What You Will Do
Recommended: Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together!
Explore Great Smoky Mountains National Park and discover why it’s the most visited National Park in the country! Tour these famous mountains while learning about Cherokee history and legends, Appalachian life, and much more. There’s no better way to see Clingman’s Dome, Cades Cove, or Rainbow Falls. Plus, enjoy a free bonus tour of Roaring Forks Motor Trail!
After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route.
Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
Meeting Point
You can also begin the tour from 1151 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, USA. The tour works in both directions, so you can begin in Cherokee and end in Gatlinburg, or vice versa.
1
Newfound Gap Road
5 minutes
From there, your drive continues to Newfound Gap, a stunning mountain pass with huge historical significance. Hear the story of how trappers, farmers, and merchants used to cross the Smokies, and how this gap changed all of that.
Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
2
Mingus Mill
5 minutes
As you drive, you'll have the option to take a detour to the Mingus Mill, an 1886 grist mill which, believe it or not, is still fully functional! If you're here on weekends, you can even see the mill operators grind corn just like they did back in the 1800s.
3
Clingmans Dome Visitor Contact Station
1 hour
Heading toward Clingman's Dome, you'll soon see its famous observation tower. You really haven't seen the Great Smoky Mountains until you've seen them from up here!
4
Quiet Walkways
5 minutes
Your first major stop is the Beech Flats Quiet Walkway, a perfect spot for anyone who wants to soak up the natural beauty of the mountains without having to hike an arduous trail.
5
Morton Overlook
5 minutes
After that, you'll reach Morton Overlook, hugely popular for its unbelievable sunsets.
6
Oconaluftee Visitor Center
5 minutes
Your drive through the beautiful, majestic Smoky Mountains begins at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Get ready to explore the Smokies and discover why this is the most visited National Park in the country!
7
Rockefeller Memorial
5 minutes
Up next is the Rockefeller Memorial, where you'll learn more about Rockefeller's importance to the park! This memorial was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt himself.
8
Carlos Campbell Overlook
5 minutes
The next overlook on your route is Carlos Campbell Overlook, which serves up panoramic views of towering mountains and lush forests.
9
Morton Mountain Tunnel
5 minutes
Continuing on, you'll pass through the heart of a mountain using the Morton Tunnel. Here, you'll also hear about how a politician named Ben Morton got his name all over the park.
10
Alum Cave Trail
5 minutes
Next you'll pass the Alum Cave Trail, which takes hikers to the remains of an old salt mine packed with fascinating history.
11
Chimney Tops Overlook
5 minutes
Your route takes you next to Chimney Tops Overlook, where you'll hear all about wildfires in the Smokies and how they cause lasting damage to mountains like this one.
12
Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail
5 minutes
Next up is the most accessible trail in the park! Sugarlands Valley Trail can be accessed by wheelchair or stroller, and offers a great way to venture into the scenic wilderness. We'll also turn back the clock to get an in-depth look at the complicated history of this valley and the settlers who once lived here.
13
Clingmans Dome
5 minutes
Next up is the most accessible trail in the park: Sugarlands Valley Trail! This scenic trail can be accessed by wheelchair or stroller, and offers a great way to venture into the wilderness.
14
Sugarlands Visitors Center
5 minutes
The tour leads next to the Sugarlands Visitor Center, a perfect rest stop and the site of a few trailheads.
15
Rainbow Falls Trail
5 minutes
Our route takes us next to the Rainbow Falls Trail, which leads to the park's most popular waterfall. Standing at 80 feet, Rainbow Falls is the tallest waterfall in the Smokies, but that's not all! When the sun hits it right, it glimmers like a rainbow--hence the name.
16
Cataract Falls
5 minutes
Your drive continues to Cataract Falls, a beautiful, secluded set of waterfalls tucked beneath a shaded canopy of beech trees.
17
Gatlinburg
5 minutes
Finally, you'll arrive in the picturesque mountian town of Gatlinburg, where your tour will conclude.
18
Ripley's Believe It or Not!
5 minutes
Our next stop is perfect for anyone amused by kitschy oddities. This funky museum displays everything from shrunken human heads to rare animal skeletons. We'll get the inside scoop on how it started as a simple one-panel comic strip and grew into a national phenomenon.
19
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
5 minutes
Continue following the road to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. This driving trail invites you to slow down and enjoy the forest and historic buildings of the area. It also features three of the park's most famous waterfalls!
20
Alfred Reagan Tub Mill
5 minutes
The road brings us next to the Reagen Cabin, which displays a perfect example of old-timey technology in the form of the so-called "tub mill." Hear all about what that is and why it was useful here.
21
Grotto Falls Trail
5 minutes
Keep driving until you reach the Grotto Falls trail. While it's not quite as grand as Rainbow Falls, this secluded, less crowded waterfall is absolutely worth a visit. On your way, hear about a rare salamander you can only find right here!
22
The Place of a Thousand Drips
5 minutes
Why settle for one waterfall when you can have several? Our next stop is the Place of a Thousand Drips, where numerous narrow falls come together to form a stunning torrent.
23
Baskins Creek Falls
5 minutes
Our drive takes us next to the Baskin Creek Falls, a sparkling waterfall where we'll hear about the amusing, and slightly misguided history behind the name of these falls.
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