Items | Great Smoky Mountains Self-Guided Scenic Drive and Audio Tour
Great Smoky Mountains Self-Guided Scenic Drive and Audio Tour
Gatlinburg
Important Information
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Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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Works entirely offline once downloaded—no cell service required
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GPS-triggered audio plays automatically based on your location
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Flexible - Buy once, use any day/time—access never expires
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Get the Drives & Detours app download the tour ahead of time
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One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
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Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
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If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
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This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
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Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Become our Lokal Curator
Are you ready to turn your hobbies into a business?
Explore America’s most visited national park at your own pace with this self-guided scenic drive through the Great Smoky Mountains.
Journey along Newfound Gap Road from Gatlinburg's lush valleys to the stunning ridges along the Tennessee–North Carolina border. Includes optional side trips to Kuwohi, Cades Cove, and Roaring Fork, where you can expand the adventure for big views, wildlife sightings, and historic cabins.
Listen to captivating audio stories about the park's history, from ancient mountain formations to the impact of settlers and conservationists.
Whether seeking vibrant fall colors or breathtaking mountain views, this tour unveils the natural and cultural heritage of this bi...
Highlights
From 2 hours to 3 hours
Offered in English & Spanish
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
From 2 hours to 3 hours
Offered in English & Spanish
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Flexible Usage (unlimited access)
Audio Guide
Optional Side Trips (with additional audio content)
App and Tour Download
Smartphone (bring your own)
Meeting Points
Departure
Sugarlands Visitor Center
Sugarland Visitor Center is found on Newfound Gap Rd, three miles southwest of Gatlinburg. The turn to the visitor center is well marked and parking is available.
Return
Oconaluftee Visitor Center
Sugarland Visitor Center is found on Newfound Gap Rd, three miles north of Cherokee. The visitor center is easy to see from the road, well marked and parking is available.
Great Smoky Mountains Self-Guided Scenic Drive and Audio Tour
Gatlinburg
About
Explore America’s most visited national park at your own pace with this self-guided scenic drive through the Great Smoky Mountains.
Journey along Newfound Gap Road from Gatlinburg's lush valleys to the stunning ridges along the Tennessee–North Carolina border. Includes optional side trips to Kuwohi, Cades Cove, and Roaring Fork, where you can expand the adventure for big views, wildlife sightings, and historic cabins.
Listen to captivating audio stories about the park's history, from ancient mountain formations to the impact of settlers and conservationists.
Whether seeking vibrant fall colors or breathtaking mountain views, this tour unveils the natural and cultural heritage of this bi...
Highlights
From 2 hours to 3 hours
Offered in English & Spanish
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
From 2 hours to 3 hours
Offered in English & Spanish
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Flexible Usage (unlimited access)
Audio Guide
Optional Side Trips (with additional audio content)
App and Tour Download
Smartphone (bring your own)
Meeting Points
Departure
Sugarlands Visitor Center
Sugarland Visitor Center is found on Newfound Gap Rd, three miles southwest of Gatlinburg. The turn to the visitor center is well marked and parking is available.
Return
Oconaluftee Visitor Center
Sugarland Visitor Center is found on Newfound Gap Rd, three miles north of Cherokee. The visitor center is easy to see from the road, well marked and parking is available.
Itinerary
1
Alum Cave Trail
This trailhead launches one of the park’s most popular hikes—a scenic route that leads past geological features, lush forest, and the dramatic Alum Cave Bluffs. Hikers and nature lovers come here to taste mountain air and earn sweeping views without ever leaving the trailhead’s neighborhood.
15 minutes
2
Chimney Tops Trail
A short walk from the roadside brings you to a rugged overlook with stark, sculpted rockforms and wide vistas of the surrounding ridges. It’s a dramatic spot to feel the scale of the Smokies and watch layers of forest roll into the distance.
15 minutes
3
Mingus Mill
This beautifully preserved 19th-century gristmill still operates by waterpower on demonstration days and offers a hands-on look at mountain industry and ingenuity. The mill’s wooden gears, millpond, and stonework create a perfectly photogenic slice of Appalachian history.
15 minutes
4
Morton Overlook
A convenient pullout along Newfound Gap Road, Ben Morton offers broad panoramas of forested ridgelines and the valley below—especially memorable at dawn or in the flush of autumn color. It’s an easy stop to stretch your legs and soak in the park’s layered views.
15 minutes
5
Newfound Gap
This high mountain pass marks one of the park’s most famous viewpoints and the Tennessee–North Carolina state line—the Appalachian Trail crosses the road here. With high-elevation air, sweeping exposures, and interpretive signs, Newfound Gap is a must-stop for first-time visitors and repeat travelers alike.
15 minutes
6
Oconaluftee Visitor Center
A friendly southern gateway to the park, Oconaluftee offers exhibits on local natural and cultural history, ranger programs, and access to nearby walking trails. It’s also a practical stop for maps, restrooms, and orientation before exploring the park’s eastern reaches.
15 minutes
7
Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial
This small stone memorial quietly honors Laura Spelman Rockefeller’s role in early conservation support and sits amid the park’s mountain scenery. It’s a thoughtful pause point where history and landscape meet along the roadside.
15 minutes
8
Charles A Webb Overlook
Named for a figure important to the park’s stewardship, this overlook rewards visitors with uncluttered views of rolling ridges and distant valleys. It’s an ideal spot for photos, picnics, or simply watching the mist rise off the hollows below.
15 minutes
9
Cataloochee Valley
A broad, historic mountain valley where settlers once farmed and modern visitors now watch elk roam, Cataloochee blends cultural history with wildlife viewing. Explore preserved homesteads, quiet lanes, and an active elk herd that has become a beloved park attraction.
