Newfound Gap Road through Great Smoky Mountains National Park

One of the great things about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is that it is one of the few National Parks that a family can drive through and still enjoy, all thanks to the Newfound Gap Road. It is a 33 mile drive from Gatlinburg to Cherokee, North Carolina, but it takes you on one fantastic journey through quite a few of the most scenic areas of the park.

Points of Interest
Travel maps near the park entrance and area hotels, like the Edgewater Hotel, will provide points of interest along the way. If a family stops at each one of these, the trip can take several hours. This allows for a traveler to fully customize their tour through one of the nation's most beautiful parks.

Beautiful Foliage
After flowers begin blossoming in late March or early April travelers will be able to experience the Newfound Gap Road with an amazing variety of blossoming flowers. The beautiful spring brings out a veritable cornucopia of wildlife, which is a memorable viewing experience for any family. It's the fantastic foliage that makes many choose to rent out a chalet or cabin through Hickory Mist.

Sugarlands Visitor Center
When visiting the park, be sure to stop at the Sugarlands Visitor Center, which features a variety of exhibits on plant an animal life. It may sound boring at first glance, but the 20 minute video is a really good primer to the area and is entirely free. With the information in the video in hand, travelers will not only see the amazing sights of the park, but also understand them. It is also advised to take an Ober Gatilinburg Aerial Tram tour beforehand, as travelers will be able to see the park from the sky, as well as the thriving Gatlinburg cityscape.

Little Pigeon River
Many times throughout the trip on the Newfound Gap Road, visitors will have a chance to pull off and stop to see the crystal-clear waters of the Little Pigeon River. The cool waters will eventually make their way to the Tennessee, Ohio, and finally the Mississippi Rivers before finally settling in the Gulf of Mexico. The Creekstone Inn in Pigeon Forge is also right next to this beautiful river, which you can see from many of the rooms.

Campbell Overlook
Along the road, travelers can stop at arguably the best scenic overlook in the park. Mt. Leconte can be seen from this overlook, which was named for Carols Campbell. Campbell was an explorer, devoted outdoorsman, and author of Birth of a National Park. Travelers wishing to walk an exciting or unknown path like Campbell did can find it nearby in Haunting Tours Gatlinburg or even a Monster Truck Ride.