When is the Best Time to Visit the Smoky Mountains?

On the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park gets more visitors than any other national park.

Visiting the Smoky Mountains During Spring

“Wildflower National Park” is one of the nicknames for the Smokies. The reason is that the park has more than 1,500 different flowering plants that bloom during the spring months. In fact, it has more than any other national park in North America.

Summer: A Favorite Time to Visit Smoky Mountains

One of the most popular seasons for visiting the Smokies is summer. As a result, the summer months are the most crowded time to visit the Smoky Mountains, with July being the busiest month.

Visiting the Smoky Mountains During Fall

No matter when in October that you visit, you’re practically guaranteed to see some colors from about midway up the mountains to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg below as the peak color season moves through the mountains’ various elevations.

Winter: A Best Time to Visit Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park becomes a gorgeous winter wonderland from December through February. At high elevations, in particular, temperatures can dip below freezing.

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