If your looking for a great reason to visit Townsend, Tennessee, I have 10 great reasons why you should visit Townsend Tennessee. Townsend stunning mountain community with the reputation as the “Peaceful Side” of the Smokies. Nestled at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it offers an unique kind of vacation experience.

Townsend is away from the hustle and bustle of Gatlinburg and overcrowded shopping centers of Pigeon Forge. Townsend is where people go to escape the crowds, listen to the chorus of tree frogs, and count the stars at night.

1. Townsend Welcome Center

First place you should visit is the Townsend Visitor Center is one of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s official visitor centers – but it also serves the greater Townsend area. It’s one of the best visitor centers in the Smokies and the first place you should stop to really get an idea of all Townsend has to offer.

The information desk at the visitor center is always staffed by someone who knows the area. You can get suggestions on what to do, things you need to see, and inside tips  you won’t find anywhere else – not even on my website. The staff will eagerly assist you in picking out travel brochures and even help you collect the National Park Passport cancellation stamp.

They also have a gift shop on site loaded with books on local history.

7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Townsend, TN | 800-525-6834 | www.smokymountains.org

2. Visit the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center

The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center hides one of the best attractions in Townsend. The museum’s Main Gallery is home to the Native Americans of East Tennessee Collection – an assortment of historical artifacts from the bands of Native Americans who once called the area home. Displayed in well-lit exhibit cases, the artifacts include interpretive information for the history buff.

Don’t miss out on seeing the Historic Village – a collection of thirteen historical buildings from the Northeast Tennessee region relocated to the museum. The buildings are open for visitors to explore and furnished according to the time the structure was built.

The museum charges an admission ranging from $7-$10 per person. It takes about an hour to see all the exhibits inside the Main Gallery and take a walk through the Historic Village – but I would recommend spending at least two hours.

123 Cromwell Dr, Townsend, TN | 865-448-0044 | www.gsmheritagecenter.org

3. Visit Cades Cove

Cades Cove is probably the #1 attraction in Townsend. If you’ve never been, you don’t get it; if you have been – you get it! It’s a broad valley surrounded by mountains and is one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smokies. It offers some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing in the park. Do not be surprised if you see some local wildlife running about; white-tailed deer are frequently seen, and sightings of black bear, coyote, ground hog, turkey, raccoon, skunk, and other animals are possible.

Historic homes, hiking trails, scenic views, hidden waterfalls, and an abundance of wildlife make Cades Cove so popular. Plan to spend the day in the cove to give yourself time to explore it. Pack yourself a picnic or grab lunch at the deli beside the campground, enjoy your meal at the Native Plant Overlook, and plan your time to hit sunset across the field at the Dan Lawson Place.

There are also several beautiful and historic churches. You can even visit the church I used for my wedding – the Primitive Baptist Church. My wife’s family goes back generations in the Cades Cove area and many of her ancestors are buried in the church graveyards.

An 11-mile, one-way loop road circles the cove, offering motorists the opportunity to sightsee at a leisurely pace. Allow at least two to four hours to tour Cades Cove, longer if you walk some of the area’s trails. Traffic is heavy during the tourist season in summer and fall and on weekends year-round. While driving the loop road, please be courteous to other visitors and use pullouts when stopping to enjoy the scenery or view wildlife.

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/cadescove.htm

4. Visit the Rat

The River Rat that is – Go Tubing

River Rat has two options for tubing in Townsend. From Outpost A at Wears Valley Road – where I began my adventure – it’s a two-hour float down the river to a pull-out at Webb Road. This section is calm and suitable for all ages. The more adventurous section from Outpost B – located beside Burger Master Drive In – requires a higher age limit because the river includes more rapids.

On a hot summer day, the splash of cold mountain water was a welcome respite from the humid summer heat. The pace is normally pleasurable, unless the water is low – then you do a lot of walking. Watch the water levels before you go to ensure the best experience. But normally it’s a slow pace beneath the shade of massive trees lining the riverbanks. If your dog loves the water and is well behaved, this can also be an exciting way to spend a day with your 4 legged friend. 

