Plan Your Visit
Start Planning Your Perfect Vacation to Bryson City
Are you ready to discover what makes Bryson City, NC the Outdoor Adventure Capital of the Great Smoky Mountains? Our mountainside wonderland is teeming with excitement, from cascading waterfalls, rushing white water rapids and beautiful Fontana Lake to charming downtown streets, the historic Great Smoky Mountain Railroad and more. The excitement of Bryson City is ready, all that’s missing is you. Start planning your perfect vacation to Bryson City, NC, with our handy tools, tips, tricks or order a visitor guide to be mailed to you!
Use our Trip Building tool to save your favorite activities and places to visit. Click on the little white backpack icon on any listing, and it will be added to your Trip Builder. Check on it any time at the top right of this website and you can share it with your friends and family.
Explore the Outdoors
Hiking & Trails
With the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Nantahala National…
Waterfalls
Discover what it means to be ‘fall’-struck, we are…
Whitewater Rafting
Here in Bryson City, we’re fortunate to be conveniently located…
Biking
Mountain biking continues to grow in popularity, and Bryson City is no…
Motorcycling
Explore the open roads of Bryson City and the Great Smoky Mountains…
Elk Viewing
Observe the elk in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on grasses…
Boating
Fontana Lake, the crown jewel of Bryson City, is your perfect…
Tubing
Ready to cool down? Grab a tube and enjoy a float through the Great…
Fishing
Bryson City and the Great Smoky Mountain National Forests are some of…
Gem Mining
A perfect activity for all ages, our gem mining spots provide you with…
Horseback Riding
Whether traversing around Fontana Lake or exploring the trails of Deep…
Ziplining
Channel your inner Tarzan and explore the beauty of our national parks…
Kayaking, Canoeing, & SUP
Rent a craft, pack your own or take a guided tour and explore the…
Swimming
Get refreshed with a swim in the Smokies! This seasonal activity is…
Parks
Bryson City, NC, is known to have parks and outdoor spaces stretching…
Golf
Grab your golf clubs and get ready to play a round amongst one of the…
Trip Ideas
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
When is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park open?
The Great Smoky Mountains National park is open year round, however certain roads may close due to inclement weather. Visit the National Park website or their Twitter account for up-to-date road closure information. In particular, Clingmans Dome Road is closed from November through March due to high elevation winter weather.
Are pets allowed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Dogs are allowed in campgrounds, picnic areas, and along roads, but must be kept on a leash at all times. Near Bryson City in the National Park, dogs are allowed on the Oconaluftee River Trail, the Deep Creek Picnic Area, and the Deep Creek Campground. Pets are not allowed on any other trails in the National Park. For pet-friendly hiking ideas outside of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, visit our Hiking page and use the amenity search to select "pet friendly."