Everything You Need to Know Before Hiking in the Smokies

No matter what time of year it is, hiking is always one of the most fun things to do in the Smoky Mountains. With over 100 trails to choose from, there is a Smoky Mountain outdoor adventure for every visitor to the national park.

However, that being said, how prepared is your family to go hiking in the Smokies? Test your knowledge with our full list of everything visitors need for a fun and safe Smoky Mountain hiking experience below!

Pre-pack Snacks

Whether you are hiking with a group of friends or you are introducing your kids to the hiking trails in the Smoky Mountains for the first time, you always want to make sure you pack a few snacks.

Not only does enjoying a light snack give you an excuse to sit down and enjoy the scenery for a moment, but it also helps you keep your energy up so you can complete the trail with ease. The last thing anyone wants when hiking in the Smokies is to get halfway through the trail and have to stop because they run out of energy.

Our favorite snacks to pack when exploring a Smoky Mountain hiking trails are ones that are high in protein. This can include protein bars, granola bars, mixed nuts, and light sandwiches.

The biggest thing to keep in mind when packing snacks for your hiking trip is that you want to make sure that what you bring is high in salt. This will dehydrate you.

Don’t Forget Water

Speaking of dehydration, that is the second biggest thing Smoky Mountain hikers will want to avoid. We all know that our bodies need water to function to the best of their abilities, but this is especially important when you are participating in a strenuous activity.

If you do not drink enough water when hiking in the Smokies, you will most likely feel dizzy, nauseous, and will be unable to finish the hike. You can easily avoid this unpleasantness by packing an extra water bottle or two before hitting the hiking trail.

If you do not feel like carrying the extra weight, you can always pack a few water purification tablets into your backpack and use streamwater to fill up your cups. These tablets can be picked up at any outdoor shop in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge or Sevierville.

Please remember that there is no substitute for water when hiking in the Smokies. Although sports drinks and energy drinks advertise that they help refuel your electrolytes and will keep you hydrated, they can actually do more harm than good. We suggest ditching the fancy drinks and sticking with good old reliable H20.

Dress Appropriately

Did you know that cotton is one of the worst materials you can wear when hiking in the Smokies? Not only does cotton fail to protect against the wind, but it is also not water resistant. This means that if you get caught in a pop up shower, or you decide to explore the area around a waterfall, your clothes will not dry very quickly.

The reason this is important is if you spend too much time in wet clothes there is a chance of hypothermia. Wool is another material you will want to avoid.

Protect yourself from this risk by wearing clothes that are made primarily from nylon fabrics. Not only is this material lightweight so it won’t weigh you down, but it also dries quickly and makes for an excellent wind breaker. Visitors can find comfortable clothing made out of this material at any outdoor shop in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville.

If you plan on exploring one of the Smoky Mountain hiking trails with a waterfall, or one that runs near a stream, be sure to wear high-rise hiking boots that can help protect your feet from getting wet. We also suggest packing an extra pair of socks or two just in case the paid you are wearing gets wet.

Research Your Trail

There is no such thing as knowing too much about a Smoky Mountain hiking trail. This is why we encourage guests to research as much as possible about the trails they want to explore on their next vacation to the area.

Your research can include where the best places to park are, the difficulty rating, what special features the trails offer, what other hikers experienced when hiking the trail, and much more.

In addition to helping you learn more about the trail and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, researching your hiking trail also helps you get a sense of what to expect during your outdoor adventure. There is a big difference in enjoying an easy two mile hike that is relatively flat and a rigorous two mile hike that is mostly uphill. The only way to know which of these categories your particular trail falls into is to research.

You can easily find everything you need to learn about a Smoky Mountain hiking trail both online or from hiking books that can be found at any of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s visitor centers.

Time of Day Matters

This may seem trivial, but it really is important to think about what time of day you and your family want to go hiking in the Smoky Mountains. Not only does this determine how long your trail should be, but it also helps factor in what supplies you will need to bring and what you should wear.

The temperatures in the higher elevations of the park are always a little cooler the closer to sunrise and sunset you get. Meaning, f you are hiking around these times, you will probably want to pack a light jacket.

There are no artificial lights in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This means that if you are hiking close to sunset, you will want to pack a flashlight, or pick a shorter trail so you aren’t stranded in the dark.

If you plan on hiking in the middle of the day, when the weather is at its hottest, you will want to wear lighter layers and pack extra water to stay hydrated.

Teach Your Kids About Poisonous Snakes

There are several wild animals and creatures that call the Great Smoky Mountains National Park home. That being said, it is important that all hikers, especially the younger ones, know how to deal with certain species.

For example, if you somehow come across a bear when hiking in the Smoky Mountains, you will want to know to leave the bear alone and to calmly but swiftly walk in the other direction.

Another important creature you will want to know how to handle are poisonous snakes. Although there aren’t many dangerous snake species that can be found in the park, it is still important to know what they look like just in case.

Only two out of the total of 23 species of snakes that live in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are poisonous. The two species are the Northern Copperhead and the Timber Rattlesnake.

Northern Copperheads are an average of 30 inches long, and have an unmarked copper-color head with a reddish-brown colored body. These snakes can be found closer to rivers and streams as they prefer semi-aquatic habitats.

Timber Rattlesnakes can most-easily be identified from the rattle located at the tip of their tails. Adult Timber Rattlesnakes can range anywhere from 3 to 4.5 feet in length. These snakes have a broad, triangularly shaped head, and their color patterns are often described as either yellow with dark cross bands or all black.

Outdoor Shops in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville

Now that you know what you need to bring for an exciting outdoor adventure in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you and your family are probably curious of where to go to pick up all the supplies you need. To help you out, here is a breakdown of a few of our favorite outdoors shops in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville.

Nantahala Outdoor Center

Bass Pro Shop

  • Location: 3629 Outdoor Sportsmans Place, Kodak, TN 3774
  • Phone: (865) 932-5600
  • Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
  • Website: http://www.basspro.com/

Columbia Sportswear at Tanger Outlets in Pigeon Forge

  • Location: 1645 Parkway, Sevierville, TN 37862
  • Phone: (865) 868-3165
  • Hours: Sunday-Thursday 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
  • Website: http://www.columbia.com/

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Visitor Centers

  • Location: Varies
    • Sugarlands Visitor Center: 2 miles south of Gatlinburg on US-441
    • Cades Cove Visitor Center: Midway point on the 11-mile loop road in Cades Cove
    • Clingmans Dome Visitor Center: At the Clingmans Dome trailhead on Clingmans Dome Road.
  • Hours: Varies by season
    • Sugarlands Visitor Center:
      • June-August 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
      • September-October 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
      • November 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
      • December 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
      • January-February 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
      • March 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
      • April-May 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
    • Cades Cove Visitor Center:
      • May-July 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
      • August 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
      • September-October 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
      • November 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
      • December 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
      • January 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
      • February 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
      • March 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
      • April 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
    • Clingmans Dome Visitor Center:
      • April-October 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
      • November 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Website: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm

Place to Stay After Hiking in the Smokies

After you and your family have enjoyed a thrilling day of hiking in the Smoky Mountains, you will be more than happy to come back and relax inside of one of Great Outdoor Rentals’ spacious Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg cabin rentals. Located just a short drive from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, our vacation rentals come fully-equipped with everything guests will need for a relaxing Smoky Mountain vacation. This includes free wifi, outdoor hot tubs, secluded mountain views, pet-friendly accommodations, and more.

To learn more about our rentals, give us a call at 1-800-720-6978.