It's simple to spend some you cash in Gatlinburg; the town that can serve as the “Gateway to the Smokies” is populated with amusement parks and museums and dotted with souvenir shops and enticing restaurants. But the Tennessee town's raison d'etre is its proximity to the 500,000 acre Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which – much towards the delight of penny-pinching vacationers – is free to explore.
Whether you need to grab a backpack, a tent, and spend your low-cost holiday in the woods or you're drawn to the lights and sights of downtown Gatlinburg, there is a wallet-friendly option (or two) for all sorts of traveler. Here's our pick of the best free things to do in and around the town.
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
This popular 5.5-mile one-way, driving trail is a free and accessible method to see the Smokies (provided you have your own car). You'll slowly – due to the posted speed limit and the winding nature of the road – go around this paved loop road, which is, somewhat ironically, named after a fast-flowing mountain stream that curves through this part of the Smoky Mountains.
Throughout your drive you will have opportunities to pull to take hikes, such as the 5.4-mile trail to Rainbow Falls and back. Should you head to this waterfall on the sunny day you will see the rainbows in the water that provide its name. The hike to Grotto Falls is short, a couple of.6 miles as a whole, and pretty.
As long as water levels are sufficient, you can also catch waterfall action at Place of a Thousand Drips, close to the end from the loop. There's an chance to appreciate the scenery from a nearby overlook or perhaps from the car itself.
Ely's Mill
Located after the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Ely's Mill provides a peek at what agricultural life was like for individuals who lived in these mountains sometime ago. Built in 1925, it is still run by the family of its original owner, Old Man Ely, an attorney who constructed this place after his wife died and he wanted to flee city life.
A few small buildings are scattered through the site. Park in the ample lot, and wander. First of all, you will see that old mill. It's not currently working, but hopes will be to restore the waterwheel in the future, as well as whether it isn't turning, its picturesque setting in the creek may be worth seeing. Most widely used may be the shop in the old mill building, stocked with locally made crafts.
Outbuildings house blacksmithing and other demonstrations, plus bathrooms, which can be a welcome amenity for those who have spent considerable time in the woods. If you wish to delve deeper in to the good reputation for Ely's Mill, book among the cabins where one can spend the night time.
Mountain Farm Museum and Mingus Mill
Technically over the North Carolina border, about 30 miles from Gatlinburg inside Smoky Mountain National Park, Mountain Farm Museum and Mingus Mill are a assortment of buildings from this region, most of which tend to be more than 100 years old.
Stroll down the walking trails, take a look at an apple orchard, smokehouse, and much more. As is the situation in much of the Smokies, there's a chance to spot wildlife here, including elk, salamanders and black bears.
Cades Cove
Another popular stop in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cades Cove Loop Road is definitely an 11-mile, one-way driving route. Historically, Cherokee along with other Indigenous peoples used Cades Cove as a way to traverse through the area to hunt deer, elk, and other wildlife well before it became a national park.
In the 1820s white farmers established a settler community in Cades Cove. At its peak, nearly 700 people lived here, and it supported an article office, schools, and more. Today, visitors come to begin to see the heritage homesteads out of this period, in addition to spot black bears, which are prominent in the region. You're also prone to see wild turkeys, rabbits, river otters, elk and woodchucks.
While it's best known as a driving loop, each Wednesday and Saturday morning between May and September the path is closed to cars so that you can bicycle or walk (rental bikes can be found). The visitor center is around the midpoint from the driving loop.
Parkway
The Parkway is the main thoroughfare through Gatlinburg and nearby Pigeon Forge. In downtown Gatlinburg, between Traffic Light 1 and Traffic Light 10 (around three miles long), the street is a walkable route that's perfect for consuming the town's charms.
Along the way in which you'll stroll through shops, including the charming Village, which has fountains and landscaped grounds, walk past restaurants, neon attractions, and candy and fudge stalls. Officially this route is known as U.S. Highway 441, but everyone calls it The Parkway.
Great Smoky Mountains Crafts and arts Community
Basket-making, weaving, ceramics and other arts are members of the mountain traditions within the Smokies. Satisfy the artists making these works and find out their handiwork when you visit their studios and galleries in the Great Smoky Mountains Crafts and arts Community. The 8-mile loop road is obtainable by car, or you can go ahead and take free Gatlinburg Trolley.
While there are more than 100 artists who work along the loop, the vibe is much more secluded than congested. Some studios are together in collectives; others are in freestanding buildings. Check individual artists' schedules for classes and workshops.
Gatlinburg Trolley
The mixture of Gatlinburg's popularity and it is remote location implies that lots of people visiting this mountain getaway achieve this by car which creates traffic back ups on the narrow mountain roads.
Fortunately, there's a free option to sitting in your car. The Gatlinburg Trolley whisks passengers out and about on three different routes (blue, purple, and yellow), covering downtown and the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community. Contemplate it a totally free tour of the city, undertaken straight from among the city's 20 atmospheric trolley cars.
Distilleries
Gatlinburg is home to several moonshine-makers and wineries. Their outposts are much more commercial than the romantic perception of “moonshine shacks”, hidden away in high altitude, you might have in your mind, but if a tasting of moonshine or wine is your thing, there are many free or low-cost choices for a sample. Try Sugarland Cellars or even the huge Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine, one of the most popular moonshine distilleries in the country, to get going.
City Parks
Gatlinburg has three city parks – Mynatt Park, Mills Park, and Herbert Holt Park. Each has its very own amenities, including a Storywalk Trail and disc golf at Mills, and fishing for kids at Herbert Holt. However they all share a few things: the topography from the Smokies with scenic views and lush, green landscapes; fewer crowds than you'll find in the national park; and all sorts of three are free. Kids don't even need a fishing license to cast a line.
