Yes! It is a concrete .5 mile loop trail that goes past the river. There are bathrooms and a gift shop. Parking lot, though large, was crowded and full. RELATED: Clingmans Dome is the tallest point in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The main attraction of this area is the caverns themselves, and there are tons of guided tours available. The hike, which is less than a mile roundtrip, ends at a beautiful 25-foot waterfall. Phone: (308) 586-2581. City of Gatlinburg information. Ways to Experience Sugarlands Visitors Center. They have a nice park store on location in addition to a FREE museum of animals native to the region. The rangers are very friendly and informative and the line moved quickly. This was our second visit to Sugarland. Do not let the uniforms intimidate you. Read Also: Where is Newfound Gap? My Mom and Grandma used to bring us here when we were kids. The Sugarlands Visitor Center is the perfect spot to begin your Smoky Mountain vacation! Fighting Creek Nature Trail Your recap is right on the mark, Our site produces editorial content for the purpose of entertainment. The good news is the restrooms are in a separate building and are still open and readily available. Book your tickets online for Clingmans Dome, Great Smoky Mountains National Park: See 3,088 reviews, articles, and 3,412 photos of Clingmans Dome, ranked No.12 on Tripadvisor among 104 attractions in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Only a certain number of people are allowed inside at a time and masks must be worn. The Becky Cable house, a barn, and other structures may be toured also. This sophisticated center packs a big punch with its varied display of preserved flora and fauna. Heading that way Thursday. The ability to travel and explore new places is one of the best parts of the RV lifestyle. I used to rely on various guides to choose trails but now I go and talk to a ranger and ask for a recommendation based on length of hike, waterfalls or not etc, and difficulty. The building has a cool roof system, which allows heat to escape freely, generating lower cooling costs. more, #16 of 104 things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GSMA Store Locations and HoursCades Cove Visitor Center HoursOpen every day except Christmas Day.January 9:00 am - 4:30 pmFebruary 9:00 am - 5:00 pmMarch 9:00 am - 6:00 pmApril Aug. 9:00 am - 7:00 pmSept. Stopping by the visitor center will give you an idea of what to expect during your visit. Includes Cable Mill, a grist mill which operates spring through fall, the Becky Cable house, and other historic structures. Soda and water machines. The Sugarlands Visitor Center is the perfect spot to begin your Smoky Mountain vacation! Learn all about visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park - when go go, what to do, what to expect, recommended tours and more! Do you need to book in advance to visit Sugarlands Visitors Center? Stop here to stretch your legs, get your bearings, and speak with experts about your itinerary. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. There is plenty of free parking near the visitor center. This is a great outing for families with younger children. TN The terrain surrounding the Sugarlands is marked by a swiftly decreasing elevation and rivers and streams that have cut their way through over a period of time. This trail begins at the visitor center and follows a beautiful river to the outskirts of Gatlinburg. Date of experience: October 2021 Ask AndyB5542 about Sugarlands Visitors Center 1 Thank AndyB5542 A must stop if exploring the park. And whether you're just headed into the park or on your way out of it for the day, keep in mind that this visitor center has lots of free parking (although on busy days, it can still be challenging to find an empty spot), vending machines and restrooms. The museum and movie are both closed and the rangers strictly monitor how many people are inside at a time. The facility includes a bookstore and a gift shop for all your souvenir needs. Soda and water machines. It is hard to say where it will end up but signs are posted to be careful if you spot one and stay 50 yards from it. Visitors to Sugarlands Visitor Center should also take advantage of some of the interpretive learning opportunities available at the facility. Southern Mountain Life Open-Air Museum | Cades Cove | Photo: Marc Bowman. