The Great Smoky Mountains
Auto Touring
Auto touring has long been a favorite way to enjoy the park.
Choose from over 270 miles of road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Most are paved, and even the gravel roads are maintained in suitable condition for standard passenger cars. Travel speeds on most of the park’s paved roads average 30 miles per hour. Experiences include, mature hardwood forest, historical buildings, mountain streams, and panoramic mountain views.
Suggested Park Motor Tours
Cades Cove Loop Road, Parson Branch Road, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, and Rich Mountain Road are closed from sunset to sunrise. All other roads are open night and day.
Several of the park's roads are
closed in winter. Others may close temporarily due to weather.
Nearby Tours
| Foothills Parkway |
Balsam Mountain
Mid-May through late Oct.
Cataloochee
Clingmans Dome
April 1 through Nov. 30
Foothills Parkway
Forge Creek
mid-March through Dec. 31
Little River
Parson Branch
may be closed due to flood damage.
Rich Mountain
mid-may through mid-Nov.
Roaring Fork Nature Trail
mid-March through Nov. 30
Motorist are encouraged to travel at a leisure pace on this motor Nature
trail
Upper Tremont
mid-March through Dec. 31