Fall 2026

Fall in the Smoky Mountains is one of our favorite times of the year! In this video, we’re sharing OUR FAVORITE things to do in the Smokies during fall, activities, traditions, scenic drives, foods, attractions, and hidden places we’ve enjoyed over many years of visiting Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Wears Valley, Townsend, Cades Cove, Cataloochee and beyond. We’ll start with some of our favorite fall foods, including fresh apple cider and fried apple pies, before visiting attractions that completely transform for the season. We’ll explore fall in Gatlinburg, Anakeesta’s Bear-Varian Festival, The Island in Pigeon Forge, Dollywood’s Harvest Festival and Great Pumpkin LumiNights, along with some of the smaller communities that really capture that Smoky Mountain fall feeling. But nothing compares to the mountains themselves. We’ll share some of our favorite places for Smoky Mountain fall foliage, including Kuwohi, Newfound Gap Road, Foothills Parkway, Cades Cove, Elkmont, Cataloochee, Wears Valley and more. We’ll also talk about horseback riding, scenic back roads, Bryson City and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, plus a few lesser-known places we’ve discovered over the years. The footage in this video comes from many different fall trips. We could never fit all of these experiences into a single vacation—or even a single fall! These are the places, foods and traditions that have become some of OUR FAVORITE things to do in the Smoky Mountains, and hopefully they’ll give you a few ideas for your own fall adventure. If you’re planning a fall trip to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge or Great Smoky Mountains National Park, come along and discover why this season keeps bringing us back year after year. #SmokyMountains #Gatlinburg #PigeonForge #FallInTheSmokies #GreatSmokyMountains #BearfactsoftheSMokyMountains #FallintheSmokies #Fallthings