Smoky Mountains
If you are able to visit the Smokies, it's free to drive through and even get out for a couple of minutes at overlooks, but if you are parking longer than 30 minutes, you need to get a parking tag. They are only $5 a day or $40 for the year.
Mt LeConte - Alum Cave Trail
This is the third highest peak in the Smokies and our favorite hike! There are several trails that lead to the top and we were able to experience 2 different ones when we hiked it. Alum Cave is the shortest and most popular route and is usually pretty crowded (which means you need to get to the trail early). Many people just hike to Alum Cave, which is 2.5 miles up and turn around. The lodge on LeConte is another 2.5 miles up. This is considered a difficult hike, mostly due to the elevation gain, which is around 3,100 feet. It is also cooler temps going up, so make sure you pack some layers, including a hat/toboggan, maybe gloves. We hiked it the first part of May and there were still icicles near the top!
Grotto Falls - Trillium Gap Trail
This was our hike down from LeConte and we chose this one for a couple of reasons. The main reason was that this is the trail that the llamas take when bringing supplies up to the lodge and I wanted to see them! The other reason was that it's a little more gradual down hill and is easier on the knees, which also means it's a bit longer (6.25 mi one way), but that was ok. We only met a couple of other hikers on this trail until we got to Grotto Falls. Bonus on this one is that the trail goes behind the falls, which is fun.
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