November 2017 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park / NPS

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is already the most-visited national park in the country, and when the leaves begin to change colors in early fall, the crowds swell even more. Recently the park was named the second-best national park to visit specifically for leaf peeping by Travel and Leisure magazine.

Therefore, visitors should plan their trips and expect crowds, traffic congestion and limited parking throughout the park.

The park usually experiences an autumn leaf season of several weeks as fall colors travel down the mountain sides from high elevation to low. At higher elevations, fall colors begin with trees like yellow birch, American beech and mountain maple. As the season progresses, vibrant colors spread to lower elevations, culminating in a spectacular display featuring sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red maple and hickories. This presents a rare opportunity to experience multi-elevation leaf color changes all in one place over a longer period. 

Here are some tips for enjoying the park this fall. 

Avoid the crowds

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is consistently the most visited national park in the country, and October is one of the most popular months of the year. If you’re flexible on your dates, check out our 2024 forecasting calendar to help you choose when to visit the park and know what to expect during your visit.

Consider arriving before 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to avoid the busiest times in the park. If you’re driving, please park responsibly—parking in areas not specifically designed for parking damages resources, adds to congestion and is unsafe along busy roads. If you’re planning to hike a popular trail in the Smokies, consider taking a shuttle from local communities to the trailhead.

Looking to take a scenic drive? Avoid the crowds by taking in the views from Look Rock Tower or the Foothills Parkway. Cades Cove Loop Road and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail are consistently the busiest places in October. Please allow more time than you think you’ll need and consider alternate destinations.

Planning a hike? Note that Laurel Falls Trail is expected to close for construction in November for 18 months. Consider alternative hikes including Little River Trail, Little Greenbrier School, Lynn Camp Prong Cascades or Chasteen Creek Cascade.

Remember to buy your parking tag & plan your trip

Parking in the Smokies for more than 15 minutes requires a valid parking tag. Tags can be purchased online anytime at Recreation.gov or in person at multiple locations.

Plan like a park ranger and visit our trip planning webpage before you head to the park. Consider visiting an area of the park you haven’t explored before—you'll find changing leaves no matter where you go! Please prepare a back-up plan (and even a back-up for your back-up).

Pack clothes for all weather and layer up for your adventures. Weather can change quickly during fall, particularly in the mountains. Temperatures at Clingmans Dome, also known as Kuwohi, are at least 10 degrees cooler than in lower elevation areas like Oconaluftee, Sugarlands and Cades Cove.

Fall events and fee-free days

Check the online calendar or grab a park newspaper at any visitor center to find a variety of daily, ranger-led hikes and educational activities.

• Plein Air Smokies: Watch 20 nationally acclaimed artists paint “en plein air” (in open air) style across the park Sept. 21-28. Artists will create one-of-a-kind paintings that capture the beauty of the Smokies in this annual event, sponsored by Friends of the Smokies, the official nonprofit philanthropic partner of the park.
• Mountain Life Festival: Experience the rich heritage of Appalachia at the park’s Mountain Life Festival on Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4p.m. Enjoy live music, traditional crafts and historical demonstrations. This year’s event coincides with National Public Lands Day.
• National Public Lands Day: Celebrate public lands by exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Sept. 28. National Public Lands Day is a fee-free day in national parks (parking tags are not required on fee-free days). Consider volunteering by working with park staff to rehabilitate the Balsam Mountain Nature Trail. Volunteers will learn more about sustainable trail design and what it takes to maintain the park’s vast trail network. Volunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration is required by contacting [email protected].
• Daisy Town Day: Join rangers and volunteers in the Elkmont Historic District on Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to celebrate and honor those who lived, worked and played in the area before the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Volunteers in historical clothing will share stories and photos of the Daisy Town area in its heyday. At the Appalachian Clubhouse, visitors can watch a 1928 home movie showing the Daisy Town area and explore exhibits spotlighting daily Daisy Town life. All cabins will be open to the public.
• Veterans Day: The National Park Service invites all visitors to remember our veterans by visiting any National Park Service site for free on Nov. 11 (parking tags are not required on fee-free days).

Wildlife safety

Fall is a prime time to spot bears and elk in the park. To ensure your safety and the well-being of these magnificent creatures, maintain a safe distance of at least 50 yards. Use binoculars, spotting scopes or cameras to appreciate wildlife from afar.

When hiking, camping or picnicking, be mindful of food and garbage. All waste should be properly disposed of in bear-proof dumpsters located throughout the park. Bears that learn to associate humans with food can become aggressive and pose a danger to visitors. By following these guidelines, you can help protect both yourself and the park's wildlife.