Best Time to Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Crowds and weather by month · Tennessee, North Carolina · NPS visitor counts through 2025
The short answer
Mild weather, fewer people: March — 55% as busy as October, about 25,952 visitors a day, average high 59°F (15°C).
Quietest month: January — about 12,111 visitors a day, average high 47°F (cool).
Busiest month: October — about 47,229 visitors a day.
Great Smoky Mountains month by month
| Month | Crowds · visitors/day | High / low · precip. |
|---|---|---|
| JanuaryQuietest× Cool | Quiet26% of peak · 12,111/day | 47° / 27°F8° / -3°C · 4.8 in · 10 wet days · snow 2 in |
| February× Cool | Quiet33% of peak · 15,694/day | 51° / 29°F10° / -2°C · 4.3 in · 10 wet days · snow 2 in |
| MarchBest◎ Mild weather, fewer people | Moderate55% of peak · 25,952/day | 59° / 35°F15° / 1°C · 5.6 in · 10 wet days · snow 1 in |
| April○ Mild weather, busy | Busy64% of peak · 30,085/day | 69° / 42°F20° / 6°C · 4.9 in · 9 wet days |
| May○ Mild weather, busy | Busy75% of peak · 35,640/day | 75° / 51°F24° / 10°C · 5.5 in · 10 wet days |
| June○ Mild weather, busy | Peak94% of peak · 44,383/day | 80° / 59°F27° / 15°C · 6.0 in · 11 wet days |
| July○ Mild weather, busy | Peak95% of peak · 44,973/day | 83° / 63°F28° / 17°C · 6.3 in · 11 wet days |
| August○ Mild weather, busy | Busy75% of peak · 35,599/day | 82° / 62°F28° / 16°C · 4.4 in · 9 wet days |
| September○ Mild weather, busy | Busy75% of peak · 35,281/day | 78° / 56°F25° / 13°C · 4.3 in · 7 wet days |
| October○ Mild weather, busy | Peak100% of peak · 47,229/day | 68° / 44°F20° / 7°C · 3.2 in · 6 wet days |
| November○ Mild weather, busy | Busy61% of peak · 28,583/day | 58° / 34°F14° / 1°C · 4.0 in · 8 wet days |
| December× Cool | Moderate47% of peak · 22,193/day | 50° / 29°F10° / -1°C · 4.9 in · 10 wet days · snow 1 in |
Crowds = visitors per day as % of the busiest month: ●●●●● Peak (85–100) · ●●●●○ Busy (60–84) · ●●●○○ Moderate (35–59) · ●●○○○ Quiet (15–34) · ●○○○○ Very quiet (under 15). ◎ mild weather, fewer people · ○ mild but busy · △ very few visitors (often seasonal closures) · × cold or hot. Wet days = days with at least 0.1 in of rain or melted snow.
Visitors per year
| Year | Recreation visits | |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 10,712,674 | |
| 2016 | 11,312,786 | |
| 2017 | 11,338,893 | |
| 2018 | 11,421,200 | |
| 2019 | 12,547,743 | |
| 2020pandemic | 12,095,720 | |
| 2021pandemic | 14,161,548 | |
| 2022 | 12,937,633 | |
| 2023 | 13,297,647 | |
| 2024 | 12,191,834 | |
| 2025 | 11,527,939 |
Where the weather numbers come from
Temperatures and precipitation are 30-year averages (1991–2020) from the NOAA station GATLINBURG 2 SW — Gatlinburg side (near Sugarlands Visitor Center), at 1,453 ft (443 m). Higher viewpoints and trails can be much colder and snowier than the station.
Months with very few visitors often have roads, campgrounds or visitor centers closed for the season. Check current conditions on the official Great Smoky Mountains National Park website before you go.
Other parks at their best in March
- Capitol Reef
44% of peak · high 57°F
How “best” is chosen: the least crowded month with an average high between 55°F and 85°F (13–29°C), skipping months with under 30% of peak visitors because those are often seasonal closures. Crowds compare visitors per day, so short and long months are treated fairly.
Sources. Visitor counts: National Park Service, Visitor Use Statistics (recreation visits, final figures through 2025; typical months use 2022–2025). Weather: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (station GATLINBURG 2 SW, USC00403420, 1,453 ft / 443 m). Both are U.S. Government works in the public domain. How we calculate.
Park Months is an independent site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or NOAA.