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Great Smoky Mountains & Cades Cove Self-Guided Driving Tours

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Overview

Purchase only one tour per vehicle, not per person. Everyone listens together! Get the full Smoky Mountain experience with this ultimate bundle tour! Explore these picturesque mountains, uncover the rich history of the Cherokee and early settlers, and find out why this is the most-visited national park in the entire country. You’ll discover beautiful overlooks, hiking trails, and waterfalls on one tour, then dive into the pioneer and Civil War history of Cades Cove with the next! If you don’t want to miss a thing, this is the deal for you. After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Between May and September, Cyclists and pedestrians have exclusive usage of the Cades Cove Loop Road every Wednesday. No other vehicles are allowed during this time.

Language Offered

English-AUDIO

Itinerary

1. Oconaluftee Visitor Center

Your drive through the beautiful, majestic Smoky Mountains begins at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Get ready to explore the Smokies and discover why this is the most visited National Park in the country! NOTE: The tour is over 25+ miles long per tour, with more than 30+ audio stories per tour, and takes about 2-3 hours per tour to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

2. Mingus Mill

As you drive, you'll have the option to take a detour to the Mingus Mill, an 1886 grist mill which, believe it or not, is still fully functional! If you're here on weekends, you can even see the mill operators grind corn just like they did back in the 1800s.

3. Quiet Walkways

Your first major stop is the Beech Flats Quiet Walkway, a perfect spot for anyone who wants to soak up the natural beauty of the mountains without having to hike an arduous trail.

4. Rockefeller Memorial

Up next is the Rockefeller Memorial, where you'll learn more about Rockefeller's importance to the park! This memorial was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt himself.

5. Newfound Gap Road

From there, your drive continues to Newfound Gap, a stunning mountain pass with huge historical significance. Hear the story of how trappers, farmers, and merchants used to cross the Smokies, and how this gap changed all of that.

6. Alum Cave Trail

Next you'll pass the Alum Cave Trail, which takes hikers to the remains of an old salt mine packed with fascinating history.

7. Morton Overlook

After that, you'll reach Morton Overlook, hugely popular for its unbelievable sunsets.

8. Carlos Campbell Overlook

The next overlook on your route is Carlos Campbell Overlook, which serves up panoramic views of towering mountains and lush forests.

9. Chimney Tops Trail

Your route takes you next to Chimney Tops Overlook, where you'll hear all about wildfires in the Smokies and how they cause lasting damage to mountains like this one.

10. Kuwohi

Next up is the most accessible trail in the park: Sugarlands Valley Trail! This scenic trail can be accessed by wheelchair or stroller, and offers a great way to venture into the wilderness.

11. Sugarlands Visitors Center

The tour leads next to the Sugarlands Visitor Center, a perfect rest stop and the site of a few trailheads.

12. Cataract Falls

Your drive continues to Cataract Falls, a beautiful, secluded set of waterfalls tucked beneath a shaded canopy of beech trees.

13. Ripley's Believe It or Not! Gatlinburg

Our next stop is perfect for anyone amused by kitschy oddities. This funky museum displays everything from shrunken human heads to rare animal skeletons. We'll get the inside scoop on how it started as a simple one-panel comic strip and grew into a national phenomenon.

14. Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

Continue following the road to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. This driving trail invites you to slow down and enjoy the forest and historic buildings of the area. It also features three of the park's most famous waterfalls!

15. Rainbow Falls Trail

Our route takes us next to the Rainbow Falls Trail, which leads to the park's most popular waterfall. Standing at 80 feet, Rainbow Falls is the tallest waterfall in the Smokies, but that's not all! When the sun hits it right, it glimmers like a rainbow--hence the name.

16. Grotto Falls Trail

Keep driving until you reach the Grotto Falls trail. While it's not quite as grand as Rainbow Falls, this secluded, less crowded waterfall is absolutely worth a visit. On your way, hear about a rare salamander you can only find right here!

17. Baskins Creek Falls

Our drive takes us next to the Baskin Creek Falls, a sparkling waterfall where we'll hear about the amusing, and slightly misguided history behind the name of these falls.

18. Ephraim Bales Cabin

Up next, we'll pass the Ephraim Bales Cabin, a portal back in time to the 19th century. We'll hear all about the family that lived here, and why there's a big hole in the middle of their cabin!

