A Simply Awesome Way To See The Smokies In One Day
Only have time for a one day visit to the Smokies? Here’s the perfect one day itinerary for your visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
If you are staying or visiting downtown Knoxville, here’s your chance to take a day trip to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
As native Knoxvillians, we provide all the details you need to spend one day in the Smokies.
Living just 30 minutes from the entrance to the Smokies, we are often asked about a one day itinerary. Although you could easily spend a week here, we think this one day plan captures the spirit and beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
This is the Smokies itinerary we use when friends and family come to town. It’s also one of the easiest areas of the park to reach from downtown Knoxville, about an hour away.
P.S. If you are visiting Knoxville, check out our Essential Guide To Knoxville.
See our Smokies page to see all of our favorite places in the park we love so much – best hikes, biking Cades Cove, and more. For a full week of fun, see our “Great Smoky Mountains Itinerary.”
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Overview of One Day In The Smoky Mountains
If you are traveling from Knoxville, this area of the Smokies is the closest, just a one hour drive from downtown.
Another option would be staying one night in Townsend, TN, which is just a 20 minute drive to the day’s starting point. Either The Best Western Cades Cove Inn or Highland Manor Inn are recommended hotels, or kick it up a notch and stay at the lovely Dancing Bear Lodge.
This simply awesome day in the Smokies includes a visit to a historic schoolhouse and a short hike to a historic homestead before enjoying a picnic or swim at Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area.
It’s a favorite trail, because not only is it an easy hike for the family, but it combines two of the best historic structures in the Smokies that you can actually enter and explore.
It’s also far less crowded than the Cades Cove Loop, which we usually avoid during peak summer and fall when traffic can turn the one-way loop into a long, slow crawl.
Add some time picnicking or splashing in the Little River at Metcalf Bottoms, and it’s the perfect day in the Smokies.
P.S. I have a caveat. If you are here on a Wednesday during the summer, the 11 mile Cades Cove Loop is vehicle-free all day. You can rent bikes to explore the Loop Road. It’s a blast. See our Guide To Biking Cades Cove On Car-Free Wednesdays.
One Day Smokies Itinerary
- Breakfast at Elvira’s Cafe in Wears Valley
- 3.4 mile roundtrip hike to Little Greenbrier School House and Walker Sisters Cabin
- Picnic at the water’s edge or swim at Metcalf Bottoms
- Dinner or drinks at Peaceful Side Smokies in Townsend
We’ll give you all the details below!
Morning-Where To Eat Breakfast
Elvira’s serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We’ve always enjoy a good meal here, and it’s on the way to the trailhead when entering the park from Wears Valley.
Go early or be prepared for some long lines, this place is very popular and locally famous. Luckily there is a nice big porch to relax on while you wait for your table to be ready.
It is located 4.5 miles from the 321 stoplight in Townsend. 4143 Wears Valley Road. Open seasonally.
For more restaurant ideas, see our list in Best Restaurants In Townsend.
Metcalf Bottoms Trail- Hike To Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse
After your hearty breakfast at Elvira’s, drive 10 minutes to the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area to begin an easy 3.4 mile roundtrip hike via the Metcalf Bottoms Trail to a historic schoolhouse and then on to the Walker Sisters Homestead via the Little Brier Gap Trail.
Here, you can enter the log structures and imagine mountain life from days of yore.
Tip: If you have little ones, you can push a jog stroller on this trail if needed.
Driving Directions To The Trailhead
The trailhead is located at the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area and is easily accessed from the Wears Valley Entrance to the park.
From Wears Valley Road, turn onto Lyon Springs Ln and follow it into the national park where the name changes to Wear Cove Gap Rd.
To reach the picnic area, continue on Wear Cove Gap Rd and turn right into the picnic area. Park at Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area.
The trail starts at the other side of the river, on the right side of the picnic area, behind a gated gravel road.
We prefer to park at Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area and then hike to the schoolhouse before continuing on to the Walker Sisters Cabin for a 3.4 mile roundtrip hike. But you also have an option of a shorter hike, and we’ll talk more about that below.
