10 Best Sights in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC, North Carolina

From the Clingmans Dome parking, taking the trail less traveled to Andrews Bald feels like being in on a secret. To get there, walk the 1.8-mile Forney Ridge Trail, a rocky path with an elevation gain of almost 600 feet. The payoff is several acres of grassy bald at more than 5,800 feet, with stunning views of Fontana Lake and the southeastern Smokies. This is one of only two balds in the Smokies that the park service keeps clear (the other is Gregory Bald). Difficult.

From almost 5,000 feet on Gregory Bald, you have a breathtaking view of Cades Cove and Rich Mountain to the north and Fontana Lake to the southeast. Gregory Bald is one of only two balds in the Smokies that are kept clear of tree growth by the Park Service. This is a view that just a few thousand people a year will see, as it's reachable only by a strenuous 11.2-mile roundtrip hike via the Gregory Ridge Trail, with 2,700 feet of elevation gain. The trailhead is at the end of Forge Creek Road in Cades Cove. In early summer, this difficult hike through old-growth forests to Gregory Bald offers an astounding display of hybrid flame azaleas. Difficult.

A 5.4-mile round-trip hike takes you to an old fire watchtower, rewarding you with amazing views. The route is steep, with an elevation gain of almost 2,000 feet, so you should consider this a strenuous challenging hike. Difficult.

For the effort of a 2.4-mile hike at the Deep Creek entrance to the park near Bryson City, this trail will reward you with three pretty waterfalls: Tom Branch, Indian Creek, and Juney Whank, which you can see close-up from a 90-foot-long wooden bridge that crosses directly over the falls. Moderate.

This is one of the hidden gems in the park. It's a little known but delightful hike, especially in summer when the higher elevation means respite from stifling temperatures. The 2.6-mile path stretches through pretty woodlands with evergreens, birch, rhododendron, and wildflowers. The elevation gain is about 570 feet. Moderate.

A 4.2-mile round-trip woodland trail named for Horace Kephart, a writer and early promoter of the park, wanders beside a stream to the remains of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp. Close by, the trail takes a moderate slope to Mt. Kephart, gaining over 900 feet in elevation. Moderate.

This hike begins with a boat ride across the lake from Fontana Marina. Your captain will give you directions on how to get from the docking point to the trailhead. A half-mile on the Lakeshore Trail will take you to the old lumber and mining town of Proctor. From there, walk 4.4 miles to Eagle Creek, where you can get picked up by the ferry or continue hiking. It's 5.2 miles more on the Lakeshore Trail to Fontana Dam, or you can climb the 2.7 miles up the Lost Cove Trail to Shuckstack, a peak with a climbable fire tower and sensational views of Fontana Lake. Then it's a 3.7-mile descent on the Appalachian Trail to the dam. Moderate to Difficult.

No other hike in the Smokies offers a cultural and historic experience quite like this one. In the early 20th century, Cataloochee Cove had the largest population of any place in the Smokies, around 1,200 people. Most of the original structures have been torn down or have succumbed to the elements, but a few historic frame buildings remain along this remote trail. Some have been restored by the park staff, such as the Cook Log Cabin near Davidson Gap, an apple house, and a church. You'll see several of these, along with rock walls and other artifacts, on the Little Cataloochee Trail. The trail is six miles each way, including a mile-long section of Pretty Hollow Gap Trail. Allow at least six hours for this hike. Moderate.

A 6.1-mile round-trip loop takes you by streams and, in spring and summer, lots of wildflowers, including trailing arbutus. At Smokemont Campground near Cherokee, this is an easy trail to access. The only downside is that there are no long-range views. Moderate.

The national park's Twentymile entrance on the northern side of Cheoah Lake is its most difficult to reach, and thus the least crowded. This is an incredible area of the park, especially during spring when the flowers and wild azaleas bloom. An easily manageable 7.2-mile loop follows old logging roads along Twentymile Creek and Moore Springs Branch, connecting via the Twentymile Loop Trail. The elevation gain is minimal, but the solitude and serenity found along the creeks (there are multiple swimming holes) is a local secret. Moderate.