(Cover photo credit: Great Smoky Mountains National Park)
According to the National Park Service, nearly 13 million people visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) in 2022. That number is a 37% increase in the last decade! As hikers and sightseers enter the park from Gatlinburg, TN, Sugarlands Visitors Center is a popular spot for them to begin the day.
Sugarlands Visitors Center is just outside Gatlinburg, and it offers everything you need for a safe and fun day in the mountains. Plus, it is a destination within itself!
Here are 10 reasons why you should stop at Sugarlands Visitors Center during your next trip to the Smoky Mountains:
Meet a Park Ranger
Would your kids like to meet a real park ranger? Rangers are on-site to offer advice and information about current park conditions. They can also make customized recommendations for your group. Whether your party is looking for accessible hiking trails or the best place to spot elk in the Smoky Mountains, a park ranger can help you plan your day.
Kids can Become Junior Rangers
The GSMNP offers a junior ranger program for children ages 5 through 12. Stop by any visitor center, including Sugarlands Visitors Center, to purchase a junior ranger program booklet. During your time in the mountains, complete the activities and return the booklet to receive a junior ranger badge from a real park ranger!
Purchase Trail Maps and Parking Passes
For the best hiking experience, have a trail map and a parking pass.
To search for and save maps using a mobile device, you will find Wi-Fi and cell signals at Sugarlands Visitors Center. However, we recommend using a printed trail map to navigate inside the park.
There is a wide selection of maps for all the top hiking trails like Alum Cave Bluffs to Mt. LeConte, Laurel Falls, Chimney Tops, and more. Plus, the center offers specialized brochures for top destinations like Cades Cove. For an overall guide, purchase a brochure that encompasses the entire park including roads, trails, restrooms, and the other three visitor centers in the Smoky Mountains.
Speaking of maps, a large topographical map is on display inside this visitor center. It puts the vastness of the park into perspective, and it is fascinating to see the layout of the mountain range.
As part of the Park It Forward initiative, all vehicles parking for more than 15 minutes inside the park require a parking pass. Purchase passes online or get one at Sugarlands Visitors Center. Click here to read more about parking passes in the Smoky Mountains.
Use the Cellular Signal
There is little to no cell phone service inside the GSMNP. Stop at Sugarlands Visitors Center to call or message loved ones before hitting the trails. Letting someone know your plans is helpful in case of an emergency.
Find a First Aid Kit
If someone in your party receives an injury in the national park, stop at Sugarlands Visitors Center for first aid care. This is also a good place to seek further help in case there is an emergency inside the park.
Purchase a Souvenir
Sugarlands Visitors Center has the best souvenirs! Kids will love picking out toys, books, binoculars, and snacks. Adults will enjoy shopping for hiking gear, keepsakes, postcards, and more. Purchase refreshments here before you hit the trails. All purchases at the visitor center benefit the GSMNP and help maintain the trails and destinations that make the park such an enjoyable place to visit.
Clean Restrooms
It isn’t easy to find bathrooms in the national park. Stop at Sugarlands Visitors Center to use the facilities before and after your day in the mountains. If you are concerned about finding restrooms inside the park, ask a ranger about the specific areas you plan to visit.
Watch a 20-Minute Video
To learn more about the park, watch an informative 20-minute video. Hear about the history of the land, the park’s formation, and other information to enhance your visit.
Hike the Three Trails that Leave from Sugarlands Visitors Center
Three hiking trails leave from Sugarlands Visitors Center. This is a great opportunity for anyone with mobility issues hoping to hike in the mountains because these trails are easy to get to, short in distance, and relatively flat.
The Gatlinburg Trail is nearly 4 miles long and it connects the visitor center to Gatlinburg. It is one of only two park trails that allow dogs. It offers a smooth paved surface suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. Find the trailhead at the visitor center or on River Road in Gatlinburg.
Find the trailhead for Cataract Falls and Fighting Creek Nature Trail outside of the restrooms at Sugarlands Visitors Center. These trails are the closest hiking trails to Gatlinburg. If you don’t have time to spend an entire day inside the national park, choose these trails for a hiking experience close to town.
The .75-mile Cataract Falls trail is fairly level although not smooth enough for strollers or wheelchairs. It starts paved but turns to gravel and some large rocks and tree roots cross the path. Still, this trail is the easiest and quickest way to see a waterfall in the Smoky Mountains. Your kids will love the many opportunities for splashing along the way! Play in the creek as you venture to the 25-foot waterfall and navigate a few footbridges for a pint-sized dose of adventure.
Fighting Creek Nature Trail is a little steeper and more uneven than the Cataract Falls trail, but it may be a fun and achievable challenge for the family. It leads to the historic 1860s John Ownby cabin. If you don’t have the time to visit Cades Cove, this is a good chance to see an old homestead site in the GSMNP. This trail is just over one mile long.
Experience the Free Museum
Sugarlands Visitors Center has an exciting museum filled with plants and taxidermized animals native to the Smoky Mountains. The entire family will love getting up close to a bear, turkey, and other mammals. Plus, see the many snakes that call this area home! Learn about our native animals and then look for them as you make your way through the GSMNP.
The museum houses an array of insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Also, learn about native plants such as poison ivy and the beautiful wildflowers in the Smoky Mountains. The museum at Sugarlands Visitors Center is an excellent learning opportunity for the whole family.
More about Sugarlands Visitors Center
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open year-round, weather pending. There is no bad time to visit the Smokies; here is an overview of visiting the Smoky Mountains in each season.
Sugarlands Visitors Center offers hours that vary by season and is open daily except for Christmas Day. It has limited hours on national holidays; see the current hours of operation here.
There are four visitors’ centers inside the GSMNP including Sugarlands, Oconaluftee, Cades Cove, and Clingmans Dome. Sugarlands Visitors Center is closest to Gatlinburg. When leaving Gatlinburg and heading into the national park, you will find it on your right before hitting any trails or other destinations. It is very easy to find and it’s the perfect spot to begin a fun-filled and safe day in the mountains.
Gatlinburg is one of America’s top destinations and Sugarlands Visitors Center is just minutes away from the town’s most famous attractions, restaurants, shops, and more! Start planning your vacation in Gatlinburg today. Click here for vacation tips and follow us on Facebook to stay updated on the Smoky Mountains!
Authored in Appalachia || Amy Morton
Comments are closed