Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a National Park in North Carolina, Tennessee. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 40 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Great Smoky Mountains
We matched 40 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Great Smoky Mountains. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (7)
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointWaterfalls (13)
Waterfall
Waterfall
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallNatural Arches (1)
Mountain Peaks (11)
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakCaves (2)
Mountain Passes (2)
Ghost Towns (1)
Fire Lookouts (3)
Fire Lookout
Fire Lookout
Fire LookoutSunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Great Smoky Mountains the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:44 AM | 8:22 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:44 PM | 245° | 10h 01m |
| February | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:16 PM | 255° | 10h 55m |
| March | 7:46 AM | 8:19 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:42 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:07 PM | 283° | 13h 05m |
| May | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:32 PM | 294° | 14h 02m |
| June | 6:19 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:52 PM | 300° | 14h 33m |
| July | 6:30 AM | 7:07 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:51 PM | 298° | 14h 20m |
| August | 6:54 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:25 PM | 288° | 13h 31m |
| September | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:43 PM | 274° | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:41 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:00 PM | 260° | 11h 19m |
| November | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:29 PM | 248° | 10h 18m |
| December | 7:37 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:23 PM | 242° | 9h 46m |
Computed for the park's reference point (35.6012, -83.5082); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Great Smoky Mountains, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:22 AM – 5:52 AM | 0.5 | 15° |
| March | 4:27 AM – 6:17 AM | 1.8 | 22° |
| April | 2:27 AM – 5:27 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| May | 12:32 AM – 4:42 AM | 4.2 | 26° |
| June | 10:40 PM – 4:30 AM | 5.8 | 26° |
| July | 10:35 PM – 3:05 AM | 4.5 | 26° |
| August | 9:58 PM – 12:58 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| September | 9:09 PM – 10:59 PM | 1.8 | 22° |
| October | 8:25 PM – 8:55 PM | 0.5 | 15° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
Elevations in the park range from approximately 875 feet (267 meters) to 6,643 feet (2,025 meters) and the topography can drastically affect local weather. Temperatures can vary by 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit from mountain base to top, and clear skies lower down do not guarantee equally pleasant weather at higher elevations.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (65%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the borders of the states of Tennessee and North Carolina. The three main entrances to the park are in Gatlinburg, TN; Townsend, TN; and Cherokee, NC.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Live Music
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hands-On
- Citizen Science
- Hiking
Nearby parks
TN
NC/VA
NC
TN
KY/TN
KY/TN