Gatlinburg|smokies in a wheelchair

There is an easy paved trail with a nice waterfall at the end. I am looking for my book on Smokey Mountain Park hiking trails. I will let you know the name when I find the book. ........I have taken many of the hikes, both easy and difficult. That is why I like it when LSU plays Tennessee on the road.

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easy paved trail with a nice waterfall

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Laurel Falls

God bless you & your’s fella, y’all are doing the Lord’s work.

Hope you all have a wonderful trip.

I recall seeing baby strollers on Laurel Falls, but it wasn't like a sidewalk. Took some effort.

The path to Clingman's Dome is like an asphalt sidewalk. It is pretty steep, which is challenging going up or down for a chair. I recall seeing more baby strollers here. Smooth path with some benches along the way.

Here are some comments on Wheelchair accessible trails in the Smoky Mtns.

Best Wheelchair Friendly Trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Tripadvisor thread on wheelchair/scooter trails in the Smokys

The park service also has an accessibility page with tips on parking, an Access Passport for free/reduced admissions, etc.

It mentions another short trail. NPS Plan Your Visit

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Most trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park are steep and rugged. However, the Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail is an accessible trail made possible through a public-private partnership is located on Newfound Gap Road, just south of Sugarlands Visitor Center. Interpretive exhibits located along the one-half mile paved trail describe the unique historic and natural features as the trail winds through second growth forest along the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River.

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Another accessibility guide is here: Accessibility Information for Trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

They say of Laurel: "Trail Condition: Passable with surface damage, cracks and ruts, quite steep with significant drop offs.
Trail Warning: Persons using this trail with a wheelchair must be highly functional in their mobility and may still require considerable assistance."

For Clingman: "Trail Condition: Excellent but extremely steep.
Trail Warning: Persons using this trail with a wheelchair must be highly functional in their mobility and may still require considerable assistance."

You can google it and find several trails but the ones I know are the Gatlinburg trail and a few others that aren’t named trails but listed as Quiet Walkways. The park service can give you great advice though. We took an elderly family member once and made him go with us on the trails to prove he could do it with us. The ones I listed were either paved or graded and only small inclines. Lower elevations usually but still got to see a waterfall at Cararact Falls and some nice streams on the walkways. Any of them that have handicapped parking are made for it. Also, Anakeesta is pretty and you can do the indoor gondola probably with the chair. Drive up to Newfound Gap or Cade’s Cove for some other nice views.

I would stop at the Sugarlands Visitor Center first and speak to the volunteers there. They can tell you what is open and the best options. I would stick to the paved trails because the conditions of non-paved can get ugly fast if it rains.

Look into the Great Smoky Mountains Institute At Tremont and their citizens scientists programs. You may find you can sign up to help band songbirds. Very kid focused programs.

Look on the NPS website as someone linked above and look for the ranger led programs that are free and also Junior Ranger Programs where kids complete tasks and earn a badge.

Cades Cove closes to cars on Sat and Wed mornings in the summer so people can walk/bike. You could possibly do a small portion on foot/wheelchair by just going down the paved road taking your time.

Cataloochee Valley which is in the NC side of the park in the evening arriving around 6:30 7:00 pm and the elk will come out and graze in the open meadows. You can do see elk around the Oconoluftee Visitor Center too but it’s crowded space there.

If you are around in May 25 to June 14 you may hear about the synchronous fireflies that are in Elkmont. The lottery to get ticketsattend will be posted before then and I highly recommend it if you can go. It is a magnificent natural wonder.