Lazy Daze Campground

Encompassing over 520,000 acres, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the largest parks on the east coast. Although the park gets around 11 million visitors annually, due to its sheer size, it’s quite easy to achieve a sense of remoteness and solitude, particularly if one veers off the beaten track. There are several hundred miles of hiking trails, not including the Appalachian Trail, which cuts through this park on its very long journey from Maine to Georgia. Some of these trails are shared with horseback riders, though there are trails that are strictly for horses only. All put together; equine riders have over 500 miles of trails to explore on their steeds. Though bikers are welcomed in this park, there are no trails open to mountain biking. All bicyclists must share the roads with vehicles, though there is one road in an area called Cades Cove, which is closed to vehicles. There are hundreds of brooks, streams, ponds, and small lakes scattered around Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and depending on which waterway a fisherman chooses to ply their trade, catches range from smallmouth and rock bass, rainbow, brook, and brown trout, chain pickerel, and catfish. Accompanying these creeks and brooks is the pleasant background of gushing waterfalls. There are dozens of named waterfalls, many of which are accessible from the road or with a short hike. On a quiet morning, it can seem like wildlife outnumber humans. The habitats are especially robust, hosting a wide variety of critters, including white-tailed deer, elk, black bears, raccoons, turkeys, coyotes, and more. The high, rugged cliffs and crags are popular with rock climbers. It’s not uncommon to spot a climber clad in colorful garbs slowly inching their way across a sheer rock slab, somehow finding handholds where there are none. Opportunities for recreational fun abounds both above and below. Tuckaleechee Caverns is one of the largest cavern systems on the east coast. In addition to unique rock formations made by millions of years of calcite-laden water dripping steadily, there are underground rivers with blind fish that live nowhere else in the world and a small underground waterfall. Visitors should come prepared with sweaters, closed-toe shoes, and enthusiasm. Heads up: this cavern system is not wheelchair and stroller accessible, and the steep paths may be challenging for people with physical conditions.