Gatlinburg is surrounded by the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, an 880 square mile treasure. Magnificent streams and rivers, soaring peaks and nature's most bountiful collection of plants and animals in North America are just a small part of the landscape. A new bio-diversity study now underway estimates that there are over 100,000 different species in the National Park alone. Recreational opportunities are everywhere. 900 miles of hiking trails, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, tubing, fishing and plain sitting on a rock are favorite past times.
Quiet walkways dot the park, allowing one to simply get away from the hustle of daily life.
Gatlinburg is the main entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park on the way to the Sugarlands Visitor Center which is operated by the National Park Service. From the Sugarlands, it's easy to go up the mountains to Newfound Gap on the Tennessee - North Carolina border, or head to Cades Cove, one of the most popular destinations inside the park. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the largest tract of unspoiled wilderness in the eastern United States and visitors should be aware that the Smokies are a wild area and should be treated as such. Feeding of wild animals and picking plant life are illegal inside the Park. Fishing is allowed inside the park with a proper license but certain species are protected.