They also offer white water rafting trips, which I have done and are incredibly fun, but a little more planning may be involved than just jumping into a tube.

205 Wears Valley Rd, Townsend, TN | 865-448-8888 | www.smokymtnriverrat.com

5. Explore Tuckaleechee Caverns

A local newspaper editor once called Tuckaleechee Caverns the “Greatest Sight Under the Smokies.” The privately-owned attraction is run by the second generation of the family who opened it in the 1950s. Today, it’s one of the best caverns open to the public in Tennessee and a must-see attraction in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Guided tours take about an hour to explore the 1.25-mile out-and-back route through the caverns. Visitors are treated to the gargantuan Big Room – big enough to hold a football field – and one of the tallest underground waterfalls in the country.

Little known fact deep inside the caverns lies a set of metal boxes. They’re sensitive seismometers that record earthquakes and underground nuclear tests everywhere in the world.

825 Cavern Rd, Townsend, TN | 865-448-2274 | www.tuckaleecheecaverns.com

6. Little River Railroad & Lumber Museum

Townsend was founded in 1900 as a logging town by a railroad company. Visiting the one-room Little River Railroad & Lumber Museum is a great way to spend an hour one hot summer day. It is a small museum, but the walls are covered in fascinating facts about the town’s history.

Inside the museum, you’ll learn about the town’s founder, W.B. Townsend, and how he was instrumental in establishing the Elkmont Historic District and creating The Sinks in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can explore an old logging locomotive that once hauled the fresh-cut timber into Townsend’s lumber mills.

7747 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Townsend, TN | 865-661-0170 | www.littleriverrailroad.org

7. Get a Meal at a Local Restaurant

Townsend may be a small town, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have some fantastic local eateries. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner – there is a place to go for any meal of the day.

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro is a wonderfully high-end rustic themed restaurant. It is located in the Dancing Bear Lodge, which, as a side, is a great place to rent a cabin.

The staff is great and focused on making your visit enjoyable. The bar is well stocked with high-end whiskey, bourbon and liquor. The cocktails are well done, the food is farm to table local fair with a big city twist. When you’re done eating and on your way out, they’ve got a fire going and a s’mores station for you to help yourself and enjoy the evening beyond dinner! Extremely unique experience and something that shouldn’t be missed.

Trailhead Steak & Trout House offers exactly that: locally raised steaks and fresh caught trout. The family-friendly restaurant has reasonable prices, a comfortable atmosphere, and a wide assortment of menu options. The Trailhead Potato Skins were a great starter, and I really loved the Mississippi Fried Catfish.

Smokin’ Joe’s is my favorite place in Townsend for lunch. You’ll smell the quality of the food the moment you step out of your car. The Big Sandwich – a “whopper sized bun” piled high with pulled pork – was a fantastic meal that threatened to put me into a food coma. You can also order racks of ribs, brisket, or chicken sandwiches.

The Burger Master Drive In is one of the most iconic places to eat in Townsend. The old-fashioned drive in has you ordering through a window and sitting outside at one of their covered picnic tables. Everything is cooked fresh just the way you order it – which is probably why that cheeseburger was one of the best I’ve ever had.

8. Go for a Scenic Drive on the Foothills Parkway

When the latest section of the Foothills Parkway opened in 2018, it offered visitors a chance to enjoy a 33-mile scenic drive between Wears Valley and U.S. Highway 129. The parkway was Tennessee’s answer to the Blue Ridge Parkway with a vision to create a 72-mile route along a mountain ridge that offered views of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The original section between Walland and U.S. Highway 129 has been around for decades but has remained one of the least-visited areas of the national park. That section included several stunning overlooks – most notably the Look Rock Observation Tower. The new section has fewer overlooks – and no official hiking trails – but the views are much better.

