Spring break is just around the corner and you can’t wait to do something fun and exciting, however, you aren’t sure where you want to go yet. There are many great spring break locations throughout the country but if you are looking for a different but adventurous spring break the Smoky Mountains is exactly where you need to be. The Smoky Mountains offers visitors tons of opportunities to explore and have fun throughout the regions with so many great things to do. Of course, during your spring break trip, you are going to want to do all of the best things to do in the Smoky Mountains region.
1. Visit Cades Cove
One of the best things to do in the Smoky Mountains during spring break is to tour Cades Cove. Cades Cove is a broad valley surrounded by mountain and is one of the most popular destinations in the Smoky Mountains. An 11-mile, one-way loop road circles the cove, offering motorists the opportunity to sightsee at a leisurely pace. You need to allow at least 2 to 4 hours to tour Cades Cove and even longer if you walk some of the area’s trails.
The valley also has a very rich history. For hundreds of years, Cherokee Indians hunted in Cades Cove. The first European settled in the cove sometime between 1818 and 1821. By 1830, the population of the area had already swelled to 271. Cades Cove offers the widest variety of historic buildings of any area in the national park.
2. Backpacking
Backpacking is a great way to see a lot of what the Smoky Mountains has to offer. The park has over 800 miles of trails offering hikers a wide range of scenery including spectacular mountain vistas, rushing streams and waterfalls, historic structures, and quiet groves of old-growth forest. However, before you go backpacking on one of the many hiking trails in the Smoky Mountains you must get a permit and make an advanced reservations from the National Park Service.
3. Go Day Hiking
Hiking is one of the most popular things to do in the Smoky Mountains. Hiker enjoy the Smoky Mountains during all months of the year with every season offering its own special rewards. Spring is especially special in the Smoky Mountains as it provides a weekly parade of wildflowers and flowering trees. Some of the most popular destination hikes in the Smoky Mountains include Charlies Bunion, Alum Cave Bluffs, Andrews Bald, and Rainbow Falls. All of these hiking destinations will provide you with breathtaking views and unforgettable experiences that you will treasure always.
4. See Clingmans Dome
At 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Smoky Mountains making it one of the best things to do in the Smoky Mountains. It is the highest point in Tennessee and the third highest mountain east of the Mississippi. The observation tower on the summit of Clingmans Dome offers spectacular 360 degrees views of the Smoky Mountains and beyond for visitors willing to climb the steep half-mile walk to the tower at the top.
You can’t wait to go on your spring break trip, start planning it today by booking one of our Smoky Mountain cabin rentals.