If you have either a permanent or temporary disability, or if someone in your party needs disability access, you must obtain a temporary parking permit. This allows you to take advantage of designated accessible parking.
Many of the trails within the park are steep and rugged. However, there is an accessible trail available on Newfound Gap Road.
If you are a permanently disabled US citizen, a Golden Access Passport is available free of charge at either Sugarlands or Oconaluftee visitor center.
Bicycling
Some roads within the park are not recommended for cycling because of narrow roads, heavy traffic and steep, rugged terrain. One exception is Cades Cove, which offers an excellent bicycling experience. Cyclists can enjoy wildlife viewing and tour a variety of century home sites. Bicycles can be rented at the Cades Cove store if visitors don’t have their own. Other cycling areas include Greenbrier and Trentmont Roads in Tennessee and in North Carolina, Cataloochee Valley.
Hiking
There are more than eight hundred fifty miles of trails within the park to be enjoyed by hikers, ranging from easy to difficult. Along the park’s top ridge, hikers can enjoy hiking the Appalachian Trail, which runs for seventy miles. Pets are not allowed on most trails; the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee Trail are exceptions.
If you decide to venture into the backcountry of Great Smoky Mountains, there are a few rules that need to be followed to ensure your safety.
Never hike alone
Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return.
Take a large supply of bottle water; at least two quarts for each person per day.
Take along a trail map.
Take two flashlights each to ensure you have a working one at all times.
Wear hiking boots or shoes that give plenty of support and which are comfortable.
Include water treatment pills in your gear. Treat all water taken from natural bodies of water within the park.