Great Smoky Mountains

Great Smoky Mountains National Park in both Tennessee and North Carolina is the most visited national park in the U.S, and its no wonder why. From gorgeous mountain and valley views to great wildlife opportunities, this park is one of my favorites in the country.

Cades Cove

Black Bear Cub

The Smokies are home to some fantastic sightseeing opportunities. My favorite place has to be Cades Cove, a extensive and beautiful valley that's home to plenty of wildlife (see below). The Newfound Gap road and Clingmans Dome are also fantastic, taking you to some of the most scenic mountain views in the park, which are sometimes covered in a gorgeous layer of fog ("Smoke"). The waterfalls here, such as Abrams Falls in Cades Cove as well as Laurel Falls, are also really cool attractions to visit in the park.

Cades Cove

Abrams Falls

Newfound Gap

The Great Smoky Mountains have tons of wildlife, with the most iconic being Black Bears. I saw nearly 30 of them on my 2 visits here, with all of them occuring in Cades Cove on the Tennessee side. My favorite, by far, has to be a mother bear and her 4 Cubs hanging out in the woods, the most bear cubs I've ever seen at once. They were some of the cutest things I've ever seen, especially watching them play around and climb trees in the distance. Other notable bear sightings included a massive bear crossing the road and a smaller bear feasting on berries and nuts up in a tree, which was also extremely adorable.