If you have never visited the Smoky Mountains before, you may be wondering where they are located. We want to deep dive into where the Smoky Mountains are and give you even more information to help you plan your next trip to this amazing national park. Keep reading to find out where are the Smoky Mountains:
Where are the Smoky Mountains?
The Smoky Mountains aren’t in just one state. They are shared by two: Tennessee and North Carolina. The mountains sit right on the state line, running northeast to southwest through the centerline of the national park. They sit on the eastern side of Tennessee and the western side of North Carolina. The Smokies include Sevier County, Blount County, and Cocke County in Tennessee and Swain County and Haywood County in North Carolina.
Driving Distance from Major Cities
There are quite a few major cities near the Smoky Mountains. We want to tell you how far away those cities are so if you visit them, you know how far you’ll have to travel to see the Smokies or how far it is from the Smokies to the cities.
Knoxville is the biggest city near the Smoky Mountains on the East Tennessee side. It takes about 1 hour and 5 minutes to get to the mountains from Knoxville. You would travel about 40 miles. There are plenty of places to go shopping in Knoxville, and you’ll definitely want to see downtown.
Pigeon Forge is another town near the Smokies. It takes about 20 minutes to drive from this town to the Smoky Mountains, which equals 13 miles. There are all kinds of attractions, from entertainment complexes to dinner shows you should try. You’ll also find historic places and so much more. Plus, you can stay in one of our cabins in Pigeon Forge!
Gatlinburg is considered a small town, but it has millions of visitors every year. It takes about 12 minutes to get from Gatlinburg to the Great Smoky Mountains, which equals 5.5 miles. You’ll find all kinds of entertaining things to do, from attractions to shopping to dining.
Cherokee, North Carolina to the Smoky Mountains is about a 1 to 1.5 hour drive, depending on how much you stop if you take Newfound Gap Road. This is the only road you can drive through the Smoky Mountains, and it is full of places to stop and pull offs where you can enjoy beautiful mountain views.
Asheville in North Carolina is about 2 hours from the Smokies. You travel around 90 miles either way. Asheville is known for its art, history, and small town appeal, even in downtown Asheville. Plus, you can see Biltmore and plenty of other attractions.
National Park Entrances
If you’re wanting to visit the Smoky Mountains, you might be wondering how you get into the national park. There are quite a few entrances, the most popular being through Gatlinburg at the Sugarland entrance. If you want to enter the park a little closer to Newfound Gap or Cades Cove, you should take the Townsend, Tennessee entrance. You can enter from North Carolina through Cherokee.
Now you know where the Smoky Mountains are, major cities nearby, and where to enter the national park. Are you ready to come visit one of the most popular national parks in the country? Look through our Smoky Mountain cabin rentals and start planning your next trip today!