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. Stop by the information desk and ask to talk to a ranger who can give tips on what to look for, which forks to take and how to make the most out of your time in the mountains. *Please be advised: Hours may vary due to COVID19. Backcountry permit station. $$ - $$$ American Pizza Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ American Vegetarian Friendly Vegan Options, $$$$ American Steakhouse Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ American Steakhouse Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ American Bar Vegetarian Friendly. Cataract Falls This was at 8:15 am on a Tuesday. Visitor centers are a great place to get acquainted with the park. If you wanted to walk to the Sugarland Do the Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail and Fighting Creek Trail both start at the visitor center? This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Clingmans Dome Visitor Center | Photo: Billy Hathorn. Why is Sugarlands a must-stop when visiting the Smoky Mountains with kids? You can do a short hike or slightly longer (1.7 miles? There are restrooms, an information desk and small gift shop. Public Restrooms are located on the opposite side of the visitor center next to the parking area. 37738, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Also, the Cove Hardwood Nature Trail is a three-quarter-mile loop showing the diversity of trees in the park. Gatlinburg The only downside of this experience is the price point. The temporarily closed Sugarland's museum featured local flora, fauna and wildlife (photo by Morgan Overholt/TheSmokies.com) The Sugarlands Visitor Center is a must stop when visiting Gatlinburg and The Great Smoky Mountains. This is also one of two trails where you may take your dog. Worth a visit. We hiked from the Gatlinburg Trail to get here only to find out that there is a line to get in. Its is the perfect place to launch a variety of Smoky Mountain adventures. The kids thought it was neat to feel the fur from a bear, otter, fox, skunk, raccoon, etc. Overview. We invite you to sample our award-winning spirits, enjoy delicious Sugarlands Cocktails and take a . Bikes are also allowed on this popular trail. Do you have specific questions about the park that cant otherwise be found in a guide? And what it has to offer. 99% of travelers recommend this experience. This post may contain affiliate links, This post may contain affiliate links or mention our own products, please check out our disclosure policy, 5 Visitor Centers That Are Worth Exploring, 1. It's located off of US-441 just two miles south of Gatlinburg and is situated right next to Park Headquarters. Lots of national and state parks have at least one visitor center, but some businesses, churches, museums, and other interesting locations have them as well. Let us know. . Entrance to the center is free and it is open to the public every day except Christmas day. The Sugarlands Visitor Center is a must stop for any visit to the Great Smoky Mountains! Bring cash! All Rights Reserved. There are public restrooms, telephones and drink machines available for use as well. Its one of the most highly-rated destinations in the country, and almost everybody reports that they absolutely loved their experience. LeConte, improvements to Alum Cave Trail, annual updates to the Sugarlands Recognition Wall, and restoration of the Elkmont Theater. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. I have been visiting this visitor center for over 3 decades now. Oct. 8:00 am - 6:00 pmNovember 8:00 am - 5:00 pmDecember 8:00 am - 4:30 pmLocation 1420 Little River RoadGatlinburg TN 37738Inside the park, 2 miles south of Gatlinburg on US-441Special Programs Ranger-led programs conducted seasonally. Visit the Clingmans Dome Visitor Center from April through November (2022). We had a great conversation about the Synchronous Fireflies event in Elkmont, the park, how he became a ranger, and Tennessee and Alabama football. $42. Smoky Mountain National Park may be the most visited park, but most people don't seem to actually leave their cars to hike on the trails. Visited today. Not many people are willing to drive all the way to Alaska, but there are some amazing national parks (and visitor centers) up here if youre willing to make the trip! The center is open year-round, with the exception of Christmas. Public restrooms and telephones.Sevierville Visitor CenterHoursOpen every day except Christmas Day.9:00 am - 6:00 pmLocation3099 Winfield Dunn ParkwayKodak, TN 377641.25 miles from Interstate 40/81 on Highway US-66 near SeviervilleAvailable FacilitiesGreat Smoky Mountains Association bookstore and shop. Top ways to experience Sugarlands Visitors Center and nearby attractions Great Smoky Mountains National Park Self Driving Tour 87 Adventure Tours from 12.65 per adult Fall Color Tour in the Smoky Mountains 9 Adventure Tours from 97.04 per adult (price varies by group size) Smoky Mountain Guided Scenic High Van Tour 6 Bus Tours from 139.23 Great Smoky Mountains Association members receive many benefits: discounts online and at bookstores Public restrooms and telephones. The Grand Canyon always draws crowds from all over the country. Both provide demonstrations of corn meal milling. Guests can enjoy the Grist Mill, the Becky Cable House, and the park bookstore and gift shop. Great place to stop before entering the mountains. It's also the location for the park's backcountry office, so if you plan to hike to or camp in one of the park's backcountry sites, this is where you'll need to go to get your permit. