfway point onthe Cades Cove LoopRoad near the CableMill. There are exhibits,historic structures, and awater-powered grist mill.Minimum stopping time should be about 30 minutes. Open daily, except Christmas.Hours generally are 9:00 - 6:00.

Oconaluftee: Located one mile inside the parkat the Cherokee, North Carolina entrance.There are exhibits and the Mountain FarmMuseum with a self-guiding booklet. Minimumtime for bus tour stops should be 45 minutes.Buses are requested to park in the southparking area and to shut off their engines.Oconaluftee Visitor Center is open daily, exceptChristmas Day. Hours generally are 8:00 - 4:30, with extended summer hours.

Left: Park information is available at SugarlandsVisitor Center daily from 8:00 - 4:30.Below: The Davis-Queen House is part of a col-lection of authentic farm structures at theMountain Farm Museum, located besideOconaluftee Visitor Center.

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All of the park visitor centershave adequate bus parking.There is no admission fee.The visitor centers offer infor-mation services, restrooms,and drinking fountains.Books, film, postcards, maps,and other sales items may bepurchased at all three locations.

Sugarlands: Located two miles inside thepark at the Gatlinburg, Tennessee,entrance. A designated bus parking lot islocated adjacent to the automobile parkingareas. Walking distance is about 100yards. Minimum time for bus tour stopsshould be 30 minutes. Sugarlands VisitorCenter is open daily, except Christmas,from 8:00 - 4:30, with extended spring-fallhours. A free 20-minute park film shows every30 minutes on the hour and half hour.

Rangers give programs onthe history of the mountains.

If you have not driven in the mountains before,there may be some hazards that are not obvi-ous. These tips are offered to familiarize youwith mountain driving and to prevent unneces-sary delays and possible accidents.

1. Overheating brakes are a major problem inmountain driving. If you find that you are con-stantly riding the brakes, shift to a lower gear.This is best accomplished prior to descendingmountain roads. In general, a vehicle willrequire the same gear while traveling downhillas it would while traveling up the same road.Unless you are an experienced driver, it can bedangerous to shift to a lower gear once thevehicle has started the descent.

Proper tire pressure is important to prevent heatbuild up on tires while negotiating the manycurves on park roads.

Vapor lock, engine or transmission overheating,or radiator boil over can all be caused by longsteady ascents. Usually a 30 minute cool downperiod will alleviate the problem.

2. Consider stopping at scenic vistas while trav-eling. Not only does this allow your passengersmore opportunity to view the park, it also allowsyour brakes to cool while traveling downhill.Occasionally pulling over while traveling uphillwill give other motorists an opportunity to passand might prevent impatient drivers from pass-ing at dangerous locations.

3. Weather in the mountains will vary with theelevation. The lower elevations will often bewarm and clear. But at the higher altitudes itmay be cool, raining, snowing, or foggy. Thickfog is more likely to occur in the early morningand at night. Falling rocks are common afterheavy rains.

4. Buses are prohibited from idling enginesin parking lots of developed areas.

Driving Tips

Morning clouds shroud the valley below Newfound Gap.

Great SmokyMountainsNational Parkboasts thou-sands of acresof virgin forest.

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ANNKRESSIG

Newfound Gap Road - Tennessee

Newfound Gap Road (US 441) TN to NC: Thisis a two-lane paved road with two-way traffic. Itis approximately 15 miles from SugarlandsVisitor Center to Newfound Gap, which is nor-mally a 30 minute drive nonstop. The elevationchange is 3,500 feet with an average grade of5%. The road is moderately winding, except forthe last three miles which has many sharpcurves. Use lower gears when descending fromNewfound Gap.

This transmountain road has many scenic over-looks. The following are suggested stops whiletraveling from Gatlinburg or Cherokee:

Campbell Overlook: Two miles south ofSugarlands Visitor Center. Excellent views ofSugarlands Valley and surrounding mountains.Several major forest types are visible from thispoint. The change in the appearance of the for-est as you drive from Gatlinburg to NewfoundGap is approximately equivalent to the 1,000mile drive from Georgia to Maine.

Chimney Tops Picnic Area: A day-use area, open yearround. Buses should notenter, as sharp curvesthrough the picnicarea are impossible to negotiate.

Chimney Tops Overlook:Seven miles south ofSugarlands Visitor Center. Avariety of green colors in thespring, rhododendronblooming in June, and thefall colors in October makethis one of the most pho-tographed spots in the park. Justbeyond the first tunnel is thetrailhead for the strenuous twomile hike to the summit of theChimneys.

Morton Overlook: Fourteen milessouth of Sugarlands VisitorCenter. This offers an excellentview of the steep, rugged terrain and theSugarlands Valley below. This overlook is usual-ly crowded and may not have adequate busparking.

Newfound Gap: Fifteen miles south ofSugarlands Visitor Center. The gap is a majoroverlook with a large parking area. Located onthe crest of the Smokies, there are excellentviews into the North Carolina side of the park.Restrooms and drinking water are available allyear. The Appalachian Trail that extends fromGeorgia to Maine crosses the parking area.Elevation at Newfound Gap is 5,046 feet.

Members of the Civilian Conservation Corps construct a tunnel on Newfound Gap Road.

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Newfound Gap Road - North CarolinaM

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Thomas Divide Overlooks: Several large pull-outs on the Newfound Gap Road south ofNewfound Gap provide panoramic views of dis-tant mountains. The pristine oak forests alongthe ridges and the cove hardwoods in the val-leys are an outstanding view.

Collins Creek Picnic Area: A day-use area openlate March through October. Roads are wideenough for tour buses.

Mingus Mill: A restored water-powered grist milllocated one-half mile north of OconalufteeVisitor Center which is about 16 miles south ofNewfound Gap. The mill is in operation springthrough fall, generally 9:00-5:00. There is alarge parking area with adequate space tomaneuver by backing. Allow passengers 30 – 45 minutes to tour the area. Restrooms are available.

Observation tower at Clingmans Dome.

Clingmans Dome Road: A seven mile sideroad from Newfound Gap leads to the parkingarea for the hike to Clingmans Dome, the park’shighest peak at 6,643 feet. Traffic is usuallyheavy, and parking is congested at times. Alongthis road the plant life is similar to that of NewEngland and southeastern Canada. Open April 1 – November 30.

Clingmans Dome Parking Area: This is the high-est point in the park that can be reached byvehicle, elevation 6,310 feet. A paved trail leadsfrom the parking area to an observation tower.This one mile round trip walk will take a mini-mum of one hour. It is a steep and strenuoushike that has an elevation gain of 300 feet andan 8% grade. It is recommended only for thosepersons who are in good physical condition.Restrooms and drinking water are availablenear the parking area. The parking area is largewith a turnaround that is adequate for buses.

Little River Road: This road follows the LittleRiver west toward Cades Cove and Townsend.The tumbling cascades of the river parallel theroad for about 13 miles. An elevation gain ofapproximately 730 feet is achieved by the timeyou reach Fighting Creek Gap, three mileswest of Sugarlands Visitor Center.

The road has numerous curves and rock over-hangs that may appear to be closer to the roadthan they actually are, and drivers have a ten-dency to cross over the center line. Be assuredthat the vertical clearance is sufficient. Motorvehicle code requires vehicles to remain to theright of the center line.

Adequate places to stop buses along this roadare limited. The following are suggested stops:

Maloney Point Overlook: Three miles west ofSugarlands Visitor Center. This overlook offersscenic views of the valley looking east towardGatlinburg and a sweeping panorama of thepeaks and ridges that lead up to the 6,593 footsummit of Mt. Le Conte. The variety of trees,such as pine, oak, hickory, maple, tuliptree, andhemlock, provide great color contrast in theearly spring and again in autumn.

Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area: A day-use area,open all year. Restrooms are available.

Townsend “Wye”: Eighteen miles west ofSugarlands Visitor Center. Little River Roadgoes on to Townsend, Tennessee which is twomiles from the “Wye.” Laurel Creek Road leadsseven miles to Cades Cove.

Little River Road

Left: Great Smoky Mountain National Park has over 2,100 miles of streams. Top right: Trillium and fringed phalcelia bloomin profusion along a trail. Bottom right: Maidenhair ferns grow in moist woodland areas.

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Cades Cove: The 11 mile paved loop road thatcircles the cove will accommodate buses. Thetraffic flow can be slow and congested, andthere are often numerous pedestrians and bicy-clists. Traveling the loop is comparable to visit-ing a landlocked community of the 1800s.Churches, barns, homes, and other restoredbuildings reflect a southern Appalachian her-itage where the philosophy was “make do or dowithout.”

