Great Smoky Mountains National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour with Clingman's Dome, Cades Cove & Rainbow Falls
by Travel with Action
Choose from 1 available option
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.$16.99Overview
This self-guided driving tour covers over 45 miles of Great Smoky Mountains National Park with more than 40 audio stories, taking about 2 to 3 hours to complete. The tour starts at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center and includes narrated stops at Clingman's Dome, Cades Cove, Rainbow Falls, and a bonus route on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. After booking, the customer receives an email and text with instructions to download the separate Action Tour Guide App and the password needed to access the audio tour. The tour must be downloaded while connected to WiFi or cellular service. Once downloaded, the app works offline, allowing the driver to listen to location-triggered narration hands-free as they follow the suggested route. The tour can be started at any time, paused, and resumed freely. Along the route, drivers can detour to Mingus Mill, an 1886 working grist mill, and visit overlooks such as Morton Overlook and Carlos Campbell Overlook. The tour also covers historical sites like the Rockefeller Memorial, the Morton Tunnel, and the Reagen Cabin with its tub mill. Natural stops include Beech Flats Quiet Walkway, Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail (wheelchair accessible), Rainbow Falls Trail (80-foot waterfall), Cataract Falls, Grotto Falls Trail, Place of a Thousand Drips, and Baskins Creek Falls. The tour ends in the town of Gatlinburg after passing through scenic landmarks and learning about Cherokee history, Appalachian life, and local stories. Park entrance fees are not included and visitors should check park opening hours. The app supports hands-free use and can connect to car audio systems via Bluetooth, USB, or AUX.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The park features misty ridgelines, dense forests, and scenic overlooks. Driving through Newfound Gap offers classic views of the Smokies. This tour provides lifetime access with no expiration.
Mingus Mill
An 1886 grist mill that remains fully functional. On weekends, mill operators demonstrate grinding corn as done in the 1800s.
Clingman's Dome Observation Tower
The route approaches Clingman's Dome, where a well-known observation tower offers panoramic views of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Quiet Walkways
A main stop offering an easy trail to enjoy the mountain scenery without strenuous hiking.
Morton Overlook
A popular viewpoint known for its striking sunsets.
Oconaluftee Visitor Center
The starting point of the drive, offering information about the Smoky Mountains, the most visited National Park in the USA.
Rockefeller Memorial
A memorial dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt highlighting Rockefeller's role in the park's creation.
Carlos Campbell Overlook
An overlook providing wide views of tall mountains and forests.
Morton Tunnel
A mountain tunnel named after politician Ben Morton, with narration about his influence in the park.
Alum Cave Trail
The trailhead leads to remnants of an old salt mine with historical significance.
Chimney Tops Overlook
A stop describing the effects of wildfires on the mountains.
Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail
The park's most accessible trail, suitable for wheelchairs and strollers, with stories about the valley's settlers and history.
Kuwohi
Another accessible trail offering entry into the wilderness via wheelchair or stroller paths.
Sugarlands Visitors Center
A rest stop with trailheads and visitor information.
Rainbow Falls Trail
Leads to the tallest waterfall in the park at 80 feet, known for its rainbow effect when sunlight hits the falls.
Cataract Falls
A secluded waterfall set beneath beech tree canopies.
Newfound Gap Road
A mountain pass with historical importance, telling how early settlers crossed the Smokies.
Funky Museum
A museum displaying unusual items like shrunken heads and rare animal skeletons, with stories about its origins from a comic strip.
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
A driving trail featuring forest scenery, historic buildings, and three well-known waterfalls.
Reagen Cabin
Site of an old tub mill, demonstrating historic technology used in the area.
Grotto Falls Trail
A quieter waterfall destination with narration about a rare local salamander.
Place of a Thousand Drips
A location where many narrow waterfalls combine to form a strong flow.
Baskins Creek Falls
A waterfall with an interesting, somewhat mistaken history behind its name.
Gatlinburg
The tour concludes in this mountain town after driving more than 45 miles and listening to over 40 audio stories, taking about 2 to 3 hours to complete.
120 min
Meeting point
Start on US-441 Parkway in Gatlinburg near 1151 Parkway, with the parking lot and gas station on your right. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with the lot or nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically as you pass—check your email/text for setup details.
End point
Start on US-441 Parkway in Gatlinburg near 1151 Parkway, with the parking lot and gas station on your right. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with the lot or nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically as you pass—check your email/text for setup details.
