Home to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Great Smokies are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee-North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. While people come to visit here from all around the world during all the seasons, winters in Smokies are disparate from any other season. The reason for that is the magical experience you get to feel as you see the beautiful Appalachian Mountains covered in snow, and everything around you is White, which feels like a Wonderland.

Things to Do

 There are some amazing activities you can do in Great Smokies during the winters:

HIKES

Roundtrip Length: 4.4 Miles
Total Elevation Gain: 1,125 Feet

One of the most famous trails in the Smoky mountains, Alum Caves Bluff, is a must-visit, especially during the winters, to enjoy the beauty and serenity of nature. The trail is not too long, with just 1.4 miles to Arch Rock and 2.3 miles to Alum Cave Bluffs, where you can find some really cool icicle formations. But, if you are willing to continue trekking further, you can go 5.0 miles onward to Mt. Leconte’s summit at the height of 6,593 feet to get a view of breathtaking views. It is also the third-highest peak in the smokies.

Alum Cave Bluff Hike

Roundtrip Length: 2.3 Miles
Total Elevation Gain: 314 Feet

Being considered one of the best Waterfall hikes in the Smokies, Laurel Falls is an excellent hike if you want to take some good pictures and get some stunning views of 80-foot tall waterfalls. And, if you get lucky, you might also spot a sight of black bears on your way. The total length of the hike to Laurel Falls and back is 2.3 miles and is considered moderate in difficulty.

Laurell Falls, TN

Please note: Pets are not allowed on these trails. Please read more at https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/pets.htm

ATTRACTIONS

Newfound Gap is the lowest drivable pass through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It can be up to 10 degrees cooler than lowlands and receives much more snow, with an average of 69 inches of snow annually.

Clingmans Dome: South of Newfound Gap, starts the Clingmans Dome Road, which is a seven-mile-long road that leads to the Clingmans Dome, an observation tower, which is the highest point in Great Smoky National Park. The road leading to Clingmans Dome is typically closed seasonally from December 1st till March 31st.

Snowy view from Newfound Gap, December 10, 2018

Cades Cove is an open valley surrounded by mountains and is one of the popular destinations in GSMNP as it allows wildlife viewing. It is an 11-mile long, one-way loop road and can be enjoyed by foot or in a vehicle. You can enjoy multiple trails here, including the 5-mile long roundtrip trail to Abrams Falls.

Beautiful Cades Cove
WINTER SPORTS

Peak Elevation: 3,300 feet
Base Elevation: 2,200 feet
No. of Slopes: 9

This ski location is the only ski resort in Tennessee and is closed to the Gatlinburg downtown area. It offers winter snow activities like Skiing, Snow Tubing, and Snowboarding as well as indoor activities like Ice Skating. It is a great family-friendly place and you can reach here by boarding the Aerial Tramway from Downtown as well instead of driving. 

Drive Time: 3 hours from Gatlinburg
Peak Elevation: 5,506 feet
Base Elevation: 4,675 feet
No. of Slopes: 15

This is considered the highest ski area in the eastern America and offers activities like skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, or skating on a 7,000 square foot outdoor ice rink.  

At the top of the mountain, there is a Skybar named 5506` Skybar named to pay tribute to the elevation where guests can enjoy food and beverages. After a long day of activities, you can also hangout at the Beech Mountain Brewery and grab a drink.

Drive Time: 3 hours from Gatlinburg Peak Elevation: 5,300 feet
Base Elevation: 4,100 feet
No. of Slopes: 22 slopes, *15 with lights for night skiing/riding.

This resort is one of the popular one among advanced skiers although it has slopes for all levels. It offers most winter activities like Skiing, snowboarding, tubing, ice skating and snowshoeing.

If you are looking for accommodation, Sugar Mountain offers rooms to condos to homes in the village very close to the resort. You can also avail amenities like Locker Room, Group Sales, Free Parking Lot Shuttle, and Convenient Bus Parking here. The resort houses 2 restaurants for dinning, a lounge and a gift shop as well.

1 thought on “A Guide to Beautiful White Smoky Mountains

  1. I love it whenever people come together and share views. Great blog, continue the good work!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *