Scenic pullout · Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Gatlinburg below, Le Conte and the Smokies behind it.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Great Smoky Mountains Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Great Smoky Mountains audio tourRecorded for this place
Gatlinburg Scenic Overlook“Gatlinburg Scenic Overlook is coming up on the Bypass, with downtown below and Mount Le Conte rising behind it. Stop here if you'd like to see how the town fits into the mountains, without taking a hike.”
Plays as you drive up to Gatlinburg Scenic Overlook in the Parkwolf Great Smoky Mountains Tour Guide.
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“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Gatlinburg Scenic Overlook is a paved roadside pullout on the Gatlinburg Bypass, with downtown Gatlinburg below and the Smokies rising behind it. This pin marks the first mapped parking area. You can step out for the panorama without a hike, making it an easy pause between the Gatlinburg Spur and the park.
Mount Le Conte rises above the wooded ridges behind town. This is a town-and-mountain view, so keep some of Gatlinburg in the foreground instead of cropping down to the peaks. The overlook is worth a short stop when you want to see the town's setting at a glance.
The Bypass has four parking and viewing areas. This pin marks paved Parking Area #1; treat the other pullouts as separate stops. Treat this as a quick roadside pause. Parking can be more competitive on holiday evenings, though conditions vary.
Wildlife
1,569 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
900 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
13 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
142 sightingsTimber RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
26 sightingsBobcatMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
42 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Great Smoky Mountains. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateTwin Creeks Trail3.8 mi · 2.3 hr · 1.3 mi awayA shaded creek walk with a historic retreat near its far end.
ModerateOld Sugarlands Trail7.7 mi · 4.5 hr · 1.6 mi awayFollow an old road past CCC ruins and a pioneer cemetery.
ChallengingCove Mountain Trail17 mi · 10.5 hr · 1.7 mi awayA long wooded ascent ends at the summit’s closed fire tower.
EasyFighting Creek Nature Trail1 mi · 30 min · 1.8 mi awayA short creek loop passes an 1860s mountain cabin.
EasyGatlinburg Trail4 mi · 1.8 hr · 1.8 mi awayA gentle river walk where dogs and bikes are allowed.
EasyCataract Falls Trail1.1 mi · 45 min · 1.8 mi awayA quick creekside walk leads to a narrow, 40-foot waterfall.
EasySugarlands Valley Nature Trail0.5 mi · 15 min · 2.2 mi awayA flat forest loop with chimneys, streamside views, and an easy pace.
EasyBig White Oak Quiet Walkway0.7 mi · 30 min · 2.4 mi awayA quiet woods loop with four creek crossings and a long footbridge.
Sight · 1.4 mi awaySugarlands Riding StablesGuided rides on wooded trails, streams, and mountain terrain.
Sight · 1.6 mi awayCataract FallsA small waterfall after a short creekside walk from Sugarlands.
Visitor center · 1.8 mi awaySugarlands Visitor CenterGet your bearings with a bear exhibit, ranger advice, and trail map.Sight · 2.1 mi awayJohn Ownby CabinA short wooded walk to Sugarlands' last standing home.
Picnic area · 2.3 mi awayTwin Creeks Picnic PavilionA wooded group pavilion for gatherings of up to 150.
Sight · 2.7 mi awayPlace of a Thousand DripsA roadside cascade with no approach hike.
Sight · 2.9 mi awayBaskins Creek FallsA two-tier waterfall, earned by a steep hike back out.
Sight · 3 mi awayNoah Bud Ogle PlaceA rare saddlebag cabin beside a creek-powered mill.Parkwolf’s Great Smoky Mountains ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
