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Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Visitor Centers
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| Stop at Sugarlands Visitor Center to view a free 20-minute film about the park. |
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Begin your exploration of the park at a visitor center. Here you can pick up a park map or newspaper, have your questions answered by a ranger, and purchase books and guides to the park.
Three Visitor Centers are located within the national park at Cades Cove, Oconaluftee, and Sugarlands. In addition, four Visitor Centers are located outside the park in the communities of Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and Townsend. All Visitor Centers are open daily year-round, except Christmas Day.
Two historic grist mills are open seasonally in the park. Both provide demonstrations of corn meal milling.
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Cades Cove Visitor Center
Open every day except Christmas Day.
| January |
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
| February |
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. |
| March |
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. |
| April - August |
9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. |
| September - October |
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. |
| November |
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. |
| December |
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
Location
Inside the park near the mid-point of the 11-mile, one-way Cades Cove Loop Road.
Special Programs
Ranger-led programs are conducted seasonally. Check at the visitor center for times.
Exhibits
Indoor and outdoor exhibits of Southern Mountain life and culture. Includes Cable Mill, a grist mill which operates spring through fall, the Becky Cable house, and other historic structures.
Available Facilities
Great Smoky Mountains Association bookstore and shop. Public restrooms.
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Oconaluftee Visitor Center
Open every day except Christmas Day
| January - April |
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
| May |
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. |
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June - August
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8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. |
| September - October |
8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. |
| November - December |
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
Location
Inside the park, 2 miles north of Cherokee, NC, on US-441.
Special Programs
Ranger-led programs conducted seasonally. Check at the visitor center for location and times.
Exhibits
The adjacent Mountain Farm Museum contains a fascinating collection of log structures including a farmhouse, barn, smokehouse, applehouse, corn cribs and others. Demonstrations of farm life are conducted seasonally.
Available Facilities
Great Smoky Mountains Association bookstore and shop. Public restrooms and telephones. Soda and water machines. Backcountry permit station.
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Sugarlands Visitor Center Open every day except Christmas Day. | January - February | 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | | March | 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | | April - May | 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. | | June - August | 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. | | September - October | 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. | | November | 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | | December | 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Location Inside the park, 2 miles south of Gatlinburg on US-441. Special Programs Ranger-led programs conducted seasonally. Check at the visitor center for locations and times. Exhibits Free admission to 20-minute film about the park. Extensive natural history exhibits. Available Facilities Great Smoky Mountains Association bookstore and shop. Public restrooms and telephones. Soda and water machines. Backcountry permit station.
Gatlinburg Welcome Center - Downtown
Open every day except Christmas Day.
10:00 a.m. -6:00 p.m.
Location
At traffic light #3 on the parkway in downtown Gatlinburg.
Available Facilities
Great Smoky Mountains Association bookstore and shop. City of Gatlinburg information. Public restrooms and telephones.
Gatlinburg Welcome Center - On the Spur between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg
Open every day except Christmas Day
| October |
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| Sunday - Thursday |
8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. |
| Friday- Saturday |
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. |
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| November - April |
8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. |
Location
Located 2 miles outside of Gatlinburg on US-441 South
Available Facilities
Great Smoky Mountains Association bookstore and shop. City of Gatlinburg information. Public restrooms and telephones.
Sevierville Visitor Center
Open every day except Christmas Day.
8:30 a.m. -5:30 p.m.
Location
Highway US-66 in Sevierville
Available Facilities
Great Smoky Mountains Association bookstore and shop. Sevier County, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville information. Public restrooms and telephones.
Townsend Visitor Center
Open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
| January - May |
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. |
| June - October |
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. |
| November- December |
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. |
Location
Townsend, Tennessee, on US-321.
Available Facilities
Great Smoky Mountains Association bookstore and shop. Townsend and local area information. Public restrooms and telephones.
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Historic Grist Mills
Cable Mill in Cades Cove
Open From March 15 through the Sunday following Thanksgiving 9:00-5:00
Location
Inside the park near the mid-point of the 11-mile, one-way Cades Cove Loop Road.
Exhibits
Water-powered grist mill.
Mingus Mill near Oconaluftee
Open From March 15 through the Sunday following Thanksgiving 9:00-5:00
Location
Inside the park, 2 miles north of Cherokee, NC, on US 441.
Exhibits
Turbine-powered grist mill.
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Operated by the nonprofit Great Smoky Mountains Association, proceeds generated by purchases at the store are donated to educational, scientific, and historical projects in the park.
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Download a Smokies Trip Planner
Information about favorite destinations, popular activities, and a park map
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Fall Leaf Season
Fall colors can be seen from October through early November in the park.
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Waterfalls
Waterfalls can be found on nearly every stream in the park.
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Wildlife Watching
Open areas such as Cades Cove and Cataloochee are good places to view wildlife.
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Did You Know?
Money to buy the land that became Great Smoky Mountains National Park was raised by individuals, private groups, and even school children who pledged their pennies. In addition, the Laura Spellman Rockefeller Memorial Fund donated $5 million to create the park.
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Last Updated: November 19, 2007 at 10:41 EST |
