Best Time to Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Best time to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park: June and August. Month-by-month temperature, rainfall and crowd guidance.
Best time to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Go in June and August. These months score highest on comfortable temperatures, low rainfall and useful daylight.
Hardest months: January, February and December - expect the least comfortable mix of heat, cold or rain.
Climate in Great Smoky Mountains National Park month by month
Average high, average low and total rainfall, based on three years of reanalysis data.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rainfall | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 17° | 5,9 in | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| February | 43° | 25° | 5,2 in | ★★☆☆☆ |
| March | 52° | 32° | 5,4 in | ★★☆☆☆ |
| April | 58° | 40° | 5,0 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| May | 62° | 47° | 5,8 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| June | 69° | 54° | 4,7 in | ★★★★☆ |
| July | 72° | 58° | 6,2 in | ★★★★☆ |
| August | 70° | 55° | 3,4 in | ★★★★☆ |
| September | 66° | 51° | 5,6 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| October | 58° | 41° | 2,1 in | ★★★★☆ |
| November | 49° | 33° | 3,3 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| December | 42° | 26° | 4,2 in | ★★☆☆☆ |
Climate type: Continental. Source: Open-Meteo archive (ERA5).
How Great Smoky Mountains National Park compares with nearby places
Annual averages, and the difference against Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
| Place | Distance | Avg temp | vs here | Annual rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gatlinburg | 7 mi | 61°F | +45°F warmer | 55 in |
| Buncombe County | 53 mi | 56°F | +40°F warmer | 34 in |
| Asheville | 53 mi | 56°F | +40°F warmer | 34 in |
| Chimney Rock State Park | 71 mi | 57°F | +41°F warmer | 44 in |
| Cumberland Falls State Resort Park | 97 mi | 58°F | +43°F warmer | 50 in |
What to pack, what to skip
- A packable rain shell - 3 of the next 7 days carry a real chance of rain
- If your dates are flexible, avoid January, February and December - historically the least comfortable months here.
Summary
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a national park in Tennessee. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a US national park known for the most visited US national park.
Right now it is 64°F (18°C) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park with overcast. It feels like 64°F. Today runs from 58°F to 68°F. Chance of precipitation is 71%. Sightseeing conditions score 7.9/10 - good conditions.
The best time to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park is June and August. The climate is continental. January, February and December tend to be the least comfortable months. July is the warmest month with average highs near 72°F, while January is the coldest with lows near 17°F.
The closest major airport is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), about 146 mi away. Nearby highlights include Chimney Rock State Park, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, Grayson Highlands State Park and Mammoth Cave National Park.
In plain terms. Today is about average for August. The forecast high of 68°F is in line with the 70°F typical for this month. The best window to be outside is roughly 12 PM to 3 PM, when temperature, rain chance and wind line up best. fishing is the strongest bet in Great Smoky Mountains National Park today at 9.4/10. Wet roads are likely; braking distances roughly double in heavy rain.
Compiled from this page's own data: atlas facts plus live Open-Meteo readings.
Weather in Great Smoky Mountains National Park right now
Wear sunglasses and use SPF 30+ if you are outside for long.
Source: Open-Meteo. Updated 2:56 PM, Aug 21 local time.
Weekend outlook
🌤️ 68° / 56°
Mainly clear · 31% rain · wind 9 mph
🌥️ 71° / 53°
Fog · 31% rain · wind 11 mph
Things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Attractions, parks and landmarks in and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Quick facts about Great Smoky Mountains National Park
| Type | National park |
|---|---|
| State | Tennessee |
| Country | United States |
| Continent | North America |
| Coordinates | 35°36′42.5″N 83°29′22.2″W (35.6118, -83.4895) |
| Established | 1934 |
| Known for | the most visited US national park |
| Local time | 2:56 PM (UTC-04:00) |
| Best months | June and August |
| Climate | Continental |
Explore Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Every topic we hold for this place, and the same topic for the places around it.
Best Time to Visit for related places
Frequently asked questions
Where is Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a national park in Tennessee. Its coordinates are 35.6118, -83.4895. It lies in North America.
What is the weather like in Great Smoky Mountains National Park right now?
It is currently 64°F (18°C) with overcast. Humidity is 82% and wind is 6 mph.
When is the best time to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
June and August offer the most comfortable conditions in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which has a continental climate. January, February and December are usually the hardest months for outdoor plans.
What time zone is Great Smoky Mountains National Park in?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park observes America/New_York (UTC-04:00). The local time is 2:56 PM.
What is the nearest airport to Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
The closest airports are Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), 146 mi away and Nashville International Airport (BNA), 182 mi away.
What are the top things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Popular options include Chimney Rock State Park, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, Grayson Highlands State Park, Mammoth Cave National Park, Congaree National Park and New River Gorge National Park.
Related articles
Data sources and methodology
| Place data | USPOTUS Atlas dataset (national-parks) - coordinates, hierarchy and facts. |
|---|---|
| Forecast and observations | Open-Meteo (ECMWF and national models). |
| Air quality and pollen | Copernicus CAMS via Open-Meteo. US AQI scale. |
| Climate averages | ERA5 reanalysis via the Open-Meteo archive, aggregated over 3 years. |
| Official alerts | US National Weather Service. |
| Method | Scores, comparisons and advice on this page are computed from the inputs above. Distances are straight-line. Nothing is estimated where data is missing - the block is simply not shown. |
Last updated August 21, 2026 at 2:56 PM local time. Live blocks refresh every 15 minutes; climate averages monthly.
