I've had the great fortune to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park twice. The first visit was July 2021 and the second visit was November 2022. Summer was a beautiful time to visit, but unfortunately its peak season for travelers. While I planned ahead and mostly avoided the waves of visitors coming from Gatlinburg, my chilly November visit was particularly special.

Sugarlands Visitor Center (Tennessee)

There are several hikes not too far from the Northern entrance featuring some of the parks most scenic waterfalls. Note that during peak season, these falls will be busy and parking will likely be tough. However, if its not a weekend, you start early, and/or your visiting a bit outside of peak season, you'll likely enjoy the moderate hikes without too much trouble. At the short trek to Laurel Falls, I spotted my first black bear in the park.

Hike to Laurel Falls (2.5 miles)

Cades Cove Visitor Center (Tennessee)

Visiting Cades Cove in the late Fall turned out to be a wonderful, solitary experience. Not only did I enjoy a few hikes, but I did manage to see this bear. While I grew up in Wisconsin and black bears are common, its still a pleasure to see wildlife. Since there are around 2,000 black bears in the park, your chances of spotting the iconic bear are always decent, but obviously multi-day trips or return visits increase your chances dramatically.

• Hike to Abrams Falls (5 miles)

During my visit I appreciated how the falls were in a state of near freezing, as icicles were forming around the falls. Starting the hike during a chilly morning, the air was fresh and the forest seemed to only just be waking up.

Cades Cove is an 11-mile one-way loop, so plan in advance your main stops. Since my visit was in November, it was not busy at all. After completing the loop I stopped by the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, which includes a few other trails that follow small rivers.

Kuwohi Visitor Center (Formerly Clingmans Dome)

Renamed using a Cherokee word meaning mulberry place, Kuwohi straddles the Tennessee / North Carolina border offering some of the best vistas in the park. The plants, including mosses within the Great Smoky Mountains are varied and unique. Indeed, the park was inscribed in part because "The Great Smoky Mountains is one of the most ecologically rich and diverse temperate zone protected areas in the world."

More often than not, expect the 'smoky' looking fog or mist to be part of your vista. I was reminded of the coastal fog that rolled in at Redwoods National Park, which is so vital to both ecosystems. Initially disappointed because I craved the panoramic views, I increasingly appreciate the special qualities that define the Great Smoky Mountains.

Another feature of Kuwohi is its proximity to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and its highest point! On a return visit I would love to hike this iconic trail from Kuwohi.

Oconaluftee Visitor Center (North Carolina)

If you coming from Atlanta or Charlotte, this will likely be your entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This area of the park tends to be less busy than the Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg. The Southern entrance also is adjacent to the Cherokee Indian Reservation (Qualla Boundary). In fact, the Museum of the Cherokee People is located just outside the National Park.

The vicinity of the Southern entrance turned out to be the place to spot several elk. Walking near the Oconaluftee river (about 1km from the visitor center), I spotted this elk.

Benefits of a Multi-day Journey and Return Visits

The Great Smoky Mountains has some key features to highlight. Firstly, hopefully you will see plenty of black bears and elk in various parts of the park. Pacing and allotting time for different areas of the park is important. Cades Cove takes at least half a day. One or two hikes near the Sugarlands Visitor Center will take about 1/2 a day. Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) & Newfound Gap will take some time, potentially all day if you want to get on the Appalachian Trail. Throughout the park are various historic sites related to 19th-century Appalachian life, which not directly related to inscription, probably should have been. Moreover, visiting the park in different seasons is particularly pleasant.

The Great Smoky Mountains is one of the best parks East of the Mississippi River and while its been shaped by man through the centuries more than its Western counterparts, the park preserves some of the best wilderness and wildlife habitat in this region of the United States.

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