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There are a number of scenic drives in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Little River Road is one of them!

If you want to keep it simple, driving Little River Road can simply be about the journey!

You don’t need to make any stops, and you can simply sit back and enjoy the scenery around you as you drive!

Or, if you want an excuse to get out of the car and stretch your legs, there are a number of small stops you can make here and there.

You can also make a stop if you want to sit and enjoy the sounds of the river.

There are people who bring along chairs to sit by the river.

Maybe you want to bring a picnic lunch to eat by the river.

As you are driving, you can look along the side of the road for small parking spots and see if there’s some river access along the way.

This might not always be obvious and you might need to look a little harder for it.

And do take care if you decide to wade in the water!

There could be some unexpected currents in the river.

Below is a list of stops you can make along the way as you drive Little River Road.

On google maps, you may see this as Little River Gorge Road, and this is the same thing.

This includes some small roadside waterfalls on Little River Road.

These aren’t the most dramatic waterfalls you can find in the Smoky Mountains, but rather they can be cute little waterfalls to see along the river.

These are easy-access waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains, as pretty much all you need to do is get of the car and you will be able to spot them!

The waterfalls on the list below are on google maps so you can follow along there with GPS.

If you are interested in the small waterfalls, there’s no marking or sign (or wasn’t when I went in fall 2020) on Little River Road for them so it’s a good idea to download offline google maps before you go since you probably won’t have data driving through here. GPS will still generally work.

 

 

7 best stops on Little River Road

This will generally go in the order you can make the stops if you are driving from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove by taking the scenic route aka Little River Road!

If you’re coming from Gatlinburg, before getting to Little River Road you can find the Sugarlands Visitor Center.

From the Sugarlands Visitor Center, you’ll get on the road that goes west, also called Fighting Creek Gap Road.

Along Fighting Creek Gap Road you’ll find most notably Maloney Point, the Laurel Falls trailhead, and the road to Elkmont Campground.

And then…

You’ll start driving on Little River Road!

 

I did the drive along Little River Road in September. What the weather will be like from year to year can vary (which means the colors can vary!), but this is what it was like for me!

 

little river road drive from gatlinburg. smoky mountains tennessee scenic drives
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1. Mannis Branch Falls

Little River Road waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains: mannis branch falls. smokies travel blog

 

These are small waterfalls you can see that are flowing into the river. You can pull over and see them from the road once you get out of the car.

 

Little River Road waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains: mannis branch falls. smokies travel blog

 

 

2. Metcalf Bottoms picnic area

Little River Road picnic area in the Smoky Mountains: metcalf bottoms picnic area along the river. smokies travel blog

 

The Metcalf Bottoms picnic area is a spot where you can eat right along the river.

 

 

3. The Sinks

Little River Road waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains: the sinks. smokies travel blog

 

These are popular waterfalls along Little River Road.

 

Little River Road waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains: the sinks. smokies travel blog

 

There is a small parking area at the Sinks that might be full.

 

 

⛰🐻

 





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4. Meigs Falls

Little River Road waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains: meigs falls. smokies travel blog

 

These are more waterfalls that you can see from the side of the road across the river. There’s a pullover area right in front of Meigs Falls.

 

Little River Road waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains: meigs falls. smokies travel blog

 

 

5. Cane Creek Twin Falls

Little River Road waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains: cane creek twin falls. smokies travel blog

 

More small waterfalls that you can see flowing into the river from the side of the road are the Cane Creek Twin Falls.

 

Little River Road waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains: cane creek twin falls. smokies travel blog

 

 

6. White Oak Flats Falls

Little River Road waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains: white oak flats falls. smokies travel blog

 

These are some more small waterfalls on the side of Little River Road.

 

7. Townsend Wye

And then you’ll make it to the Townsend Wye!

 

Little River Road in the Smoky Mountains: townsend wye, river access. smokies travel blog

 

This can be a nice little river access spot, and it can also make for a nice spot for a picnic by the river. If you want to wade in the water, it’s best to either have travel sandals or water shoes!

This is also the area where you can access Little River Road from Townsend TN. Or if you’re going in the opposite direction, you can leave the national park and drive into Townsend.

 

Little River Road in the Smoky Mountains: townsend wye, river access. smokies travel blog

Little River Road in the Smoky Mountains: townsend wye, river access. smokies travel blog

 

If you are starting in Gatlinburg to drive Little River Road, then driving further will take you to Cades Cove!

 

Little River Road to Townsend TN. Little River Road to Cades Cove. scenic drive in great smoky mountains national park. smoky mountains travel blog

Little River Road to Townsend TN. Little River Road to Cades Cove. scenic drive in great smoky mountains national park. smoky mountains travel blog

 

And that’s a bit of how you can spend your time along Little River Road!

 

Scenic drives around the Smoky Mountains:

Plus for more scenic views, be sure to see the best hikes with views in Smoky Mountains!

 

 

HAPPY DRIVING ALONG LITTLE RIVER ROAD!

 

Little River Road. scenic drive near gatlinburg tn, near townsend tn, in great smoky mountains national park. tn smoky mountains travel blog

Little River Road. scenic drive near gatlinburg tn, near townsend tn, in great smoky mountains national park. tn smoky mountains travel blog

Little River Road. scenic drive near gatlinburg tn, near townsend tn, in great smoky mountains national park. tn smoky mountains travel blog

 

Little River Road parking. tn smoky mountains travel blog

Little River Road parking. tn smoky mountains travel blog

Little River Road parking. tn smoky mountains travel blog

Little River Road. tn smoky mountains travel blog

Little River Road. tn smoky mountains travel blog

Little River Road. tn smoky mountains travel blog

Little River Road. tn smoky mountains travel blog

 

 

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Here are more ideas for a few days in the Smoky Mountains!

More of the best things that the Smoky Mountains is known for is hiking!

If you're looking for just one solid day hike in the Smoky Mountains, there's the Mount LeConte hike. Most often this is done as a day hike, but you can also stay overnight near the Mount LeConte summit! There is the LeConte Lodge, which claims to be the highest guest lodge in the eastern part of the United States! (It does book up!)

There are also lots more hikes that come with mountain views. See more about some of the best hikes in the Smoky Mountains.

There are also a lot of hikes to waterfalls. See more about the best waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains.

You can also go camping in the mountains. See more about the best campgrounds in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. (No showers in the national park, though!)

Cost to go to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

There is no national park entry fee for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but as of 2023, there is a parking fee.

You'll need a parking pass when you go to the Smoky Mountains.

You can wait until you arrive to buy the parking pass, or you can buy it online before you go at recreation.gov.

Depending on how many days you will be in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the cost of parking will be $5 or $15 per vehicle.

Plan out your time in the Smoky Mountains!

Some of the best known things in Great Smoky Mountains National Park include Clingmans Dome, Cades Cove, and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail!

For Clingmans Dome, you can get great views from the parking lot, or you can hike up to the highest point in the Smoky Mountains! (No matter what, you do need weather on your side, though! For me, 3rd time was the charm at Clingmans Dome!) See more about Clingmans Dome.

For Cades Cove, it's all about the slow-going Cades Cove Loop Road! You can drive it, bike it, or walk it! You can make stops to walk inside historic cabins, see a historic mill, and even do a waterfall hike! See more about Cades Cove.

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is also a slow-going road that you drive and make stops along the way, including quiet stops along a creek or waterfalls hikes. See more about the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.

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