Going to be near smoky mountains…in the next few days on my way to Charlotte and Pinehurst….…but only have a 1-1.5 days for smoky mountains.
Note I know have 2 days!!!

Is this enough to make it worth wild? Or just skip and do when I have more time? Figured I could get a hike in and alittle driving during this time…..

Recommendations on can't miss things? Hikes? Etc

Thank you!!

I think you need to go for even a day and half

find an area that you may never come back to within the national park and check it off

You can always hit up another part of the national park on way back or another time

I will consult my notes but where are you driving from ?? and would you take the same way back which i only do for routine trips

So originally I was going to fly into Charlotte or Raleigh to head over to pinehurst to meet some family - I was just able to get off work an extra day so I figured I'd take that day and another half day or so from my time being in pinehurst…I found a flight that gets me in Knoxville around 11am - and looks like it doesn't get dark till 8:40 in smoky mountains this time of the year….

So basically- fly into Knoxville. Get a car. Stay 1-1.5 days. Then head towards pinehurst…..fly back home from Raleigh or Charlotte

I would then hold off on Smokies for more time and spend the whole time in and around Asheville before heading to Pinehurst. If you need Recs for that I am sure people including myself will chime in and I pretty sure there was a thread on it a while back. Some great hikes and drives around that area. Good food destination as well

Thanks for the replies. I changed my flight this am to Knoxville and extended the end of the trip too. Actually saved me nearly half on flight charges….and all out of college station!!

I know have 2 days - recommendations for my short trip on must see/do?

I could spend a lifetime in the Smoky Mountains.

I just posted on this, you might come across something that can help.

https://texags.com/forums/54/topics/3378534

We had several out of town guests at our home for our daughter's wedding last week. Several went to Cades Cove (about an hour from our house) and saw a lot of bears. While bears are common in Cades Cove, there appear to be many more this spring than in years past. If you're here and want to see a bear, Cades Cove is the best place in the Smoky Mountain National Park.

ToddyHill said:

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We had several out of town guests at our home for our daughter's wedding last week. Several went to Cades Cove (about an hour from our house) and saw a lot of bears. While bears are common in Cades Cove, there appear to be many more this spring than in years past. If you're here and want to see a bear, Cades Cove is the best place in the Smoky Mountain National Park.

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We went about a month ago and saw nine bear in Cades Cove, along with turkeys, coyotes, and deer in good numbers.

That's crazy. Good for you! Seeing a bear at Cades Cove is as good as it gets in my opinion.