During her first trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Business Insider's reporter was surprised by historic settlements and an epic tram ride.Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee for the first time in 2023.
I was surprised by some of the park's unique features, like free entry and historic settlements.
I didn't expect to prefer sleeping in a glamping tent over staying in cozy cabins.
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Texas' Big Bend, California's Yosemite, Utah's Zion and Bryce Canyon, Colorado's Rocky Mountains, New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns, and both rims of the Grand Canyon in Arizona — I'd visited all of these national parks and more before my first trip to the Great Smoky Mountains on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.
In Spring 2023, I spent five days exploring the Smokies for the first time and was excited to connect with nature. I got the wilderness retreat I was craving, along with some surprises.
My first surprise came when I was researching my trip and learned that the national park was free to enter.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park seen from the trail to Clingman's Dome.Joey Hadden/Business Insider
All of the national parks I'd previously visited had entrance fees. Most range from $10 to $35 for vehicles and $10 to $20 per person, according to the NPS.
But the Great Smoky Mountains have been free to access since 1994 because two major roads run through the park, according to the same source.
Later, when I got to Tennessee, I ran into an unpleasant surprise. Despite what I read on travel blogs and heard from Airbnb hosts, rideshare apps were not a reliable way to get around.
The author takes a cab through the Cades Cove area in the Great Smoky Mountains.Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Although I could search for rides on these apps, I wasn't able to find one to pick me up, save for my trip from the airport in Knoxville to my accommodations near the park.
This unexpected setback left me frantically scheduling cab rides, which I found quite limited in the area as well.
When I couldn't get a cab, I had to get creative. This led me to my next surprise — taking a tram ride above the mountains.
The tram stop in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, with rides to Ober Mountain.Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I spotted the tram while sitting in a restaurant on a rainy day, trying to figure out how to get to my next Airbnb. Without a taxi available, I was facing a 3-hour walk.
A quick Google search informed me that the tram ran between downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Ober Mountain, a tourist attraction with a roller coaster and other rides, which was a 30-minute walk from my Airbnb.
It's one of the largest aerial tramways in the US, according to the Ober Mountain website. Completed in 1973 to bring skiers safely up to the slopes, the tram ascends 300 feet above the Great Smoky Mountains and has carried millions of people up to Ober Mountain.
Impressed with my creative problem-solving, I boarded the tram for a $30, two-mile ride above the mountains.
I thought the aerial views of the park from the tram were epic, even in the rain. And I couldn't help thinking that if I hadn't struggled to find taxis, I never would have experienced the tram.
I was also surprised by my experiences with my accommodations. I spent three nights in cozy cabins I found on Airbnb, and one night in a tent at a glamping resort.
The author looks out the window from a cabin in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I booked two cabin Airbnbs for roughly $450 a night each. I thought the cabins were full of amenities to help me relax and enjoy the view, from covered patio seating to a gas fireplace that ignited with the touch of a button.
I thought I'd prefer the comforts of the cabins over a tent, but I was wrong. I enjoyed the luxury camping experience much more than I expected.
Tents at the Under Canvas glamping resort in the Great Smoky Mountains.Joey Hadden/Business Insider
When I went glamping, I stayed in a luxury tent for $520 at the Under Canvas Great Smoky Mountains resort, though Business Insider received a media rate for the one-night stay.
Unlike the cabins where I spent time alone, Under Canvas is a glamping resort with a community feel. I really liked chatting with kind employees and other campers, which warmed my heart — especially since I was traveling solo.
I also appreciated the tent's luxury features, such as a king-sized bed, a pull-chain shower, and a wood-fired oven to keep warm.
I was also surprised by how I spent my free time each day. I used electronics less than I usually do.
The author spends time reading in her tent at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.Joey Hadden/Business Insider
In the past, I've only taken day trips or spent one night in national parks, so I never had enough time to make a genuine change in my technology habits.
But spending four nights in nature made me want to use my phone and iPad less. Before bed, I read instead of watching TV. And I replaced my morning scroll with enjoying the mountain views.
Aside from visitor centers and gift shops, I hadn't seen many buildings in a national park before. But the Great Smoky Mountains are filled with preserved and restored historic settlements.
A persevered building in the Great Smoky Mountains.Joey Hadden/Business Insider
One building I stumbled upon in the Cades Cove area of the park was the Cable Mill, a water-powered turbine originally built to serve an early 1900s mountain community.
According to educational plaques I read in the area, the mill hasn't been moved since its creation and still operates today.
Other buildings in the park were renovated and opened to the public, such as the cabins of the Elkmont Historic District. Visitors may now go inside to get a sense of what life was like in the 1800s.
I was surprised by how challenging it was to get a good photo of the stars.
Cabins in the mountains seen at night with a few stars above.Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Another unexpected realization came while exploring my photography hobby. With stunning views in every direction, I anticipated practicing astrophotography, which is a technique for capturing photos of the stars, but a couple of hiccups got in the way.
According to their website, Under Canvas Resort uses dim lighting to minimize light pollution, so I was eager to photograph the stars during my glamping stay. But it was too cloudy and rainy to capture any good photos.
The only clear sky was on my final night, when I stayed in a cabin in the mountains. I decided to try again.
The surrounding cabins were too brightly lit. While I got some shots of the stars, I ultimately wasn't impressed with my work. At the same time, I realized these factors were out of my control.
Collectively, these surprises made me think that the Great Smoky Mountains were unlike any other national park I've experienced, from free entry to historic buildings frozen in time.
The author enjoys the views from a cabin outside the Great Smoky Mountains.Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Other surprises made me realize how I might improve my experience next time, from choosing to camp in luxury to adjusting my expectations for things outside my control.
But one thing is for sure — I'll definitely be back. Hopefully, I'll have better weather to snap more pictures of the stars.
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