The Great Smoky Mountains National Park Hiking Trip Planner In 10 Easy Steps:
Planning a hiking trip is one of the most challenging parts of the trip for me. But follow our Great Smoky Mountain National Park Trip Planner, and you will find yourself hiking in the smokies in no time at all!
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#1. Plan Your Hikes / Backpacking Itinerary:
Your first step in planning your Great Smoky Mountain vacation is to figure out precisely what you want to do and see in the park. Whether it be day hiking or backpacking, you should decide what you want to see and how long you need to be there to get the most out of your trip. Be sure to always discuss backpacking itineraries or day hikes with a park ranger, to make sure conditions are safe for when you plan to hike.
Determining what you want to do in the park should be your first step because it will affect all other aspects of planning your trip that we will discuss throughout this guide. Whether you opt for day hiking or backpacking, I highly recommend going through our “Great Smoky Mountain National Park Guide“. It is a great resource to find insane day hikes and pre-made backpacking itineraries to help you plan your adventure.
#2. Pick Your Dates
Now that you know what you want to do in the park and how long you expect to stay, the next step is deciding which dates you want to go. For hiking and camping, summertime is your best bet. Anywhere from late May to mid-September would work. Keep in mind these dates may require some flexibility depending on the campsite and permit availability.
#3. Book Your Campsite, Permits Or Hotel Stay
Now that you have your dates, you need to work on getting campsite, backcountry permit, or hotel reservations.
Campsite & Backcountry Permit Reservations:
All campsites at Great Smoky Mountain National Park require a reservation which you can make at recreation.gov for front-country campsites. You will need permits if you want to do a backpacking trip through the backcountry. You can reserve these permits through the park’s website. Backcountry permits during the busy season can be difficult to obtain last minute, so I recommend applying for them way in advance.
Hotel Stays Near Great Smoky Mountain National Park:
Now, if camping isn’t your style and you need a little more comfort, not to fear there are many different hotel stays located around the park. Be sure to book a hotel close to the area of the park where you plan to spend most of your time. That way, you will spend less time driving and more time on the trail! Use the below links to find some cool stays near Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
#4. Decide Which Airport You Are Flying Into
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is pretty large and even goes through two states (North Caroline and Tennessee). Because of this, there are a couple of different airport options available. There are two different ways you can go with picking an airport. Either go with the closest to where you plan on lodging or with whichever one has the most convenient flights for you, and if you can get both, great! Refer to our post “Closest Airports To Great Smoky Mountains National Park” to see which airport would work best for you!
#5. Check Flights And Book Your Tickets
Now that we picked our dates and what airport we want to fly into, it is time to check flights! I always like using Kayak to help find the cheapest flights. Use the link below to do some flight research.
#6. Book A Rental Car For Your Great Smoky Mountains National Park Vacation
The next step needed is to book your rental car. The Great Smoky Mountains is a fantastic park to drive through, being one of the first national parks designed with vehicles in mind. Unfortunately, public transport is virtually nonexistent here so having a car is a must. I usually use one of the below services to research and book my rental cars.
#7. Consider Travel Insurance Especially If Backpacking
You never know what is going to happen when hiking in the wilderness. While travel insurance may be overkill if you only plan on doing day hikes, it is worth considering if you are backpacking. The reason being is injuries on the trail are always unexpected. If you were to get one bad enough that it requires you to be airlifted out of the park, that is a bill you DO NOT want.
Click the link below to check out different plans with Travelex. After you put in your information and get quotes, click “show more features” to view travel coverage benefits for emergency medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation.
#8. Look Into Excursions In GSMNP
Suppose you have an extra day and want to do other activities outside of hiking. I highly recommend looking through some of the excursions available through TripAdvisor. Click the link below and search “Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” then click “tours and tickets” to look through some of the excursions available through TripAdvisor.
#9. Brush Up On Your Hiking/Backpacking Basics
If you are new to hiking or backpacking but want to visit Great Smoky Mountains National park, that is awesome! You do not need to be a seasoned veteran outdoorsman to enjoy a park. If you are a beginner, I recommend going on some day hikes before your trip to prepare you for your hiking vacation! If you want to learn about hiking and backpacking, check out our “Hiking / Backpacking Tips Page.”
#10. Make Sure You Have All Of The Necessary Gear:
Whenever going into the wilderness, having the right gear is absolutely essential. Fortunately, whether you are backpacking or just doing day hikes, you can use our gear guides to ensure you have everything you need.
Enjoy Your Trip!
I hope this guide was helpful for you guys. Enjoy your time in the Smokies!