19. Alfred Reagan Tub Mill

The road brings us next to the Reagen Cabin, which displays a perfect example of old-timey technology in the form of the so-called "tub mill." Hear all about what that is and why it was useful here.

20. Ely's Mill

Next, our drive takes us to Ely's Mill, a historic mill on the outskirts of Gatlinburg which gives us another window into the lives of the early Appalachian settlers. Here, we'll learn about Andrew Ely, the bigshot lawyer who upended his entire life after his wife died, abandoned his law practice, and moved to Gatlinburg to start over and live a simpler life.

21. Gatlinburg

Finally, you'll arrive in the picturesque mountian town of Gatlinburg, where your tour will conclude.

Duration: 120 mins

22. Cades Cove Methodist Church

Past that is the Methodist Church, which cost only $115 to build when it was constructed in 1902!

23. Cades Cove Missionary Baptist Church

Then there's the Missionary Baptist Church, which split off from the Primitive Baptist Church during the early days of Cades Cove due to ideological divides.

24. Elijah Oliver Cabin

Continuing on, you'll come to the Elijah Oliver Place, accessible via a half-mile trail. This secluded homestead once belonged to an abolitionist who found himself in grave danger when the Civil War broke out.

25. Abrams Falls Trail

Up next is the Abrams Falls Trail, which takes hikers to a powerful waterfall hidden deep in the wilderness.

Duration: 60 mins

26. Cades Cove Historical Grist Mill

After that, you'll see the John Cable Grist Mill. This mill dates back to 1870 and you can still see it in operation today!

27. Tipton Road

Next on your route is Tipton Place, which was once home to a war hero of the American Revolution.

Duration: 120 mins

28. Carter Shields Cabin

Finally, you'll come next to the Carter Shields Cabin, a staunchly abolitionist home that lost much during the Civil War. There are many stories that you'll hear along the way, including • A Cherokee Homeland • White Settlers Arrive in Cades Cove • Smokies Wildlife • The Cussing Cover • Last Family who lived in Cades Cove • Ancestral Cherokee Land • Tsali and the Trail of Tears • Revolt Against the Ani'kutani • Sequoyah's New Storytelling System • The Milky Way • Selu's Sacrifice • Great Smoky Geology • Webb View • Appalachia's Settlers • Appalachian Trail • Ghost Firs of Clingman's Dome • Funding the Smokies • Appalachian Balds • Balsam Point Quiet Walkway and more.

Inclusion

Text transcripts of audio narration & Self-paced format (start/pause/resume anytime)

Pre-recorded audio commentary (downloadable or streamable)

This is a GPS-powered, self-guided audio tour that works through an app

Lifetime access (no expiration) with Customer support (chat/email)

Suggested walking/driving itinerary with stop-by-stop directions

This tour is NOT an entrance ticket to the park

Offline GPS-enabled route map

NO in-person guide or physical equipment (bring your own device & headphones)

Exclusion

Entrance fees, in-person guide, headphones, transport, parking, food,Wi-Fi or cellular data, rentals

Cancellation Policy

Refundable tickets

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

100% refund if cancelled 1+ days before the start date
0% refund if cancelled less than 1 day(s) before the start date

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.

How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.

Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.

Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you

Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car

New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.

The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.

Please note that starting January 5, 2026, road work and hazard tree removal may cause lane closures and delays in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including the Sugarlands area, US-441/Newfound Gap Road, Cades Cove Loop, and other park roads.

Some roads in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are currently closed due to seasonal closures. These closures are part of the park’s regular winter operations and affect our route.

Valid parking tags are required for each vehicle parked anywhere within the boundaries of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Parking tags are available for purchase online.

Seasonal road closures (reopening in 2026): Kuwohi Road (formerly Clingmans Dome Road) and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Closed/inaccessible sites: Laurel Falls Trail (including related sections of the Sugarlands Mountain Trail), Carlos Campbell Overlook, and Mingus Mill (preservation/rehab work). Open (weather permitting): Newfound Gap Road (US 441), Little River Road, and Cades Cove Loop Road (may close temporarily due to weather or maintenance). These roads are generally open year-round but may close temporarily due to weather or maintenance.

Supplied by Travel with Action

Reviews

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Great Smoky Mountains & Cades Cove Self-Guided Driving Tours Discount Tickets