Visitors from Townsend can take Wears Valley Road to the current end of the Foothills Parkway, drive about an hour to U.S. Highway 321, and return to town for lunch. Then, an out-and-back adventure from U.S. Highway 321 to U.S. Highway 129 takes about two hours – three if you stop as much as I do to enjoy the view.

9. Fly Fishing

The Little River runs through Townsend, and later meets up with the Tennessee River deeper into the park. In this river, you’ll find an assortment of trout -rainbow, brown, and brook – as well as bass and other fish. In addition to the amazing potential for a great catch, there’s also beautiful scenery and plenty of places to camp and swim if you need to take a break.

In order to fish in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you will need a permit, so be sure to secure one before your trip to this area. There are also limits on how many fish you can catch – you are limited to five trout and 20 rock bass each day. You should also take care to prevent the spread of Didymo, which is an invasive species of algae that is disrupting the area. You can bring your own gear or rent some at Little River Outfitters and Fly Fishing. This is also a great place to ask any questions you may have about fishing in the area. They even have a fly fishing school, which is an excellent option if you want to teach your kids how to fish or if you are going fishing for the first time yourself. If you’re planning a fishing trip within the park, make sure to follow all of the proper guidelines.

Below is an outfitter where you can purchase or rent any fishing materials you may need.

LITTLE RIVER OUTFITTERS & FLY FISHING –  106 Town Square Dr

http://littleriveroutfitters.com/

10. Explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

No trip to Townsend is complete without a trip through the Great Smokey Mountains. Cades Cove is very scenic and a very popular destination in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but it’s not the only destination. There are many places to explore in the national park within an hour’s drive of Townsend, making this a great place to spend the night.

The Townsend Wye has grown in popularity in recent years. It’s the first destination in the national park to visit after leaving Townsend behind. It’s a popular place for tubing or swimming in the shallow water in the river’s bend.

Meigs Falls is the only waterfall in the national park viewable from the comfort of your own car. It’s located a few hundred feet from Little River Road in a small ravine, but you can see it from your car or by sitting on the stone wall above the river. Nearby, The Sinks is an area of cascading waterfalls created when a lumber company used dynamite to blast a log jam on the Little River. The explosion created a deep chasm beneath the river and actually changed its course.

Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area is a great place to spend an evening with the family. It’s about a 25-minute drive from Townsend, so it’s possible to take something to eat with you. The picnic area has a few covered shelters, access to the Little River, and a hiking trail leading to the Little Greenbrier School.

The Elkmont Historic District is a fascinating area to explore about forty-five minutes from Townsend. The historic district includes an assortment of historic homes and cabins located where a logging village had been built in the late 1800s. The cabins are leftovers before the national park was founded when wealthy people from Knoxville used the area as a summer vacation. Hiking trails, waterfalls, access to the Little River, and the campground are a few things to see there.

The Sugarlands Visitor Center is an hour from Townsend without traffic – and when there is traffic, it could take as much as two hours. Newfound Gap is about two hours from Townsend and Clingmans Dome, about two and a half hours. All of these are easily doable in a lengthy day trip – but why would you want to go that far from Townsend?

When to Visit Townsend

Most of the local retail shops, restaurants, campgrounds, and hotels are open year-round in Townsend. The winter months are certainly the slowest in terms of visitors – and that might be a great time to visit.

But the best time to visit Townsend is the summer months. Most people flock to Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge on the Tennessee side and Bryson City on the North Carolina side of the national park. That leaves Townsend mostly peaceful – but not deserted.

Day-trippers will frequent the town, and campers from Cades Cove will venture out for food and supplies. It’s never really a ghost town in the summer, but it is less crowded than alternatives.

The busiest time of year is typically Autumn, coinciding with the peak of fall colors. It’s a great time to visit, but you’ll find overnight rates more expensive – sometimes even more expensive than summer weekends. But if you want to visit Cades Cove to see the colors, I strongly recommend staying in Townsend.