The Best 2 Day Smoky Mountains Itinerary with Kids
If you have two days in the Smoky Mountains, you will be able to see a lot of awesome things in the park! This itinerary takes you on a scenic drive (actually two!), explores a bit of Gatlinburg, and visits the highest point in Tennessee. You’ll probably leave wanting to come back and explore more of the park, but this 2 day Smoky Mountains itinerary will highlight some of the best highlights of the park for families.
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Where to Stay in the Smoky Mountains
Choosing a spot to stay in the Smoky Mountains can be a bit overwhelming because there are so many options. We created a guide to help you choose Pigeon Forge vs. Gatlinburg vs. Cherokee!
But, to get you started here are a few great options in each area:
Gatlinburg
Pigeon Forge
Cherokee
Day 1 Smoky Mountains Itinerary:
If you only have two days in the Smoky Mountains, I would highly suggest that you plan on getting out of bed early both mornings to get the most out of your park experience. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited park in the USA so if you want to avoid crowds, exploring early is best.
Day one of your Smoky Mountains itinerary starts with a hike and a scenic drive, fuels up with some pancakes, and ends the evening at Anakeesta in Gatlinburg.
Only have one day in the Smoky Mountains? We’ve got you covered with an action packed one day itinerary!
Day 1 – Stop #1: Noah Bud Ogle Place Trail
Start your morning by driving towards the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and just before the start of the scenic drive, hike the Noah Bud Ogle Place Trail.
The trail is 0.8 miles and has 75 feet of elevation. If you’re visiting in the fall, this is one of the best places to see fall colors in the park! If you’re not interested in a hike, the historic cabin is right at the start just off the road. You can explore the two cabins without actually going on the trail.
However, if you want to avoid crowds and experience more of the beauty of the Smokies, I would highly recommend walking this trail. The rocky path leads you through the dense forest and near a creek. You will also see remains of other structures at one point.
Tip: the ground is fairly uneven on this trail, if you’re looking for a stroller friendly trail or have mobility issues, this might not be the best trail for you. Check out our other easy hikes in the Smokies for more options!
Stop #2: Drive the Roaring Fork Motor Trail
After stretching your legs, get back in the car and enjoy one of the best scenic drives in the Smokies! The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is a 5.5 mile one way paved drive through the beautiful forest.
It’s a great place to explore during the fall to see the leaves changing colors and do a scenic drive that’s a bit less crowded than Cades Cove. The traffic can still be slow on this road because the road is narrow and the speed limit is very slow.
There are a few overlooks along the way where you can enjoy views of the surrounding mountains. It’s also a great place to see wildlife – we saw a black bear here!
Stop #3: Sugarlands Visitor Center
We can’t have a National Park adventure without checking out the visitor center, getting a passport, and buying a souvenir. We always get a magnet and usually a little stuffed animal for the kids.
The Sugarlands Visitor Center is really close to Gatlinburg and is pretty big! The parking lot is huge but it can fill up, if you just wait you should be able to find a spot to park since people don’t stay very long.
Bonus stop – if you’re looking for another little hike you can check out the hike to Cataract Falls. It leaves from the Visitor Center so you won’t have to worry about parking again. The trail is short and family friendly – it’s not a super impressive waterfall but still a fun place to explore.
Stop #4: Eat Pancakes
After all this exploring, it’s time to fuel up with a famous Smoky Mountain staple – pancakes! Gatlinburg and the Smokies are known for their delicious pancakes and we can attest they are kid and adult approved.
Our favorite spot (and everyone else’s) is the Pancake Pantry. You will definitely have to wait in line to get in, but it’s worth it if you’re willing to wait. Too hungry? Check out some of our other favorite breakfast places in Gatlinburg – the Log Cabin Pancake House and Crockett’s!
Stop #5: Explore Anakeesta
This next stop is not part of the National Park but we LOVED IT! While we generally don’t love paying for experiences on our trip, Anakeesta is totally worth it.
Take the gondola up the mountain to a fun adventure park with incredible views, treetop skywalks, a playground in the sky and so much more! It is a little pricey, but we all had a blast. You can also get food and drinks up at the top if you are looking for dinner.
And we’ve got you covered with a full guide to Anakeesta if you want more information!
Day 2 Smoky Mountains Itinerary
On day two of your itinerary, you will explore the highest point in Tennessee (and one of the best views in the park), a beautiful waterfall, and a stunning sunset spot.
This second day of your two day itinerary for the Great Smoky Mountains explores one of the most beautiful roads in the park, Newfound Gap road. Spend the day in two different states driving from Gatlinburg to Cherokee!
Stop #1: Sunrise at Newfound Gap Overlook
First stop? Driving up Newfound Gap road – our favorite scenic drive in the Smoky Mountains You can stop along the way if you’d like, but I’d recommend just getting to the Newfound Gap Overlook. It’s a stunning place to see the sunrise if you can make it up there that early. Make sure to bundle up, it’s about 5000 feet of elevation higher than Gatlinburg.
