Explore Worldwide names Great Smoky Mountains as 2024’s top trending park; Here's why

Iris Seaton, Asheville Citizen Times
·3 min read

Adventure travel agency Explore Worldwide placed the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the top of their list of trending national parks in 2024.

The study used Google search data from the last two years to determine which national parks have seen the largest growth in online searches for park tours. Explore promises visitor experiences with a wide breadth of unique, breathtaking sights across their list, "from wildflower meadows and natural hot springs to crystal white sand dunes."

Here's what the list said about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, plus some extra info on the North Carolina/Tennessee fan favorite.

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What is special about Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Scenes from the synchronous firefly event in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, June 6, 2022.
Scenes from the synchronous firefly event in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, June 6, 2022.

There are endless answers to the question of what makes the park so beloved. For starters, the Explore Worldwide study found that searches for park tours increased 97% year-on-year during the timeframe researchers studied.

The list also mentions popular attractions, including scenic drives along Cades Cove Loop Road, hiking through the mists that gave the park its name, and admiring the thunderous Laurel Falls.

The National Park Service also cites the diversity of plant and animal life and the quality of the park's historical remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture as reasons why Great Smoky Mountains National Park is currently America's most visited national park.

What is the most popular destination in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Great Smoky Mountains National Park stretches from North Carolina to Tennessee.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park stretches from North Carolina to Tennessee.

Several sources, including pigeonforge.com, state that Cades Cove is the most popular destination in this wildly popular park.

Cades Cove is known for its many attractions, which have something for everyone. Some of the many options include:

  • Cades Cove Loop - An 11-mile paved road accessible daily by automobile except for vehicle-free Wednesdays in May and September, reserved for hikers and bikers. Multiple historical buildings, mainly built by pioneers, are still in excellent condition due to preservation efforts, and many are accessible to visitors.

  • Campgrounds—The primary campground in the area is Cades Cove Campground, which offers tent and RV access for $25 per night. Cades Cove also offers some backcountry camping by permit.

  • Wildlife viewing - Like much of the national park, Cades Cove is known for opportunities to view diverse wildlife such as black bears, raccoons, turkeys, woodchucks and white-tailed deer.

  • Hiking trails - There are many hiking trails in and around Cades Cove, including the popular Abrams Falls Trail, Cades Cove Nature Trail, Rich Mountain Loop, and more.

  • Cades Cove Riding Stables—The stables offer guided horseback tours of the park's scenic trails from mid-March until November. Rides last from a shorter 45-minute trail ride to several hours. Hayrides around the Loop are also offered.

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Explore Worldwide's full list

Golden hour at the Great Smoky Mountains.
Golden hour at the Great Smoky Mountains.

Here's Explore Worldwide's full list of the 15 most trending national parks for 2024, their locations, and the percent increase of interest based on yearly Google searches:

  1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, North Carolina - 97%

  2. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington - 95%

  3. Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota - 89%

  4. North Cascades National Park, Washington 73%

  5. Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - 64%

  6. Redwood National Park, California - 58%

  7. Channel Islands National Park, California - 55%

  8. Saguaro National Park, Arizona - 53%

  9. Sequoia National Park, California - 34%

  10. White Sands National Park, New Mexico - 28%

  11. Olympic National Park, Washington - 20%

  12. Biscayne National Park, Florida - 20%

  13. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho - 19%

  14. Badlands National Park, South Dakota - 19%

  15. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia - 18%

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Great Smoky Mountains National Park has seen growth in online searches