Closest airports
| Airport | City | Drive to the park | Straight-line miles | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) | Knoxville/Maryville, TN | 1 h 20 min (44 mi) | 31 | Large hub |
| Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) | Asheville, NC | 2 h 15 min (93 mi) | 56 | Regional |
| Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport (TRI) | Blountville, TN | 2 h 10 min (105 mi) | 86 | Regional |
Drive times run from the airport to Sugarlands Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.
Regional airports have fewer flights, so compare fares with the larger hub.
Directions from the park service
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.
Hours
Open 24 hours, every day. Primary roads are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round, weather permitting. This includes Newfound Gap Road (US-441), Little River Road, and Laurel Creek Road. Secondary roads are closed seasonally.
Visitor centers
- Sugarlands Visitor Center: Daily, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. Hours vary seasonally.
- [Cades Cove Visitor Center](): Daily, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. Hours vary seasonally.
- Kuwohi Visitor Center: Daily, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. Hours vary seasonally. Closed in winter.
- Oconaluftee Visitor Center: Daily, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. Hours vary seasonally.
Last gas, groceries and EV charging
Places mapped in OpenStreetMap within 19 miles (straight line) of Cades Cove Visitor Center and Sugarlands Visitor Center. Fill up before you head deep into the park: most parks have little or no fuel inside.
Gas stations (80 within reach)
| Place | Where | Miles | Fuel extras and hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon | 1141 Parkway, Gatlinburg | 1.6 | |
| Marathon | See map | 2.6 | |
| Shell | 202 Parkway | 3.0 | |
| Gas n Go | 1219 East Parkway, Gatlinburg | 4.3 |
Grocery stores and supermarkets (23 within reach)
| Place | Where | Miles | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokey Mountain Market & Sundries | 636 Parkway, Gatlinburg | 2.2 | |
| Food City | East Parkway, Gatlinburg | 4.2 | |
| Food City | See map | 6.9 | |
| Publix | 2656 Parkway, Pigeon Forge | 8.4 | Daily 7 am to 10 pm |
EV charging (9 within reach)
| Place | Where | Miles | Plugs and spaces |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Supercharger | 1219 East Parkway, Gatlinburg | 4.3 | Tesla (NACS), 8 spaces · Open 24 hours |
| ChargePoint | See map | 7.0 | Tesla (NACS), CCS, CHAdeMO, 5 spaces |
| Tesla Supercharger | 2655 Teaster Lane, Pigeon Forge | 8.6 | Tesla (NACS), 12 spaces · Open 24 hours |
| EV charger (unnamed) | See map | 8.8 |
Opening hours and fuel types are what local mappers have recorded, so call ahead in winter or off season. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License.
Getting around
Most parks are best seen by car. Fill up before you enter, since gas inside parks is limited or absent. Parking at popular trailheads fills early in summer.
Sources
- National Park Service Data API: directions, hours and visitor centers (public domain)
- OurAirports: airport list and locations (public domain)
- OSRM drive-time estimates on OpenStreetMap road data (ODbL)
- OpenStreetMap: gas stations, grocery stores and EV chargers (ODbL)
Last checked 1 November 2026.