While summer and fall may be the most popular tourist season in the Great Smoky Mountains, there is much to do in America’s most visited national park in all seasons, including the winter. You can enjoy the scenery while navigating much smaller crowds during an off-season visit. You are also more likely to experience winter snow in far more inhabitable temperatures than most national parks. While you are likely to see extreme weather at the highest altitudes of the range, winter tends to be mild, even as late as January. Here are five things you can do to enjoy your winter trip to the Smokies and the neighboring towns.
Enjoy the winter festivals
Multiple festivals and events draw you into Tennessee culture and are worth visiting. If your trip is around Christmas, consider attending the Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival at Dollywood. You can do many things here, including music, comedy shows, amusement rides, and, most importantly, witnessing beautiful Christmas decorations. If you’re staying in Pigeon Forge, you must enjoy Christmas in the Smokies Dollywood style.
The most surreal part of the whole festival is strolling through Glacier Ridge. With activities ranging from watching a Christmas tree show on 50-foot-long trees with LEDs to walking through an area created to mimic the Northern Lights, Glacier Ridge is nothing short of a winter wonderland.
Go on a Hike
Hiking is a much more peaceful activity during the winter. Popular trails that remain crowded in peak season are much emptier in the winter. You truly have time to take in the nature around you without feeling rushed. Most trails remain open throughout the year, and there are many options for all adventurers, from novices to seasoned trekkers.
If you are not used to going on long and strenuous adventures, the trek to Laurel Falls is a good option. This two-and-a-half-mile round trip takes to you up Cove Mountain toward one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the entire park.
For those looking for a more challenging adventure, the Alum Cave Trail is a good option for a journey. Trekkers will see multiple landmarks, first passing through Arch Rock, then Alum Cave, and ending on the top of Mt Lecomte, offering a beautiful panorama view of the entire range.
The winters are also a good time to take a guided tour of the Smokies. While these hiking trails may be harder to book in the spring and fall, they are more readily accessible in the winter. A guided tour can quell your worries about getting lost in the wilderness. The local guide can also inform you about the biodiversity of the land you are hiking, and historical and cultural information, helping contextualize your visit. With the Smokey Mountains being famous for holding remnants of Appalachian Mountain culture, having a local guide well-versed in the area can bring to life any of the trails you decide to walk.
Take part in winter sports
While summer activities like white water rafting and riding on the alpine coaster and slide may not be possible, there are several enjoyable winter recreational activities and sports you can indulge in. One can enjoy their time skiing, snowboarding, or even snow tubing.
The best place to do this is at the Ober Mountain Adventure Park and Ski Area, which lies above Gatlinburg. You can explore eight different trails, which vary in difficulty, giving all levels of skiers and snowboarders something to enjoy. You also do not need to worry about skiing and snowboarding gear, as it is available for rent at the adventure park.
For cross-country skiing fans, the Clingmans Dome Road is a great option. The seven-mile road leads to Clingmans Dome, the highest point within the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. Because of the high elevation of the road, it gets more snow than in other areas. Since it is closed off to motor vehicles from December to March, this snow remains unploughed, making for perfect skiing conditions in a beautiful open space. Here one can find many entertaining expeditions, like the 14-mile skiing round trip to the Observation Tower. While strenuous, there is something extra special about completing this journey in the snow, with winter being the only time it is possible to find this tower all to yourself.
Get cozy near your fireplace
Winter is a time to relax and unwind, and what better place to do so than in a small town surrounded by natural beauty? The Smokey Mountains have multiple comfortable living options, cozy cabins, and cottages you can rent alongside some of the best resorts in the country. Nothing is more relaxing than decompressing in front of a fireplace after hiking and winter activities. These are also significantly easier to find in the winter than during peak tourist season.
Spend time shopping and souvenir hunting
Outside of natural beauty, the Smokey Mountains are also a great place for vacationers to fulfill their shopping desires, from buying from unique local sellers to well-recognized international brands.
The Great Smokey Arts & Crafts Community is among the largest independent organization for artisans in the entire United States of America. An eight-mile loop of artists selling handmade products alongside multiple restaurants to dine in. Products ranging from jewelry and candles to sculpture and woodwork, this is the best place to find gifts and souvenirs to take home for yourself and your loved ones.
Conclusion
While there is no wrong season to visit the Smokies, there is something special about seeing this mountain range in winter. From the meditative hikes and landscapes to the multiple winter activities you can indulge in, a winter in the Smokey Mountains instead of one spent in your own home is an extra step for a season of relaxation and comfort you will not regret.
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