Getting to Great Smoky Mountains
There are numerous road entrances to the park. The two most common lie at either end of Newfound Gap Road (US-441), at the cities of Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Cherokee, North Carolina. Exit 407 from I-40 leads to the Gatlinburg side. Additional entrances are at Deep Creek, Townsend, Big Creek, Balsam Mountain, and several others. Study the map for details.
The closest airport with major airline service and car rental on the Tennessee side is in Knoxville (TYS), less than an hour from the Gatlinburg side. On the North Carolina side, the nearest major airport is in Asheville (AVL), just over an hour from the Cherokee side. We suggest using Travelocity when searching for your flights and rental cars. Use the suggested airport codes above for the fastest results.
The closest airport with major airline service and car rental on the Tennessee side is in Knoxville (TYS), less than an hour from the Gatlinburg side. On the North Carolina side, the nearest major airport is in Asheville (AVL), just over an hour from the Cherokee side. We suggest using Travelocity when searching for your flights and rental cars. Use the suggested airport codes above for the fastest results.
The Official Park Map
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