A self-guiding auto tour leaflet is available at theentrance to the loop road. Driving time will aver-age one to two hours depending on traffic con-ditions. Small parking areas are located nearhistoric buildings. In most instances, theseare not adequate for buses.

The major stopping point on the loop is theCades Cove Visitor Center. Located nearby is awater-powered grist mill that is in operation(spring through fall). Minimum stopping time atthe Cable Mill area should be about 30 minutes.

Buses are not permitted on Rich MountainRoad or Parson Branch Road. These are one-way unpaved roads that lead out of the cove.There are also two lanes that cut across thecove, Sparks Lane and Hyatt Lane. These arenarrow gravel roads and are not recom-mended for buses.

Near the entrance/exit of the loop road are thecampground, comfort station, grocery store,horse stable, bicycle rental, and picnic area.Large buses should not enter the picnicarea, but they may park in the nearby park-ing areas.

Cades Cove Loop Road

Historic buildings, including homes, barns, churches and aworking grist mill, line the Cades Cove Loop Road.

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White-tailed deercan often be seenin Cades Cove.

Blue Ridge Parkway: This 469-mile scenicparkway winds along the crest of the BlueRidge from Great Smoky Mountains NationalPark to Shenandoah National Park. Facilitiesare located along the route. Driving time for thelength of the Parkway is at least three days.Tour buses are permitted. Please call (828)298-0398 or (828) 271-4779 for informationabout the road, including tunnel height andtemporary closures.

Foothills Parkway - East End: A six mile spurthat connects I-40 and US 321 near Cosby,Tennessee. It begins 21 miles south of the I-40/I-81 interchange. This short trip up andover Green Mountain offers good views.

Foothills Parkway - West End: An 18 miledrive that follows the crest of ChilhoweeMountain. Begins at US 321, nine miles from

the park entrance at Townsend. The terminus is at Chilhowee Reservoir on US 129, 22 milessouth of Maryville, Tennessee. This end of theparkway has excellent views and an observa-tion tower is located at the halfway point atLook Rock.

Heintooga Ridge Road: This spur off the BlueRidge Parkway near the Oconaluftee VisitorCenter offers views along the ridge. Buses areprohibited from traveling beyond the HeintoogaPicnic Area. Open mid-May through October.

Lakeview Drive: This paved road climbs upinto the park from Bryson City. Overlooks pro-vide glistening views of Fontana Lake in the val-ley below.

Group Camp Sites: Campgrounds with groupcamp sites have adequate roads for buses.

Other Roads

CivilianConservationCorps stone

masons take a breakfrom work on a bridge in

the park. Photo: Great SmokyMountains National Park.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one ofthe largest protected land areas east of theRocky Mountains. With over 500,000 acres offorest, the Smokies contain an enormous vari-ety of plants and animals. In terms of biologicaldiversity, a walk from mountain foot to peak isoften compared to the 2,000 mile hike on theAppalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.

The Smokies also have a rich cultural history.Cherokee Indians moved into the area about1,000 years ago, and permanent white settle-ment began around 1800. Most familiesdepended on farming for their livelihood. Life formany of these families changed with the comingof commercial logging operations around 1900that stripped trees from two-thirds of what isnow park land. Established in 1934, the parkwas created from thousands of tracts of privateand commercial land that was bought withmoney raised by public and private donations.

The park’s wide recognition as a unique sanctuary is well deserved when one considersjust a few of its features:

• Because the park contains a variety of habi-tats, it is home for over 1,500 species of vascu-lar plants, 10% of which are considered rare,and over 4,000 non-flowering plant species.• The park has more tree species than northernEurope and contains one of the largest blocksof old-growth deciduous forest in NorthAmerica. Almost 95% of the park is forested,and over 20% of that area is old-growth forest.Some trees attain record size in the Smokies.

