Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a national park that spans North Carolina and Tennessee: about 275,790 acres of it are in Swain County, North Carolina. There is no entrance fee. It is open 24 hours a day, year-round. It has 10 developed campgrounds.
Current notices posted by the managing agency. Checked Oct. 5, 2026.
- Closure: Park Headquarters Road is closed Park Headquarters Road is closed due to rehabilitation work on the Sugarlands water and wastewater systems. Since Jan. 1, 2026. Until Dec. 31, 2026.
- Closure: Straight Fork and the one-way section of Balsam Mountain Road closed. Straight Fork and the one-way section of Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga Round-Bottom Road) are closed.
Check current closures and fire restrictions for Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the managing agency's own page.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park map
Great Smoky Mountains National Park boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
This unit's own agency alerts list no fire restriction as of Oct. 5, 2026. We do not check a statewide fire-order feed for NC, so that is not a statement that no order exists, and not a green light for a fire. Check with the land manager and your county before you light anything.
County and local burn bans may also apply on private, state, or county land nearby. On federal land, follow the land manager's order; off it, follow the strictest county or local rule that applies. When both touch your trip, obey both.
Common questions
- Partly. About 275,790 acres of Great Smoky Mountains National Park are in North Carolina (measured from the park's boundary map); the rest is in Tennessee.
- Yes. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has no entrance fee.
- Yes. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open 24 hours a day, year-round.
- Yes. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has 10 developed campgrounds. Campsites must be reserved ahead. Stays are limited to 14 days per campground. Across the whole park, the limit is 60 days in any 365-day period. Each site holds up to 6 people and 2 vehicles. 2 campgrounds stay open year-round.
- Pets are allowed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a leash no longer than 6 feet. On trails, only Gatlinburg Trail and Oconaluftee River Trail allow them. They are not allowed in the backcountry.
- No. Launching, landing or operating a drone is not allowed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Fees, passes, and hours
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has no entrance fee.
- Use fee: $5, valid 1 days. Daily parking tag; weekly $15 and annual $40 also sold. Required to park more than 15 minutes.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open 24 hours a day, year-round.
Sources: nps.gov, checked 2026-09-30; nps.gov, checked 2026-09-30.
Camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has 10 developed campgrounds. Campsites must be reserved ahead. Stays are limited to 14 days per campground. Across the whole park, the limit is 60 days in any 365-day period. Each site holds up to 6 people and 2 vehicles. 2 campgrounds stay open year-round.
Campgrounds inside the park's North Carolina boundary: Big Creek Campground, Big Creek Group Camp, Big Creek Horse Camp, Cataloochee Campground, Cataloochee Group Camp, Cataloochee Horse Camp, Deep Creek Campground, Deep Creek Group Camp, Round Bottom Horse Camp, Smokemont Campground, Smokemont Group Camp and Tow String Horse Camp , each with its sites, fees, season and reservations on campgroundsdb.com.
Source: nps.gov, checked 2026-09-30.
Pets
Pets are allowed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a leash no longer than 6 feet. On trails, only Gatlinburg Trail and Oconaluftee River Trail allow them. They are not allowed in the backcountry.
Source: nps.gov, checked 2026-09-30.
Getting there
- Nearest town: Bryson City, 9.8 miles
Source: www2.census.gov, checked 2026-09-30.
Trails
- Gatlinburg TrailOne of two trails that allow pets
- Oconaluftee River TrailOne of two trails that allow pets
Source: nps.gov, checked 2026-09-30.
Public lands next to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- National Park Service unitGreat Smoky Mountains National Park borders Blue Ridge Parkway, a National Park Service unit.
- National forestGreat Smoky Mountains National Park borders National Forests in North Carolina.
- Wilderness areaJoyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness is 2.3 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
- nps.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- www2.census.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- nps.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- nps.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- nps.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- nps.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- nps.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
The sentences on this page are generated by software from the sourced records above, not written by hand. How this content is made.