Loading park…
Great Smoky Mountains · December
December is a good time to visit Great Smoky Mountains — quieter than November, about as busy as January.
Expect moderate crowds (4/10), highs near 52°F, about 9.8 hours of daylight, and 3 seasonal closures in effect.
Crowd score
A comfortable middle ground: some company on popular trails, but no gridlock.
About 36% of this park's busiest month.
Source: NPS Visitor Use Statistics, 2023–2025
Data: NPS visitation 2023–2025 · crowd scores computed Jul 2026 · alerts checked Jul 10, 2026. How this is calculated →
Computed from federal data · Methodology by Sharon Ben-Moshe
Visitation
December draws about 5% of Great Smoky Mountains’s yearly visitors.
Typical monthly recreation visits, averaged over the most recent three full years.
Source: NPS Visitor Use Statistics, 2023–2025
Weather
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Gatlinburg
What's open
Open 24 hours year-round; some secondary roads close seasonally
Seasonal closures may apply:
Straight Fork and the one-way section of Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga Round-Bottom Road) are closed.
Details on nps.gov →Cades Cove Loop Road is closed to motor vehicles every Wednesday through September 30. This allows pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy the cove without the presence of vehicles on the roadway.
Details on nps.gov →Park Headquarters Road is closed due to rehabilitation work on the Sugarlands water and wastewater systems.
Source: NPS Data API
Conditions
All vehicles parking for longer than 15 minutes require a parking tag. Three tag durations are available for purchase for all vehicle sizes and types: Daily ($5), Weekly ($15), or Annual ($40).
Details on nps.gov →Straight Fork and the one-way section of Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga Round-Bottom Road) are closed.
Details on nps.gov →Cades Cove Loop Road is closed to motor vehicles every Wednesday through September 30. This allows pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy the cove without the presence of vehicles on the roadway.
Details on nps.gov →Park Headquarters Road is closed due to rehabilitation work on the Sugarlands water and wastewater systems.
Source: NPS Data API
Context
Alternatives
FAQ
December rates 4/10 for crowds (Moderate) at Great Smoky Mountains National Park — about 36% of its busiest month. Typical recreation visits: 590,510.
In December, Great Smoky Mountains averages a high of 52°F and a low of 30°F, with about 4.9 inches of precipitation.
Entry to Great Smoky Mountains is free.
Great Smoky Mountains is quietest in January and February. If your dates are flexible, those months bring the thinnest crowds of the year.
In mid-December, Great Smoky Mountains gets about 9.8 hours of daylight, with sunrise around 6:36 AM and sunset around 4:22 PM.