The Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers 522,427 acres in North Carolina and Tennessee. Because it is so large, there are many different ways to enter the park. Staying on the Tennessee side? Let us tell you about a lesser-known entrance to use during your next visit. Here is a list of 3 reasons to use the Wears Valley entrance of Great Smoky Mountains National Park:
1. A Way to Bypass Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Traffic
The Smoky Mountain area is a very popular tourist destination. Together, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg attract a total of 10 million visitors per year. This amount of visitors can create a lot of traffic so you'll be glad to know that you don't have to brave it in order to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Bypass the hustle and bustle by using the Wears Valley entrance to get here. It is about 9.2 miles from the city of Pigeon Forge. Because the entrance is less known by tourists, it is mostly used by locals of the area.
2. Provides Access to Popular Areas of the Park
The Wears Valley entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park connects to the Little River Gorge Road. This gives visitors easy access to popular areas of the park, one of which is Cades Cove. The 5 million visitors that flock here every year love to hike and drive along Cades Cove Loop Road. Another place the road provides access to is Elkmont. It is home to a cluster of the iconic troll bridge as well as abandoned buildings that were once popular vacation spots for wealthy people. It was quickly abandoned when the park was established in 1934. The area is now deemed a “ghost town.” Elkmont is also home to a frontcountry campground. Plan a great camping trip any time of the year!
3. Leads Directly to Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area
Having a picnic is a great activity for your next visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Pack a homemade lunch or get takeout from a restaurant. Either way, admire the natural scenery as you eat delicious food. The picnic areas are pet-friendly, so you can bring Fido along! When you use the Wears Valley entrance, it leads directly to Metcalf Bottoms picnic area. You’ll be glad to know that it is open year-round! If you love hiking, you should also check out the Metcalf Bottoms Trail, but if you do bring Fido, keep in mind that it is not a pet-friendly trail. This Smoky Mountain hike is considered easy in difficulty, with a roundtrip distance of only 1.5 miles. Look up to see the beautiful trees that overhang along the path and enjoy blooming wildflowers in the spring and summer. You should also keep an eye out for the Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse at the end of the trail. You can actually walk inside and look around. It has desks facing a chalkboard at the front. It can be a great photo opportunity.
Now you know more about the Wears Valley entrance! Want to know about even more ways to get to the national park? Check out this list of other entrances to Great Smoky Mountains National Park!
