Great Smoky Mountains National Park: the best time to visit, by the numbers
Month-by-month crowds (official NPS counts) and weather (NOAA 1991–2020 normals)
Great Smoky Mountains National Park draws about 12.4 million recreation visits in a typical year (2016–2025 median). October is the peak month (about 1.5 million visits); January is the quietest (about 409,000) — a 4-to-1 spread between busiest and quietest.
Pick a month
| Month | Typical visits | Crowds | High / Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 408,535 | quiet | 47°F / 27°F | 4.8 in |
| February | 442,380 | quiet | 51°F / 29°F | 4.3 in |
| March | 816,014 | moderate | 59°F / 35°F | 5.6 in |
| April | 968,815 | busy | 69°F / 42°F | 4.9 in |
| May | 1,105,108 | busy | 75°F / 51°F | 5.5 in |
| June | 1,435,799 | busiest stretch | 80°F / 59°F | 6.0 in |
| July | 1,526,602 | busiest stretch | 83°F / 63°F | 6.3 in |
| August | 1,250,680 | busy | 82°F / 62°F | 4.4 in |
| September | 1,295,016 | busy | 78°F / 56°F | 4.3 in |
| October | 1,536,183 | busiest stretch | 68°F / 44°F | 3.2 in |
| November | 906,560 | moderate | 58°F / 34°F | 4.0 in |
| December | 717,766 | moderate | 50°F / 29°F | 4.9 in |