To begin to understand the breadth and beauty of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you must first look at it by the numbers: 522,427 acres, 16 peaks over 6,000 feet in elevation, 848 miles of hiking trails, and nearly 23,000 different species living among the creeks, mountains, and wildflower-filled valleys. According to the National Park Service, over 12 million people venture to this part of North Carolina and Tennessee each year, making it one of the most-visited national parks in the US.
The quantitative view, however, only provides the initial context for this sprawling, incredibly biodiverse region. To truly wrap your head around the wonder and wildness of the Smokies, you have to experience it for yourself. Watch the namesake fog settle over the mountains in the early morning. Stumble upon a sky-high waterfall or two. Finally snag a rainbow trout after hours of wading through a cool mountain stream.
Whether it’s your first time exploring the park or you’re planning a return trip, you have options for where to set up your base camp. The historic LeConte Lodge is the only lodging within the park’s boundaries—and reservations for the following year are quickly snatched up when the booking window opens in the fall—but there are plenty of memorable hotels, unique glampsites, and rentals to choose from in and around the park’s gateway towns.
Read on to discover 11 of the best places to stay near Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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