• Newfound Gap Road - From there, your drive continues to Newfound Gap, a stunning mountain pass with huge historical significance. Hear the story of how trappers, farmers, and merchants used to cross the Smokies, and how this gap changed all of that.
• Mingus Mill - As you drive, you’ll have the option to take a detour to the Mingus Mill, an 1886 grist mill which, believe it or not, is still fully functional! If you’re here on weekends, you can even see the mill operators grind corn just like they did back in the 1800s.
• Clingmans Dome Visitor Contact Station - Heading toward Clingman’s Dome, you’ll soon see its famous observation tower. You really haven’t seen the Great Smoky Mountains until you’ve seen them from up here!
• Quiet Walkways - Your first major stop is the Beech Flats Quiet Walkway, a perfect spot for anyone who wants to soak up the natural beauty of the mountains without having to hike an arduous trail.
• Morton Overlook - After that, you’ll reach Morton Overlook, hugely popular for its unbelievable sunsets.
• Oconaluftee Visitor Center - Your drive through the beautiful, majestic Smoky Mountains begins at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Get ready to explore the Smokies and discover why this is the most visited National Park in the country!
• Rockefeller Memorial - Up next is the Rockefeller Memorial, where you’ll learn more about Rockefeller’s importance to the park! This memorial was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt himself.
• Carlos Campbell Overlook - The next overlook on your route is Carlos Campbell Overlook, which serves up panoramic views of towering mountains and lush forests.
• Morton Mountain Tunnel - Continuing on, you’ll pass through the heart of a mountain using the Morton Tunnel. Here, you’ll also hear about how a politician named Ben Morton got his name all over the park.
• Alum Cave Trail - Next you’ll pass the Alum Cave Trail, which takes hikers to the remains of an old salt mine packed with fascinating history.
• Chimney Tops Overlook - Your route takes you next to Chimney Tops Overlook, where you’ll hear all about wildfires in the Smokies and how they cause lasting damage to mountains like this one.
• Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail - Next up is the most accessible trail in the park! Sugarlands Valley Trail can be accessed by wheelchair or stroller, and offers a great way to venture into the scenic wilderness. We’ll also turn back the clock to get an in-depth look at the complicated history of this valley and the settlers who once lived here.
• Clingmans Dome - Next up is the most accessible trail in the park: Sugarlands Valley Trail! This scenic trail can be accessed by wheelchair or stroller, and offers a great way to venture into the wilderness.
• Sugarlands Visitors Center - The tour leads next to the Sugarlands Visitor Center, a perfect rest stop and the site of a few trailheads.
• Rainbow Falls Trail - Our route takes us next to the Rainbow Falls Trail, which leads to the park’s most popular waterfall. Standing at 80 feet, Rainbow Falls is the tallest waterfall in the Smokies, but that’s not all! When the sun hits it right, it glimmers like a rainbow–hence the name.
• Cataract Falls - Your drive continues to Cataract Falls, a beautiful, secluded set of waterfalls tucked beneath a shaded canopy of beech trees.
• Gatlinburg - Finally, you’ll arrive in the picturesque mountian town of Gatlinburg, where your tour will conclude.
• Ripley’s Believe It or Not! - Our next stop is perfect for anyone amused by kitschy oddities. This funky museum displays everything from shrunken human heads to rare animal skeletons. We’ll get the inside scoop on how it started as a simple one-panel comic strip and grew into a national phenomenon.
• Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail - Continue following the road to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. This driving trail invites you to slow down and enjoy the forest and historic buildings of the area. It also features three of the park’s most famous waterfalls!
• Alfred Reagan Tub Mill - The road brings us next to the Reagen Cabin, which displays a perfect example of old-timey technology in the form of the so-called “tub mill.” Hear all about what that is and why it was useful here.
• Grotto Falls Trail - Keep driving until you reach the Grotto Falls trail. While it’s not quite as grand as Rainbow Falls, this secluded, less crowded waterfall is absolutely worth a visit. On your way, hear about a rare salamander you can only find right here!
• The Place of a Thousand Drips - Why settle for one waterfall when you can have several? Our next stop is the Place of a Thousand Drips, where numerous narrow falls come together to form a stunning torrent.
• Baskins Creek Falls - Our drive takes us next to the Baskin Creek Falls, a sparkling waterfall where we’ll hear about the amusing, and slightly misguided history behind the name of these falls.
• Ephraim Bales Cabin - Up next, we’ll pass the Ephraim Bales Cabin, a portal back in time to the 19th century. We’ll hear all about the family that lived here, and why there’s a big hole in the middle of their cabin!
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. The sprawling landscape encompasses lush forests and an abundance of wildflowers that bloom year-round. Streams, rivers, and waterfalls appear along hiking routes that include a segment of the Appalachian Trail. An observation tower tops Clingmans Dome, the highest peak, offering scenic views of the mist-covered mountains.

NOTE: This 47-mile-long tour covers the essentials of the Great Smoky Mountains in 2-3 hours.

• Ely’s Mill - Next, our drive takes us to Ely’s Mill, a historic mill on the outskirts of Gatlinburg which gives us another window into the lives of the early Appalachian settlers. Here, we’ll learn about Andrew Ely, the bigshot lawyer who upended his entire life after his wife died, abandoned his law practice, and moved to Gatlinburg to start over and live a simpler life.
• Gatlinburg - Finally, we’ll arrive in the mountian town of Gatlinburg, we’ll hear how it all began with the unfortunate, ill-fated William Ogle, who built the town’s very first cabin but never got to live there. Then we’ll hear about how the town grew, the struggle that consumed it during the Civil War, and how it became what it is today. This is where our tour officially concludes.

There are many stories that you’ll hear along the way, including
• Ancestral Cherokee Land
• Tsali and the Trail of Tears
• Revolt Against the Ani’kutani
• Sequoyah’s New Storytelling System
• The Milky Way
• Selu’s Sacrifice
• Great Smoky Geology
• Webb View
• Appalachia’s Settlers
• Appalachian Trail
• Ghost Firs of Clingman’s Dome
• Funding the Smokies
• Appalachian Balds
• Balsam Point Quiet Walkway and more.
Explore the captivating Cades Cove and the stunning Great Smoky Mountains by purchasing our special bundle that includes both destinations.

• Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
• Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
• Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
• Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
• Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
• Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
• Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
• Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!

• Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations