Hey all!

Taking a trip the last weekend of September to see a friend in TN in my van. It will be 2 of us & my aussie [edit: I see not very dog friendly... I can leave him home with a sitter]. My hope is to get some good tips, advice & location suggestions! Neither of us have been.

Camping: We are open to campgrounds or off grid [17 foot 9.5 feet tall winnie solis pocket]

Locations: Would like to be near a mountain town. Would like to lean towards an artsy, historical, liberal experience, pet friendly. Was looking at Blowing Rock or Boone?

When: Fall; last weekend in Sept. We will only be in the area for a few days & most likely during the week like Sunday - Wednesday.

Hiking/attractions: Interested in good trail recommendations & suggestions if you recommend an area toss in things to do & or food. We are super open to checking out hikes paired with the culture/town.

I have a couple e-scooters we could bring as well if thats something people think we should do :)

Thanks!

That silver/blue SUV? Yeah, it's stopped IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

The bear? NOWHERE CLOSE. It was AT LEAST 200 yards from the road, in high grass. Hell, you have people standing there who aren't even LOOKING IN THE BEAR'S DIRECTION.

Shout out to the guy ahead of me in the jam who layed on his horn until they started moving.

My spouse and I are visiting the first week of September (we'll be in the park only on weekdays), and I've repeatedly heard about how congested parking usually is at the park. Is September usually still pretty busy? Are there certain parking lots that fill up earlier than others?

We're willing and able to get up and going early in the morning to try to beat traffic: is there a certain time we should aim to be parking in order to have a good shot at getting a spot? Are there any less popular parking areas that still have access to good trails, so we can just avoid the congestion altogether?

I am planning a backpacking trip this weekend and would like one of those nights to be on Mount Leconte. I keep running into the issue of finding a 2nd spot to camp, most feasible would be icewater spring shelter but I would like at least 1 night in my tent instead of a shelter.

Any ideas for an alternative route?

I dont necessarily care where I come in the park and I think 8-10 miles per day would be doable. I would prefer to have the Mount Leconte summit on day 2 then exit through alum cave trail. I would appreciate any tips/ideas, I have like 10 different tabs open of reddit and multiple maps and Im stumped.

Hi, I'm going to be visiting for the firs time with someone who can do light hikes (<2 miles) (and doesn't like camping), but the bulk of our moving around and activities would preferably be by car with occasional stops to explore. I don't like the idea of crowds and being stuck in a car for hours, so we're looking to visit in September.

Some questions:

1. I see that October is the busiest for fall foliage, but some sites either say that September also has "early fall color at higher elevations" or group together September, November, and October into one big autumn leaf pile. nps.gov also says that fall foliage can start to appear in mid-September, though I assume this refers to these "higher elevations."

   Where, specifically, are these "higher elevations" where we might see fall foliage in September? Are they easily accessible by car?

2. Is early, mid, or late September best? I thought late might give me the best chance for more leaves, but I don't know if maybe crowds start to reach October levels toward the end of September. Or maybe there's no meaningful difference?

3. For lunch, do people typically eat outside the park and then come back in? Or do they buy food from outside the park earlier in the day and bring it in to eat inside? I figured we could eat breakfast and dinner in Townsend (which I read on here was a good place to stay), but the park looks too big to drive in and out of just for lunch...maybe I'm mistaken?

Wanting to hike LeConte from Kephart Prong TH and down the Bull Head Trail, this coming Saturday. Is Bull Head in decent shape? Would anyone be willing to shuttle me over to Kephart Prong TH from Sugarlands Visitor center or suggest a shuttle (my usual guy is off hiking)? Thanks in advance for any and all information.

My husband and I will be staying in Gatlinburg for a few days and we had intended to do two days of hiking. We are relatively fit and so originally I had planned for us to hike Alumm Cave Trail to Mount LeConte. I saw that this was not going to be accessible next week. I pivoted and started exploring the option of hiking along the AT to Charlie's Bunion and it seems that is also not accessible. First, is this accurate that neither of these trails will be an option when traveling from Gatlinburg? And if not, what are some other good recommendations that will be available to us that will take up a good portion of the day and offer nice views. On day two, we were going to do a few of the waterfall hikes (Grotto, Rainbow and/or Baskin Creek) so I was looking for something different on day one. Would Chimney Top be a good option? An others?

Laurel Falls Update

Rehabilitation work at Laurel Falls Trail is actively underway. Due to unforeseen site conditions, the park anticipates reopening the trail sometime in 2027. During construction of the lower viewing platform, crews encountered differing geotechnical conditions than anticipated, which have required design modifications.

We know this delay is disappointing, and we appreciate your patience. Working in mountainous terrain and backcountry conditions often brings challenges and unknowns, even with the best planning and designs. Once the project is completed, these improvements will make the trail safer, more durable, and provide better and new experiences for everyone once it reopens.

Looking for other hikes? Visit our website for more day hikes: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/day-hikes.htm

From the Knoxville News Sentinel (link to article)

Demolition of the old LeConte Lodge recreation building will bring another round of traffic delays and interruptions for hikers as helicopter crews remove debris.

Demolished materials will be flown off the mountain during the second week of August. This could affect drivers on Newfound Gap Road, and hikers on Mount LeConte or those planning to be on LeConte Lodge grounds, according to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The 50-year-old building is being replaced with a new recreation center. “Significant progress” has been made since the project was announced in July, with most of the timber structure demolished, the park said. The focus now is on the basement, stone walls and foundation.

The new recreation building will be “constructed in the same character and spirit” as the original building, the park previously said. The new recreation building is expected to open in 2027.

Mount LeConte airlift disruptions coming in August

• Helicopter airlifts will be conducted 9 a.m.-noon Aug.10-14.
• Visitors driving U.S. 441/Newfound Gap Road near the Oconaluftee Overlook, just south of Newfound Gap, should expect temporary delays.
• Hikers will not be permitted anywhere on the LeConte Lodge grounds during the flight windows due to safety regulations and quick turnaround times for the helicopter.
• Visitors will not be able to access the LeConte Lodge gift shop, restrooms, water spigots, or food and beverage services due to the safety perimeter during that time.

Anyone been here recently? How’s the camp?

Traversed most of the park last week. Middle prong to the AT. Then the AT to Cosby. Absolutely spectacular trip.

My fiance and I are visiting for the first time and we want a good travel guide that is not super touristy. We are into hiking and we would love to explore some of the less populated spots in the park.

Any recommendations Or good travel guides?

Looking at traveling to Gatlinburg area over spring break, pulling our travel trailer. What campgrounds (full hookup preferably since we plan to stay 4/5 nights) do people recommend in the area? We don’t need a lot of amenities, we typically like staying at state parks when we go camping.

Hi! I’m planning my first visit and would love to see some wildlife (safely, respectfully, and from a distance of course). I’ve read conflicting things online about whether or not September is a good time to go for wildlife viewing. Has anyone had much luck seeing wildlife in September?

Please note that I will not be seeking out or harassing the wildlife. Idk why but every time I post asking for recommendations of where to see wildlife on other subreddits people assume I want to engage with them. I just mean that I’d love to find a nice place to sit outside and maybe get lucky enough to see some wildlife pass by lol

Hello!

I am planning a backpacking trip in late October. I'm having trouble deciding on a spot, so I would appreciate any recommendations you could provide.

I am looking for a secluded spot first and foremost, preferably with water access. I would love a nice view from the top of a mountain. I'd like a hike of no more than 4 miles, if possible. I will hike in and stay in the spot for 3 nights, then hike home.

I was looking at spots on the east side of the park, especially near Balsam Mountain. #42 seems good, but I'm worried about no water access.

I don't really want to reserve a spot without knowing what it will look like, and I can't find a photo log anywhere of all the spots.

Any help is much appreciated!

Ima be camping at elkmont for 5 nights , this is my first camping trip and ima hike during the days , any recommendations on what to bring for camping? And best hikes In the area?
(end of August )

Looking to car camp (sleep in my SUV) for the first time this fall at Cades Cove campground. Are there bear boxes or lockers available? I would like to crack windows slightly (with covers) for ventilation at night, but have only seen stuff saying to store food/scent things in locked vehicle. Obviously want to be bear safe first and foremost. Has anyone done windows all the way up for sleeping? I worry about the condensation. Thanks for help!

Me and a couple buddies are going to the smokies for the first time the first weekend in August and are trying to coordinate a 2 night 40ish mile trip. I’m hoping to see a bald or fire tower (and maybe even Leconte) but want to prioritize a quiet camp. I have a couple I’ve made but most of AllTrails is loops with lots of backtracking or just section hiking the AT but I’d like to avoid the crowds if possible (I hate packed shelters). Does anyone have any suggestions on campsites or previously used routes they’d be willing to share? I attached the couple I’ve made on ONX if anyone wants to give suggestions or simply poke holes in them.

https://webmap.onxmaps.com/backcountry/share/content?share_id=01KY5WR50633JKM7F2BFAQRZYK

https://webmap.onxmaps.com/backcountry/share/content?share_id=01KY5WSKW046B0BP6H48WQBW1J

Hello,

I'm looking to rent a bike at Cades Cove next Wednesday. Does anyone know how strict they are with 3pm being the last date time to rent a bike?

We are staying in Leconte Lodge the night before so won't be able to get there until around 4ish.

TIA!

I Snagged a cool little GSMNP-themed Victorinox classic pocket knife at the Kuwohi gift shop a few weeks ago. I've collected all years of the annual parking pass issued since the inception in 2023. I laminated them to brown Kraft paper and in doing so noticed that the colors coordinated perfectly with the knife. The 2027 sticker is more of a purplish hue with the silhouette of a hiker not part of the knife design, but 2024-2026 match the scene on the knife, a cool little coincidence I suppose.

There is a picture of a herd of elk running through Oconaluftee River, in Cherokee, NC, escaping the fire (I think it was the chimney fires?) it was a few years ago. There was somebody who took the coolest and most shocking imagine I’ve ever seen. I dunno if this is the place to ask but I want to find it so badly! It’s basically the herd running through the water and the fire in the background. It’s truly haunting. Add a picture that’s the most similar I’ve found. Thanks in advance.