*Don’t forget your parking pass!* You will need a parking pass to park anywhere in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for more than 15 minutes. Parking passes can be bought online, at all Visitor Centers, and at a few other places, like the Townsend Visitor Center.
Trail Description- Metcalf Bottoms Trail To Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse
Start the trail from the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area. You’ll see a gate on the right after crossing a small bridge. Follow the Metcalf Bottoms Trail for roughly one mile to reach the schoolhouse built in 1882.
From there, you can continue on a short way on the Little Brier Gap Trail to reach the Walker Sisters Cabin built after the Civil War.
Tip: To shorten the hike to approximately 2 miles total, you can actually park in the small parking area at the Greenbrier Schoolhouse on Little Greenbrier Road (closed in the winter). The parking area is less than a half-mile up the narrow gravel road and is next to the historic Little Greenbrier School.
Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse
Spend some time at the Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse. Built in 1882 with the help of John Walker, the last classes in the small schoolhouse were held in 1935.
If you are here on a Tuesday, you’ll often find a volunteer dressed as a teacher from the time period to lead classes as part of the park’s “School Days at Little Greenbrier.” Otherwise, the kids will have a good time standing up front and instructing their siblings (and you).
After visiting the school and taking turns being the teacher, you’re now ready to continue to the Walker Sisters Cabin on the Little Brier Gap Trail.
Trail Description- Schoolhouse To The Walker Sisters Cabin and Homestead via Little Brier Gap Trail
The Little Brier Gap Trail takes you from the Schoolhouse to the Walker Sisters Cabin and Homestead.
The Little Brier Gap Trail is located at the end of the gravel road that runs behind the cemetery in front of the schoolhouse. The trail is nice and wide and slightly uphill but overall an easy 1 mile stroll to the Walker Sisters homestead.
See the NPS blog for more info on the Walker Sister History.
This is a beautiful hike, and you will love it because you get to explore inside the cabin. Arrive early if visiting in summer season to avoid the crowds.
Interior of Walker Sisters Cabin 
Walker Sisters Cabin
Afternoon- Picnic and Play In The River At Metcalf Bottoms
Pack a picnic to enjoy on the grounds of the cabin or return to Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area where you can picnic right next to the Little River.
The river here is fantastic for wading and even tubing in the summer. Also, try to catch tadpoles and crawdads!
Tip: Flush restrooms are are available at Metcalf Bottoms.
Dinner In Townsend, TN- The Best Restaurants
After a great day in the Smokies, enjoy a bite and a brew at one of Townsend’s restaurants that offer outdoor seating.
Peaceful Side Social has a huge outdoor patio to sip your craft beer, watch a game on one their huge TVs, play some cornhole, and enjoy the scenic views. Did we mention it also has terrific food? Order at the counter and they will bring it to your table.
The Townsend Abbey is another great option with riverside dining, cold beverages, and good food. It’s a former wedding chapel which makes it all the more fun. This is one of the only places to eat riverside in Townsend. They often have live music on weekends as well.
For more info and dining options in Townsend, see our Local’s Guide To The Best Restaurants In Townsend.
Happy Trails!
If you’d like to learn more about Townsend, TN and exploring the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, see our blogs:
- Exploring Townsend- A Locals Guide
- Where To Stay In Townsend
- Complete Guide To The Townsend Historical Trail
- 6 Day Great Smoky Mountains Itinerary
- Easy Hiking Trails In The Smokies
Check out our Smokies page to see all of our favorite places in the park we love so much – best hikes, favorite campgrounds, biking Cades Cove, lodging, and more.
Planning A Family Vacation To The Smokies? See Our Local’s Guide To The Smokies
If you want more info about the Tennessee side of the Smokies and especially about our favorite family-friendly trails, check out our 6 Day Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
It lists recommended lodging options as well as camping and activities and restaurants in nearby Townsend, TN.
We give you a detailed, 6 day itinerary that hits the highlights of the park while missing the crowds and introduces you to the Smokies we know and love as locals.
Happy Trails! Enjoy your simply awesome day in the Smokies!
