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Gatlinburg Trail Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 3,075 Google reviews · Running trail in Gatlinburg, Tennessee · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- 4 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Gatlinburg Trail Trailhead's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Dog-friendly park featuring a wooded 3.8-mi. roundtrip path with river views & a footbridge.
What runners say about Gatlinburg Trail Trailhead
“Calming creek, beautiful nature, picturesque, breathtaking locations.”
“Easy to walk and extremely peaceful walk.”
“This is a fairly easy trail going from the edge of Gatlinburg to the Sugarland Visitor Center.”
“It was the only dog-friendly trail on the Tennessee side of the Smokies, but we were still very satisfied.”
Not as excited as others are on this trail but is one of the few dog friendly ones in the National Park. From Sugarland, you spend the first 0.75 miles going through a parking lot, dodging construction, walking down a road and going behind some maintenance buildings.
This trail is located at the very beginning, before reaching the Great Smoky Mountains Visitor Center, and it connects to downtown Gatlinburg. The trail along the creek is very easy and perfect for walking with a dog.
This was perfect for dog owners that can’t take their dogs on trails in the Smokey Mountain park. It was also perfect for kids and adult kids that want to get into the water and enjoy nature. Plenty of water access areas along the trail.
Easy to walk and extremely peaceful walk. I enjoy the atmosphere every time. Great for pictures taking and dog walking. The water is cold, but you can most definitely walk in and get in the river on certain areas. I have been coming here for a very long time. The best during fall but every time is a good time.
Trail conditions & character
“Not as excited as others are on this trail but is one of the few dog friendly ones in the National Park.”
“Parking info: Parking along the trail on the road leading to the entrance of the park is limited to 15 minutes without parking tag and 2 hours with a tag.”
“Calming creek, beautiful nature, picturesque, breathtaking locations.”
Plan your run at Gatlinburg Trail Trailhead
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- Distance4 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Phone+1 865-436-1200
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Gatlinburg
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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