Published Updated 3 min readMountains
Smoky Mountains Facts for Rental Guests
Quick answer
Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers 522,427 acres, split almost evenly between Tennessee and North Carolina. The park has no entrance fee, but the National Park Service requires a parking tag for any vehicle parked more than 15 minutes. On BnB Search, the Smoky Mountains vacation rentals hub lists 409 places, 318 of them individual stays. Sources are linked at the end.
The park in numbers (NPS)
- Size: 522,427 acres (about 800 square miles), divided almost evenly between North Carolina and Tennessee.
- Elevation: from about 875 feet at the mouth of Abrams Creek to 6,643 feet at Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome), the highest peak. Sixteen peaks top 6,000 feet.
- Trails: 848 miles of trail, including 74 miles of the Appalachian Trail.
- Roads: 384 miles, of which 238 are paved and 146 unpaved.
- Wildlife: NPS estimates about 1,900 black bears and about 200 elk live in the park.
Why this matters for renters: with elevations from about 875 to 6,643 feet, NPS says temperatures can differ by 10 to 20 degrees from the base of the mountains to the summits, so pack layers.
Parking tags
NPS requires a parking tag for every vehicle parked in the park for longer than 15 minutes. Tags are not location-specific, each tag must show the license plate of the vehicle it is in, and a physical tag must be displayed (digital copies are not accepted). See NPS fees and passes for current tag options.
What our Smoky Mountains listings show
These counts come from BnB Search's own directory data and change when listings are added or removed.
- 409 listings in total: 318 individual stays, 44 resorts, inns or lodging businesses, 47 rental companies, property managers or real estate offices.
- Area tags: Gatlinburg 134, Pigeon Forge 101, Wears Valley 31, Sevierville 26. Our area tags are broad, so open the map pin to see exactly where a listing is.
- Words in the stay titles: of the 318 stays, 2 mention lakefront, waterfront or lake access; 18 mention a mountain view; 116 mention a hot tub or spa; 26 mention a pool; 35 mention pets or dogs; 157 mention cabin; 6 mention condo. Hosts write these titles themselves, so confirm each feature before you book.
Browse them on the Smoky Mountains hub (map and filters) or in the full Smoky Mountains listings directory.
Before you book a Smoky Mountains rental
- Which side: open the map pin to see whether the cabin is on the Tennessee or North Carolina side.
- Parking tag: buy one per car before hiking or sightseeing in the park.
- Driveway: ask the host about steep or unpaved access roads.
- Pets: confirm the pet policy and fees with the host.
FAQ
Does Great Smoky Mountains National Park charge an entrance fee?
No, but NPS requires a parking tag for any vehicle parked more than 15 minutes.
What is the highest point in the Smokies?
Kuwohi, formerly Clingmans Dome, at 6,643 feet.
How many Smoky Mountains rentals does BnB Search list?
409 listings, including 318 individual stays. The rest are lodging businesses, rental companies or other local listings.
Does BnB Search book the stay?
No. Compare on the hub, then book on the site linked from the listing.
Places to stay in our Smoky Mountains directory
Each of these listings has its own BnB Search page. The list is alphabetical, not ranked, and shows no ratings.
- " Beary Cozy Cabin "
- 2BR, 2-Bath Cabin near the GSMNP Entrance
- 223 m² Cabin ∙ 3 bedrooms ∙ 14 guests
- 5 Star Property, Amazing Location, Indoor Pool, Arcade
- 85 m² Cabin ∙ 1 bedroom ∙ 5 guests
- All About The View
- Cabin on a River
- Hapey Cabin Rentals – Pet-Friendly Smoky Mountain Cabins
- Ladybug Cabin
- Snowy Evening
Sources
- NPS: Great Smoky Mountains park statistics
- NPS: Great Smoky Mountains FAQ
- NPS: Fees and passes (parking tags)
Related
Smoky Mountains Weather by Month · Smoky Mountains areas · Smoky Mountains first-time checklist · Things to do near Smoky Mountains rentals