Top 5 Free Things to Do in the Great Smoky Mountains

Plan a getaway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a budget by enjoying the Top5 Free Things to do inside the park. Do not forget to pack your hiking boots and big bottle of water before you journey deep into the rugged trails and rocky terrain inside the park. There is no need to spend time inside a motel room when you can pitch a tent or pull in your RV into a campsite inside the park's boundaries. The money you save on lodging can be used to purchase groceries for your trip or to buy an inexpensive souvenir.

5 - Range Guided Programs

Throughout the year park rangers offer educational and naturalist programs for visitors. Typical program offerings include learning about local flora and fauna, meeting animals which have been injured and can not return to the wild, studying rock formations and learning how to navigate and stay safe in the wilderness. Although most of the programs are free, some do carry a nominal fee. Search the calender of events which will occur during your stay to discover free program times and details. Children age five to 12 years old can participate in a Junior ranger program at no cost.

4 - Horse Back Riding

You can rent a horse for a guided for a fee, or bring your own filly and ride the trails to your heart's content. backcounty trails are rugged and include crossing streams and bridges. Park rangers recommend not riding the backcountry trails from December to May due to annual trail maintenance. You can saddle up and ride over 550 miles of trails inside the national park. Complimentary horse trail maps are available from the park office. Five horse camps are located near the trail entrances and offer affordable primitive campsites. Registration is required for primitive camping Firewood and lodging rules are posted at the camp office. Any visitors who chooses to break the rules can be removed from the park without a refund.

3 - Fishing

Show off your angling skills at Bear Creek and Lynn Camp Prong. The park offers over 2,000 miles of creeks and streams for public use. Popular fishing activities include casting for headwater trout, bass streams, coolwater smallmouth bass and brook trout. All anglers over 13 years old must possess a fishing license issued either in North Carolina or Tennessee. A trout stamp is not required on the fishing permit. The park office does not sell fishing licenses, but they can be purchased at bait shops and outdoor recreational stores in the towns of Cherokee and Gatlinburg. You can try your luck in the park's waterways from a half an hour before sunrise to a half an hour after sunset year around. Daily possession and size limits are enforced. You can pick up a complimentary fishing guide at the park office.

2 - Hiking

Awaken to the sounds of chirping birds and cool mountain breezes and hit thetrails for an invigorating hiking excursion. Make sure to stretch your muscles before traversing the rugged trails and climbing rock formations. You will discover first hand the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains while hiking 800 miles of backcountry trails. Along the way your will likely encounter bird watchers and horseback riders. Some of the trails intertwine with mountain biking trails. All of the trails are for muscle-powered use only, so there will be no buzzing of engines to distract you from the solitude and serenity of the mountain landscape.

1 - Wildlife Viewing

As you hike, ride or bicycle along trails you will likely encounter many forms of native wildlife. If you follow the map to Cataloochee and Cades Cove and sit quietly, you will encounter North American wildlife enjoying their natural habitat undisturbed. The wildlife observation areas are often home to elk and bear. Although it is exciting to see so many animals up close, use caution and do not call or feed the animals. Although baby bears are adorable and beckon your attention, "Momma Bear" is somewhere nearby. I was once just ten feet from a baby bear snapping photos from a roadway when I heard an adult bear rumbling in the distance. Be aware of your surroundings and never hike, ride or bike the trails alone. Animals are typically more active at night, so plan a sunrise or near sunset hike to increase your wildlife viewing odds. If you are physically unable to hike the rugged trails, give the Roaring Form Motor Nature Trail a try.

Bonus Free Thing to do Tip: Blend some history with your outdoor adventure and tour the historic grist mills, churches and log cabins located inside the national park.

Camping Tips

Backcountry Campgrounds: Expect to traverse at least two miles of rugged hiking to reach the back-country area.

Frontcountry Campgrounds: All grassy campsites features a fire ring, picnic table and are within walking distance to a rest room. Ten separate frontcountry campgrounds are available inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Only specified campsites allow RV camping.

Group Campsites: The sites are large enough to accommodate up to eight adults.

Commercial campgrounds located within ten miles of the national park feature recreational amenities and trolley stop access. Riding the public trolley is the easiest way to get around the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg area. Privately owned campground recreational amenities typically include an outdoor swimming pool, walking trails, sports courts and horseshoe pits. Most campgrounds near the park also feature a gift shop or camp store, Internet access, a game room, laundromat and a dump station.