Sugarland Visitor Center on the Tennessee side on Great Smoky Mountain National Park was crowded…read morewith visitors during my visit. The parking lot was full at 9:30 in the morning! The Center offers a nice exhibit of animals and plants that can be seen in the park. Rangers are available to help answer questions and help design Park itineraries for visitors. The Center is a perfect place to pick up maps and other Park info. We bought parking passes and I picked up several cool walking sticks in the gift shop to give as gifts. Prices on some items were reasonable. The staff were super friendly despite the crowds. There are rest rooms available...the last real restrooms before entering the Park. Outside, are little "gardens" featuring native Park vegetation. Addition parking is being added. Every visitor to the Park should plan a stop at the Center. Plan 30 minutes to an hour.

A nice stop along the way into the National Park. Parking is a bit tough because it seems to…read morealways be busy. The museum inside is worth a look. The gift shop is really nice and has a large variety of things for purchase.

Oconaluftee Visitor Center is a must-stop during your roadtrip through the beautiful Great Smoky…read moreMountains. There's plenty of parking, clean restrooms, an indoor museum with a gift shop, the Mountain Farm Museum, hiking trails, and a large pasture where you might have the opportunity to see elk. We had a quick stop over so we didn't get to explore too much of the area, especially because we had our dog with us and it was quite a hot day. The indoor museum was curated well and was informative on the life in the Appalachians. The gift shop was nice, well stocked, and had plenty of options. I always buy something from National Park centers as a donation. I bought a sticker, a patch, and a magnet. They also have stamps for your National Park Passports, too!

We were travelling through North Carolina on our way out to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and decided…read moreto stop at the visitor center for this area as there seems to be a lot of things going on. Having already passed through the fields where elk were grazing and causing all kinds of traffic hazards from people stopping on the side of the road to look. The visitor center is solid, and introduces travelers to all of the things available to do in the area. High focus on hiking, obviously, as the area is an outdoors wonderland. We were just there for a short time, but we got the idea and it seemed like they were doing a good job. Be aware that if you are going to park there for an extended period of time they do require you to pay for parking... if you are just there for fifteen minutes or so like we were, there is no charge.

Very friendly, very clean, and very helpful visitor center. I wandered in with no idea what to do…read moreduring my weekend visit to the area. I left with several ideas plus some great tips on some nearby hiking spots. Fantastic experience.

I stopped here back in September , on my visit to see my sister who lives in Maggie Valley . It is…read morea very nice visitor center with lots and lots of brochures of things to do in the area . It has some items to buy also like shirts and stickers . I bought 2 car window stickers . The people working the place were nice . I liked the decorations outside and inside also .

We stopped at the Spur Welcome Center during our Smoky Mountain vacation and were impressed by how…read moremodern and updated the facility feels. The staff were friendly and helpful, and there were plenty of maps, brochures, coupons for local attractions, and souvenirs to browse while we planned our adventures. The location is one of its biggest advantages. Compared to the smaller downtown visitor center, I much prefer this one because it's easier to get in and out of, has ample parking, and feels less hectic than navigating the busy Parkway area. It's a convenient stop whether you're heading into Gatlinburg or the national park. One thing to note is the new park parking policy: if you park for more than 15 minutes inside the Smokies, you'll need to purchase a parking tag. I was initially a little frustrated by that, but I understand the need to help support park operations and visitor services. Later, I learned the parking tag revenue goes to the federal government (currently being used on DC projects) rather than staying at this specific visitor center or within the local community, which was disappointing to me personally. Overall, this is a clean, welcoming, and well-organized visitor center that makes a great first stop before exploring the Smokies.

The Gatlinburg Welcome Center is a good stop for local information and Great Smoky Mountains…read moreNational Park updates. We made several visits to the center to pick up maps, parking passes, shirts, post cards and gifts. The staff is super friendly, helpful and will answer questions. Prices are reasonable. They carry hiking and Park guides. I highly recommend picking up maps because internet connectivity is rarely available in the Park. Free maps are available and specialty guides are only $1. Restrooms are available at the Center. There is limited parking and a larger lot up the hill. We always found parking no matter what time of day that we visited. The Center is also a stop and provides parking to ride the free trolly that goes to Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg.

Great visitor center! Super cool three dimensional 'map' that shows the whole park and topological…read morefeatures. Also the trails are on this map, so you can figure out how much uphill will be required. Friendly knowledgeable Park rangers. Always get good advice from the rangers. Lots of parking. Restrooms. Small museum. Big Field out back. Lucky enough to see herd of elk (pictured). Easy flat River trail starts here and about 3 miles out and back if you do the whole thing. Trail crosses under blue ridge parkway. Pics of the trail, people bridge, information sign, herd of elk enclosed. Here is a great afternoon! Start with lunch at wise guyz pizza (see separate review). After lunch cross the river on the people bridge. Turn right and short distance starts the River trail. Walk to the visitor center, chat with the rangers, check out the museum. Then walk back to wise guyz and your parked car. Good lunch and decent hike, doesn't get much better than that. Enjoy!

Visited on a Sunday afternoon so it was pretty busy. Parking lot was pretty full but we only had to…read morecircle once to find a spot. Restrooms are located right off the parking lot. The Rangers inside the visitor center are very helpful. They also have quite a few passport stamps available inside at the ranger desk. There's a small museum inside. There's also a nice outdoor patio with chairs you can sit in to take in the view. While we were there a small herd of elk passed through, and it was fun to watch from afar. The Farmhouse Museum located behind the visitor center was really fun to walk through. There are many chickens walking around the area, as well as a hog pen. There's also a trail beyond the hog pen that allows you to walk down by the creek. This was a fun stop! Would highly recommend!

Lots of information on things to do in the area. The lady working was helping a gal and her two…read moreelderly friends, so I just looked around. There was a phone outside in case you need to call to make a reservation which is nice. Even in 2021, it is rare to find a place with a phone for customers. The lady working was so very patient and kind to the 3 that she was talking to. I can not stress enough how much information was available here. Seriously. I am sure if I had any actual questions, I would have been able to find the answers here.

Open on Easter was a plus! Lots of info and the host was extremely knowledgeable. She gave info on…read moreAnna Ruby Falls. Clean bathrooms and parking available.

We stop here whenever we have time to or from Gatlinburg. It has clean restrooms and friendly…read morestaff. It's by the river, and time permitting, you can sit in one of their rockers and relax. They have rockers inside too, with coffee for visitors. If you need maps or information, they have plenty to share. Today (7/23/23) Charisse showed me their trophy for winning best haunted house last year. It's is a heavy spirit, handmade by a Cherokee resident. His bobbing head and earrings make him come to life. If Stephen King sees him, he might write a story about him! I told Charisse he needs a good Native American name.

This is a wonderful place to reconnect with yourself. The loving staff takes great care of…read morevisitors, making sure they are comfortable and welcomed, but not smothered. It is not a posh place, tastefully rustic and seemingly frugal, but with all the needed comforts. There's always hot tea and coffee. The rooms are clean and comfy. the meeting spaces are varied to accommodate different activities and and group sizes. They have incorporated a lot of accessibility for people with disabilities. It's still a mountain with ups and downs, but they'vs created as many accessible routes as feasible. They are a Unitarian Universalist connected retreat center, but people of all peaceful and well-meaning faiths are welcome. I have stayed there about 8 weekends over about a dozen years, and have always come away with renewed spirit. It is usually occupied by pre-booked groups, but they often can accommodate individuals - it's worth a call, anyway! The Mountain is a true jewel!