• The Smokies provide the only habitat in theworld for several plant and animal species,including Cains reed-bent grass, Rugel’s rag-wort, and Jordan’s red-cheeked salamander.Species new to the scientific community arefound nearly every year, especially in the lesserstudied groups such as the invertebrates.• At least 60 native mammals live in theSmokies, along with over 200 species of birds,many of which are here on a seasonal basis.There are 38 reptilian species which includeturtles, lizards, and snakes. Amphibian speciesnumber 40, and of that figure 30 are salaman-ders. This gives the Smokies the distinction ofhaving the most diverse salamander populationanywhere in the world. Numerous species ofland snails, insects, and spiders are also foundin the park.• Culturally, the park has anunequaled collection oflog buildings,includinghomes,barns, aswell as twoworking gristmills — over 100historic structuresin all. Designatedhistoric districtspreserve buildingsthat reflect aspectsof everyday life inthe Great SmokyMountains.

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Provided by Great Smoky Mountains Association and Great Smoky MountainsNational Park. For further information contact NPS at (865) 436-1200.

Park Map and Visitor Information

SylvaDillsboroto Franklin, Atlanta

0 6miles

Exit 27

Blue Ridge

WaynesvilleCherokee

MaggieBigCov

e Rd.

TN

NCFontanaVillage

LittleTennessee

River

LakeSanteetlah

Exit 20

CoveCreekRd.

LOOK ROCK

Rich

Mou

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Rd.

(clos

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wint

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Maryville

Townsend

Alcoato

I-75S

Gatlinburg

PigeonForge

SUGARLANDS

TNNC

Foothills

Parkway

Exit443

Exit451

Newport

Exit432 Exit

435

Exit440

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407

Sevierville

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Exit385

Exit386

Exit387

393

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FONTANADAM

411

129

441

441

2374

19

276

74

28

HeintoogaRidge Rd.

BalsamMtn. Rd.

(closed in winter)

416

129411

321

129

321321

321

40

Fontana Lake

GapRoad

Newfound

TWENTYMILE

28

129DEEP CREEK

OCONALUFTEEMOUNTAIN FARM MUSEUM

& MINGUS MILL

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NEWFOUND GAP5046'

CLINGMANS DOME6643'

SMOKEMONT

7540

6

168

441

441411

66411

321

32

CADES COVE

CHILHOWEE

CABLE MILL

G.S.M. INSTITUTEAT TREMONT

ELKMONT

GREENBRIER

Roaring ForkMotor Nature Trail(closed in winter)

ClingmansDome Rd.

(closed in winter)

COSBY BIG CREEK

CATALOOCHEE

BALSAMMOUNTAIN

92

44174

32

Parson Branch Rd.

(closed for repairs)

ABRAMS CREEK

321

© GSMA-0544123143 2819

74

Little River Rd.

23

276

toAsheville

McGHEE-TYSONAIRPORT

Douglas Lake

TennesseeRiver

HolstonRiver

FrenchBroadRiver

140

Parkway

168

81

NORTH

Laur

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Lakeview Dr.

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Parkw

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Lexington

Louisville

65

81

6464

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? Visitor Center

Lookout Tower

Ranger Station

Horse Stables

Picnic Area

Camping

Nature Trail

Paved Rd.

Unpaved Rd.

BrysonCity

EMERGENCIESListed below are some numbers to call foremergencies that arise after hours.Park Headquarters (865) 436-1294Cherokee Police (828) 497-4131Gatlinburg Police (865) 436-5181

HOSPITALSSevier County (865) 429-6100, Middle CreekRd. Sevierville, TN. 15 miles from GatlinburgBlount Memorial (865) 983-7211, US 321,Maryville, TN. 25 miles from Cades Cove.Swain County (828) 488-2155, Bryson CityNC. 16 miles from Smokemont.

REGULATIONSPicking, digging or otherwise damaging plantsis prohibited in the national park. Personsfeeding wildlife are subject to $5,000 fine andsix months imprisonment.

ACCESSIBILITYRestrooms at all park visitor centers arehandicapped accessible. The SugarlandsValley Nature Trail, just south of Sugarlandson US 441, is accessible to all visitors.

TRAFFIC CONGESTIONIt is not uncommon for traffic to back up head-ing into Gatlinburg from the park, especially inthe late afternoon. At these times, we suggestusing the Gatlinburg By-pass to get to thenorth end of Gatlinburg or to other routesnorth. There are two overlooks on the by-passthat offer good views of Gatlinburg and Mt. LeConte. The Cades Cove Loop Road is oftencongested, especially during the summer andfall.