newfound gap road

We took the Newfound Gap Road main loop through the park and we were able to see a lot of great views and other highlights of the park.We made so many stops through the park for great views of the valleys, small waterfalls as well as great views of the plains. Once we finally made it to the highest point of the road and at the top of the clouds the winds were so strong and it was drizzling rain, causing us to cut our stay a little short.We continued our loop back down the main road and the weather conditions improved significantly as we finished our tour of the park.This road is a nice drive through the park and there are many pull-outs in case one wants to stop to view any of the passes (which I would highly suggest) or simply to allow the other speeding drivers to pass. There are also a lot of places to see entering and exiting the park in Pigeon Forge, though I would consider many of them rather kitschy, but if you have kids I’m sure they would probably enjoy but expect a dent to be taken by the old wallet.

I've been on this road all of my life. When we travel to the Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg, the trip just doesn't feel complete until we've been on this drive. The scenery is different depending on which time of the year you go. My preference is in the fall when the leaves are changing colors. It's also pretty in the winter when you can see snow on the mountains. However, the road often gets CLOSED in the winter because it can become quite treacherous in the snow/ice.There are many opportunities to stop for photographs of the mountains; there are pull-offs and overlooks at MANY places on this road. Don't just pass them by and think they all have the same view. Trust me, they do not. Even if you've only driven a half a mile, STOP at the next one and take a look and I promise you'll see a totally different view!There are also many stops on the side of the road where the creek runs. This is also a beautiful area where you can hop across the rocks if you're brave enough to risk falling in the water or you can just pose by the river instead. There are picnic tables at many of the stops so you could have a picnic by the water. It's a fairly loud rushing river, so it's very peaceful.There are many hiking trails along this road, if you're into hiking. Living in the area, I hear too many stories of bears to risk getting too far down a trail!Please plan to drive at a slow pace because cars are frequently entering & exiting this road from the various pull-offs. Often you'll have cars come to a complete stop in front of you because they think they've spotted a bear or deer and want to take pictures. Watch out for pedestrians! Also watch out for motorcycles. I've been on this road many times on a motorcycle and thought cars were going to run us over. Slow down and smell the roses!Make sure your vehicle is full of gas because there's a LONG stretch with no gas stations and you never know how much traffic you'll be in, so it is better to be prepared. Along those lines, make sure you have snacks and water in case you do get stuck in traffic for hours (been there, done that...about starved to death before we made it to civilization and could get something).NOTE: There's typically NO cell service on this road, which I happen to love because you can eliminate distractions of the outside world for a while. Just enjoy nature!

Crossing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this road connects Gatlinburg, TN to Cherokee NC. There are many pull offs along the way that have amazing views! Don't just drive straight through without stopping - pull off, get out of your car (if you're able - if you're not, roll down a window) - and let mother nature take your breath away!

This is a beautiful drive from Gatlinburg, Tennessee to Cherokee, North Carolina with a lot of overlooks to stop and smell the wildflowers.

While crossing the Great Smokey Mountains this is a great place to stop for a wonderful scenic view where you will cross the North Carolina and Tennessee state lines.

We love going across Newfound Gap Road. The opportunity for good photos is endless. The view at the top is amazing. This trip we decided to explore a quiet walkway and were so pleased we did. It was peaceful, beautiful and ended next to a mountain stream. We will definitely be checking out more of these quiet walkways in the future!

I saw this is a hidden gem because this road leads to the TN NC border and many people don't know about the TN NC border until you plan a trip to Clingmans Dome. This is the road you take to get to the dome and this is also a scenic drive. There are pull-outs on the road where you can stop and take pictures but the best pull-out is the TN NC border. The view from here is amazing. For photographers, this is heaven!! Great light and amazing views! I fell in love with this place -we stayed up here for a good hour because it was so nice and peaceful. We went on a perfect day- sunny and slight winds and it just felt wonderful up here. This is a must- see on your way to the dome. This is really an amazing road and it REALLY takes you into the mountains. You're pretty much driving up in the mountains. For non-hikers, this is a really good way to get the mountain experience without doing the grunt work! **Just a side note- there are bathrooms up here but they do not have soap so take hand-sanitizers!!

The stop point here was absolutely breathtaking! It was amazing to see such a beautiful piece of nature and the actual vastness of it all! I plan on heading up this road again one day soon and hopefully able to go to Cingman's Dome next time.

I prefer winter over summer. During the winter, if you catch the road at the right time, you may not see another car. Water coming out of the rocks is frozen and very picturesque. My wife and I have stopped at Newfound Gap and been the only car there. It is a real treat to see fresh snow and/or hoarfrost on the trees at Newfound Gap. We have also had to find an alternate route home due to the road being closed for snow and ice. Check the road conditions before winter driving on the Smoky Mountain twitter feed, http://twitter.com/smokiesroadsnps.We have seen elk near the visitor’s center on the North Carolina side and bear off the road. If you see cars stopped or slowing along the way, it normally means a wildlife sighting. On our last trip, we saw a flock for turkeys and numerous elk.During the summer, the road can be bumper to bumper, so plan your time accordingly, especially during holiday weekends. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the most visited National Park in the U.S.

Must visit! Very scenic route. We saw baby bears on our way. Sound of the flowing streams is enchanting. We could not visit all the spots but it was amazing. Will be back again.

Our 2nd day at the Mountains we didn't really have a destination so we started driving this roadway. In the beginning we were impressed along the way but truly didn't realize we weren't "IN" the mountains until we started reaching snow and actually seeing the smoke rise out of the mountain tops. We also had no idea we would end up in North Carolina which was a pleasant surprise. This is definitely a must drive area of the park if you visit, and keep in mind there are various pull offs along the way to take pictures..this place was awesome!

This was a very enjoyable drive. We were there in December and the mist coming off the mountain streams was gorgeous!

Blue ridge mountains....came through our radio as we played Country Roads driving along this scenic road. Amazing and awe inspiring scenery. We used the Ipad to record a video of us driving. It is a memory to share. We will be back for some more of the Smokies soon.

Words cannot describe the breathtaking views seen while traveling this road. Plenty of pull offs to snap a picture to keep an everlasting memory alive. Not even at the top the vast display of mountains and sky overwhelmed me to tears. Newfound Gap Road is a must for everyone that wants an experience they will never forget.

It is always a great road to drive to look at the Great Smoky Mountains. The scenery can change at any time. We went one day and you could see the beautiful fall colors and two days later there was snow every where. Mother nature is at its best on this scenic drive.