Whether you’re driving from Gatlinburg or Cherokee it takes about 30-40 minutes. Once you’re at the top there are a few different fun activities.
Walk Along the Appalachian Trail
When you reach Newfound Gap Oconaluftee Overlook you can actually walk on part of the Appalachian Trail. It felt really cool to walk on part of such an iconic trail.
Take a Picture at the North Carolina and Tennessee State Line
At the top you can do a fun little photo op with the sign at the North Carolina and Tennessee State line. You can be in both states at the same time!
Stop #2: Kuwohi – the Highest Point in Tennessee
Kuwohi is your next stop after Newfound Gap Overlook! It was formerly called Clingman’s Dome so you might hear that name used too. To get to the overlook you will take a short (1.3 miles) but steep (337 feet of elevation), paved path. It is stroller friendly but you’ll definitely get a workout pushing your stroller up the hill!
Once you get to the top, there is a swirly trail up to an observation tower where you can see 360 degree mountain views.
It’s the highest point in Tennessee and there is a significant temperature difference from the valley below to the top of the mountain. There is a small visitor center at Kuwohi that you can stop in if you visit during normal hours. Kuwohi was one of our favorite things to do in the Smokies with kids.
If you want to switch stop number one and two that would also work. We chose this order for the stops because Kuwohi can be pretty dang chilly very early in the morning so letting the sun rise a little bit will help warm it up. Avoid making this mistake in the Smokies – our kids were too cold and we didn’t have as much fun as we could have here (but it was still one of our favorite stops)
TIP: keep in mind that Kuwohi can be very popular. If you visit mid day, you may encounter some crowds.
Stop #3: Oconaluftee Visitor Center
If you don’t get to the visitor center at Kuwohi (or are looking for a bigger visitor center), head to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.
It’s a great spot to talk to a ranger, get a National Parks passport stamp, and pick up some little souvenirs. If you already got your visitor center fix, feel free to skip this spot!
The Oconaluftee area is the “Southern Gateway” to the park, and is known for an elk herd that can make an appearance!
Stop #4: Mingo Falls
Mingo Falls was one of our favorite family friendly hikes in the Smokies! While it’s not technically inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it’s just outside and definitely worth a stop if you’re driving as far as Cherokee.
The trailhead is just outside of downtown Cherokee. You can reach the beautiful waterfall by climbing 161 stairs.
Stop #5: Head Back to Sugarlands Valley
After enjoying Mingo Falls, make the drive back to the Sugarlands Valley. The drive is beautiful but can take about an hour (without traffic) so it’s a great time for the kids to get a little nap in.
We grabbed a quick breakfast in Cherokee to tide us over for the drive home at Mabel’s Kitchen. It’s a no frills kind of place that is attached to a gas station, but it’s quick and affordable which is sometimes all you need with kids. The breakfast burritos were actually pretty good too!
Enjoy a scenic overlook on the way back
Since the drive back can be a little long, take the opportunity to stop at a few scenic overlooks to stretch your legs. A few popular overlooks are the Campbell Overlook, Webb Overlook or wherever you feel like stopping!
Stop #6: Eat Some Pancakes
After all the fun morning stops, you may have worked up an appetite for second breakfast! We took the opportunity (every day actually) to try a new pancake place. Choose a spot you haven’t tried – our favorites are Pancake Pantry, the Log Cabin Pancake House, and Crockett’s.
If you’re not up for pancakes, there are a verity of other good spots in Gatlinburg. Another place we liked for dinner was Gatlinburg Brewing Company for pizza and the Smoky Mountain Brewery.
Pancakes have a long history in the area starting in the early 20th century! It started as a hearty long lasting breakfast for loggers in the area. They wanted fuel that would keep them full for a long time – and pancakes were the natural choice.
Stop #7: Watch Sunset at the Gatlinburg Scenic Overlook
If you’re up for one last adventure for the day, head to the Gatlinburg Scenic Overlook for sunset. There isn’t much parking here, but you should be able to find a spot if you go a bit before sunset.
This overlook has incredible views of the mountains and valley below. It’s also just a couple minutes outside of downtown Gatlinburg so you won’t have to spend a bunch more time in the car.
Alternative Evening Plan
If you have even more energy you could head over to Pigeon Forge and explore for the evening. For a fun free activity, you can explore the Island at Pigeon Forge. We had a lot of fun here riding some rides (not free) and watching the water show. We also have a fun 3 day itinerary if you have more time in the area!
Other popular activities in Pigeon Forge:
- Dollywood
- Dolly Parton’s Stampede
- The Island
And that’s a wrap on our two day Smoky Mountain itinerary. In this 2 day itinerary you will see some beautiful views, fun attractions, and lovely hikes. Enjoy your Smoky Mountain trip and let me know in the comments what your favorite part of the itinerary is. And to make sure you’re prepared, check out our list of things to know before visiting the Smokies and the Ultimate Guide to the Smokies with Kids!
