Great Smoky Mountains National Park, America’s most-visited national park, lies 10 miles south of Sevierville, Tennessee. To the northeast 20 miles away is Douglas Lake, with more than 550 miles of shoreline. Douglas Reservoir is 43 miles long and 140 feet deep. Campers and outdoor enthusiasts flock to this area to hike, bike, fish and swim. The summer climate is hot and humid, but the mild winters in the area allow year-round tent camping.
Getting There
Sevierville is located south of Interstate 40, off Highway 66. The exit at East Main Street, also known as the Dolly Parton Parkway, takes visitors into downtown Sevierville. The Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport is on the outskirts of Sevierville.
Campgrounds
Douglas Lake and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park offer numerous tent camping experiences for visitors. At the national park, the back-country camping requires backpackers to hike several miles to a primitive campsite. The front-country camping at the park allows car access to a developed site with restrooms, a fire grate and picnic table. Private tent camping sites include Shady Oaks Campgrounds and Alpine Mountain Hideaway. Alpine's tent sites are located in a cove, away from the RV sites, with a swimming pool on the property.
Bicycling
The recommended bike trail in the Great Smoky National Park is the Cades Cove Loop Road. It’s an 11-mile, one-way road that winds through wildlife habitats as well as past 19th-century home sites. On Wednesday and Saturday mornings in the summer, the road is closed to cars until 10 a.m. Other bike trails include the Gatlinburg Trail, the Oconaluftee River Trail and the lower Deep Creek Trail. There are no mountain bike trails in the park.
Hiking
Hikers can access more than 800 miles of maintained walking trails in the Great Smokies. Two trails offer views of rivers. The Gatlinburg Trail meanders almost four miles round-trip from the Sugarlands Visitor Center along the Little Pigeon River. A foot bridge lets hikers cross the river at one point. The ruins of old home sites can be spotted from the trail. The Oconaluftee River Trail follows the Oconaluftee River for three miles round-trip from the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. This trail has a number of small inclines.
Fishing
Anglers can access fishing on Douglas Lake with either a private boat or on a guided trip. Largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie and bluegill are pulled from the lake. Spring and fall are the best times to fish in the lake. The national park has more than 2,000 miles of streams within its boundaries, and protects one of the last wild trout habitats in the eastern United States. Anglers pull trout and bass from the streams. Fishing is permitted year-round in the park.
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