5 Awesome Winter Things To Do In The Smoky Mountains

5 Awesome Winter Things To Do In The Smoky Mountains! We love winter in the Smoky Mountains. The crowds thin out and the traffic slows down. Clear days are plentiful and the views of the mountains are often clear as a bell. Here are 5 of our favorite winter things to do in the Smoky Mountains.

Take a hike! Even the busiest trails slow down in winter time!  The Chimneys are a short drive from Sugarlands Visitor Center and offer fantastic views of Tennessee. This trail is quite steep but always a HeySmokies favorite! Do you enjoy a peaceful waterfall? Have you ever hiked to one that is frozen solid? You can do it in the Smoky Mountains! One of our favorites is Grotto Falls off of the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail in Gatlinburg.

Ober Gatlinburg is the spot for all kinds of winter fun! The intermediate ranked slopes of ski mountain are perfect for skiing and snowboarding. If you need practice the “bunny” slope is the perfect spot for beginners. A more extreme experience awaits the adventurous on the freestyle terrain area. Jumping and flipping are all part of the fun for the daring. Tubing and ice skating round out the day with something for everyone.

Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community offers craftsmanship like you have never seen before! Over 120 artisans and master craftsmen create art daily through various mediums. No matter what your taste you can find it here! Various sculpters, photographers, woodworkers, quilters, potters and more produce masterpieces each day!

The Winterfest driving tour of lights in Pigeon Forge will brighten your visit through mid February. The entire town is illuminated with five million twinkling lights transforming it into a winter wonderland. Pick up a free driving tour map of the lights at all Welcome Centers and the Pigeon Forge Trolley Office. To see the most lights begin your tour on the north end of town and drive toward the Smoky Mountains.

Fishing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the foothills. Did you know several lakes can be found in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains? These lakes combined with over 2,000 miles of streams and rivers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park offer everything an angler could want! The lakes boast opportunities to catch large mouth bass, small mouth bass, catfish, crappie and more. The cold, crystal clear waters of the Smoky Mountains are home to three varieties of trout and hundreds of places to try your luck at catching them. Either a Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license is required to fish the National park but they are both valid in either side of the park.

What is your favorite activity to do in the Smokies? Send us your pictures to our Facebook or Instagram page and share the fun!