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.
Additional info
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour with Clingman's Dome, Cades Cove & Rainbow Falls
by Travel with Action
Choose from 1 available option
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.$16.99Overview
This self-guided driving tour covers over 45 miles of Great Smoky Mountains National Park with more than 40 audio stories, taking about 2 to 3 hours to complete. The tour starts at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center and includes narrated stops at Clingman's Dome, Cades Cove, Rainbow Falls, and a bonus route on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. After booking, the customer receives an email and text with instructions to download the separate Action Tour Guide App and the password needed to access the audio tour. The tour must be downloaded while connected to WiFi or cellular service. Once downloaded, the app works offline, allowing the driver to listen to location-triggered narration hands-free as they follow the suggested route. The tour can be started at any time, paused, and resumed freely. Along the route, drivers can detour to Mingus Mill, an 1886 working grist mill, and visit overlooks such as Morton Overlook and Carlos Campbell Overlook. The tour also covers historical sites like the Rockefeller Memorial, the Morton Tunnel, and the Reagen Cabin with its tub mill. Natural stops include Beech Flats Quiet Walkway, Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail (wheelchair accessible), Rainbow Falls Trail (80-foot waterfall), Cataract Falls, Grotto Falls Trail, Place of a Thousand Drips, and Baskins Creek Falls. The tour ends in the town of Gatlinburg after passing through scenic landmarks and learning about Cherokee history, Appalachian life, and local stories. Park entrance fees are not included and visitors should check park opening hours. The app supports hands-free use and can connect to car audio systems via Bluetooth, USB, or AUX.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The park features misty ridgelines, dense forests, and scenic overlooks. Driving through Newfound Gap offers classic views of the Smokies. This tour provides lifetime access with no expiration.
Mingus Mill
An 1886 grist mill that remains fully functional. On weekends, mill operators demonstrate grinding corn as done in the 1800s.
Clingman's Dome Observation Tower
The route approaches Clingman's Dome, where a well-known observation tower offers panoramic views of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Quiet Walkways
A main stop offering an easy trail to enjoy the mountain scenery without strenuous hiking.
Morton Overlook
A popular viewpoint known for its striking sunsets.
Oconaluftee Visitor Center
The starting point of the drive, offering information about the Smoky Mountains, the most visited National Park in the USA.
Rockefeller Memorial
A memorial dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt highlighting Rockefeller's role in the park's creation.
Carlos Campbell Overlook
An overlook providing wide views of tall mountains and forests.
Morton Tunnel
A mountain tunnel named after politician Ben Morton, with narration about his influence in the park.
Alum Cave Trail
The trailhead leads to remnants of an old salt mine with historical significance.
Chimney Tops Overlook
A stop describing the effects of wildfires on the mountains.
Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail
The park's most accessible trail, suitable for wheelchairs and strollers, with stories about the valley's settlers and history.
Kuwohi
Another accessible trail offering entry into the wilderness via wheelchair or stroller paths.
Sugarlands Visitors Center
A rest stop with trailheads and visitor information.
Rainbow Falls Trail
Leads to the tallest waterfall in the park at 80 feet, known for its rainbow effect when sunlight hits the falls.
Cataract Falls
A secluded waterfall set beneath beech tree canopies.
Newfound Gap Road
A mountain pass with historical importance, telling how early settlers crossed the Smokies.
Funky Museum
A museum displaying unusual items like shrunken heads and rare animal skeletons, with stories about its origins from a comic strip.
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
A driving trail featuring forest scenery, historic buildings, and three well-known waterfalls.
Reagen Cabin
Site of an old tub mill, demonstrating historic technology used in the area.
Grotto Falls Trail
A quieter waterfall destination with narration about a rare local salamander.
Place of a Thousand Drips
A location where many narrow waterfalls combine to form a strong flow.
Baskins Creek Falls
A waterfall with an interesting, somewhat mistaken history behind its name.
Gatlinburg
The tour concludes in this mountain town after driving more than 45 miles and listening to over 40 audio stories, taking about 2 to 3 hours to complete.
120 min
Meeting point
Start on US-441 Parkway in Gatlinburg near 1151 Parkway, with the parking lot and gas station on your right. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with the lot or nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically as you pass—check your email/text for setup details.
End point
Start on US-441 Parkway in Gatlinburg near 1151 Parkway, with the parking lot and gas station on your right. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with the lot or nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically as you pass—check your email/text for setup details.
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.