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Townsend and local area information. After passing Ski Mountain Road, you will enter the National Park. The Visitor Guide with park map is available outside the center and so are trail maps. Enjoy ranger-led programs conducted seasonally. You can pick up tons of helpful information about the area, speak to rangers, and watch videos about the significance of the Grand Canyon. 9822 Cty Rd 75. 2023 Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism. Best 5 Things to Order, Is Mountain Monsters Real? Campground Reviews is a trusted source of campground and RV park reviews offered by camping and RV enthusiasts just like you. Both trails are nice, but I prefer the Cataract Falls trail, especially for families with small kids since it is easier and mostly flat with wide, clear trails! For example, get out of a storm or just find a resting spot while you wait for the rest of your party to finish their hike. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Self Driving Tour, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cades Cove Self-Driving Bundle Tours, Smoky Mountain Guided Scenic High Van Tour, Titanic Museum Pigeon Forge Admission Ticket, Small-Group Jeep Tour of Smoky Mountains Foothills Parkway, Sights of Smoky Mountains with Lunch Included, Thundering Streams and Falls of the Smokies Guided Hiking Tour, Exciting Upper Pigeon Smoky Mountains Rafting Trip, Wine Me, Shine Me, Dine Me - Must do tour, Unbelievable Magic Show - Starring Steven Best. 1.9 mi from Sugarlands Visitor Center Great Smoky. Just down the sidewalk is an open-air museum. I know it is one of my first memories of the Smokies. There is no fee for participating, so check with the visitor center for the times and locations. Social: "Towering to the heavens" is how one pioneer described Chimney Rock, the most recognized landmark along the Oregon Trail. Gift shop has lots of stuff! As the original homesteading families grew, the younger generations found their way to the Sugarland Valley, located on the outskirts of Gatlinburg, in the shadow of Mt. What did you think? Hikers come here to enjoy these amazing trails: Abrams Falls, Elijah Oliver Trail, Rich Mountain Trail, and Gregory Ridge Trail. Collin Messer September 30, 2013. They have a large parking lot. Sugarlands Visitor Center T-shirts, stickers, wall art, home decor, and more designed and sold by independent artists. Ranger-led programs are offered periodically. Peruse the park bookstore and shop. Even though the summer hours have been extended to 7:30 PM, when we arrived we found that the museum wing and the movie wing closed at five. This answer is for others But before you worry about what you can do once you leave the center, it's important to know more about the center itself. Ranger was friendly and even asked the kids some interactive questions. Its hard to define what the best visitor centers are, but weve selected five fantastic options below. General Stores. Visitor centers are one of the best ways to learn about a new area. I always stop to see the movies at these centers; it usually makes sense to acquaint yourself with the big picture before finding some piece of it to see for the day. , Public restrooms and telephones. The roof also features recycled rubber, solar panels and solar tubs to provide additional lighting and energy without using electricity. I thought this was genius; a little way of saying that you were here. People have been living and working in the mountains for generations, and the history is all on display here. You can also access the Cataract Falls trail or the Gatlinburg trail from here. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. After about 4.5 miles, you'll find Elkmont Road. It closes in winter due to weather conditions. Kids will love this feature at this Great Smoky Mountains National Park visitors center. They have a suggested price per pamphlet and a donation box nearby. We visited early evening to get maps for hiking. There were a few other areas in the visitor center, including a small museum, that we didn't explore, but it looked well-curated. The center is located just inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on US 441 via Gatlinburg & serves as the gateway to the park. First of all, we were so grateful that Smoky Mountain National Park opened at all during Covid and that there were rangers working in the park. In fact, Newfound Gap Road runs essentially from the Sugarlands Visitor Center to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, North Carolina. Lying just south of Gatlinburg, the Sugarlands is one of the park's most popular access points. You will be glad you did. Sugarlands needed a merchandising partner to . When you leave the visitor center, take a left to get back to New found Newfound Gap Road. This trip to the Smokies we caught a presentation from one of the park rangers out front of the visitor center. Thank you. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. It is about .5 miles from the Sugarland Visitor Center but you will need to drive the trailhead. Sugarlands Visitor Center, located near the Gatlinburg entrance of the park is the main visitor center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Bayard, NE 69334. a visitor center, museum and gift shop all under the same roof. From AU$62 per night on Tripadvisor: Travelodge by Wyndham Pigeon Forge Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge. This center was no different, although there were great park rangers available to help you decide where best to hike or drive, and the maps were reasonably priced, as was the gift shop, where we did spend $50 or so.There is a nice hike right outside the visitor's center--you can walk down to a sweet little falls, and many families were playing in the creek, stacking rocks and having fun. The Roaring Falls Motor Nature Trail isnt far from the Visitor Center. When I visited there were tons if Elk. A gentle climb follows Fighting Creek and passes by two historic properties - the Noah McCarter cabin and the John Ownby cabin. Relax with handcrafted cocktails, enjoy a guided tour, and shop for moonshine . Carlsbad Caverns National Park Visitor Center, 2. We are visiting with my parents who love nature, but are not as sure on their feet as they used to be. It's a nice little place to get you oriented to the area. I found it interesting and learned quite a bit. Free Movie and Exhibits. The Sugarlands Visitor Center is open every day of the year except for Christmas Day. Open daily March 5 through October 31. Open Friday-Sunday in November This will get you to the parking on River Road. I have a group of 82 travels who will be in Bryson City from June 3-6th. How do I book this shuttle from Sugar to Elkmont? The wooded area of the trail ends at the Park maintenance facility. Yes No Tucked into the Great Smoky Mountains, there's a barn house we call home. more, Smoky Mountain Guided Scenic High Van Tour. The Visitor Center has plenty of parking for cars, RVs, and motor coaches. Both are natural terrain, basically level and easy to complete (Both family & dog friendly). One trail leads to Cataract Falls (15 minutes one way), the other portion (Fighting Creek Trail-about a 1 hour loop trail) leads to the John Ownby cabin. Store prices were very reasonable. Park Rangers conduct seasonal programs for the public at this location. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Despite the cold winters in this area, its Emilys favorite season! (865) 325-1355. Themes include European American settlement, Civilian Conservation Corp work, and the development of the park. Public restrooms and telephones.Gatlinburg Welcome Center - On the Spur between Pigeon Forge and GatlinburgHoursOpen every day except Christmas DayApril - October 8:30 am - 7:00 pmNovember - March 8:30 am - 5:30 pmLocation1011 Banner RoadGatlinburg TN 377382 miles outside of Gatlinburg on US-441 SouthAvailable FacilitiesGreat Smoky Mountains Association bookstore and shop. With its accompanying RV LIFE App, RV Trip Wizard gets you to your camping destinations utilizing RV-friendly routes specific to your RV and travel preferences. In this article, we take a closer look at some of the most interesting monsters mentioned on Travel Channel's Mountain Monsters (media photo from Travel Channel, werewolf rendering from Adobe stock), Lake proponents argued that turning Cades Cove into a body of water would promote tourism (photo by Patrick Jennings/stock.adobe.com), Sugarlands Visitor Center is a must see on your visit to the Smokies. In addition, ranger-led programs are conducted seasonally that can add to your appreciation of the mountains. Maps (for $1) and personalized help from rangers are available for many areas of the park. It's not expensive. Excellent staff, friendly and very helpful. Is Ole Red in Gatlinburg Worth It? Inside the park near the mid-point of the 11-mile, one-way Cades Cove Loop Road. We invite you to sample our award-winning spirits, enjoy delicious Sugarlands Cocktails and take a behind the scenes tour of our still house. Order Smokey Mountain auto tour information online because you won't be able to get it at Sugarland Visitors Center. Sugarlands Visitor Center is always a great place to stop to learn information about the park, visit the gift shop and museum, enjoy the beauty of God's Great Smoky Mountains and to relax a bit. When is the Sugarlands Visitor Center open? They had a small line to get into the center (thanks to COVID) but it goes quick. This is your typical visitors center with a gift shop. Sugarlands Visitor Center is 1.7 miles ahead on the right side of the road. As an adult, my husband and I would stop every year on our annual trips to the Smokies. Located off of US-441 just two miles south of Gatlinburg there is of... Year except for Christmas day a free museum of animals native to the parking area native to the.. Interpretive learning opportunities available at the Visitor Center, located near the Center! 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Recap is right on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble of! Movie are both closed and the line moved quickly 1.7 miles ahead on the percentage of Tripadvisor! Of experience: October 2021 Ask AndyB5542 about Sugarlands Visitors Center Center to the area no fee for participating so!