Stargazing in the Smokies

Best places to take in celestial wonders in the Smoky Mountains

I don’t know that we can fully comprehend the beauty that exists in, above, and below the Smoky Mountains. From the wonders of the cave formations below the mountains, to the natural beauty of the deep greens of summer, the cornucopia of color in the fall, the view of the high mountains from a clear valley, or the majesty of the world below from the peak of Kuwohi. The beauty of the Smokies is really almost beyond comprehension and certainly beyond description.

And that’s before you take into account the night sky. If you have a chance to go stargazing in the mountains, when the world is dark, and the coyotes are howling in the distance, you will begin to get an inkling of what the word wonder really means. 

The bright shining stars of the constellations, the distant faint clusters of stars or nebulas or the occasional shooting star, the mountains on a clear, dark night offer a better light show than any fireworks devised in the mind of man.

You’ve got to work a little bit to find it. The forests of the mountains make it so you need a nice clearing to have full access to the broad and beautiful night sky. But – it turns out – the Smoky Mountains are one of the premier stargazing sites in the Smokies.

Great places to go stargazing

The Cades Cove parking lot

The right combination of easy accessibility and deep location within the park. Sure, the loop road closes at dark. But you can park right by the gate and have a perfect view of the night sky. And while you can’t drive the loop at night, you can walk past the gate and into the Cove if you want. I, personally, wouldn’t go too far. The loop road is 11 miles after all. But a short trek into the park and you’ll have amazing views.

On our most recent trip, I had planned a short hike out to get a fuller view of the sky. But my inability to get the telescope to work properly and the howling coyotes made our bunch more comfortable staying in the parking lot. That said, the stargazing there was exceptionally good. If you were brave enough to take a small hike out in the cove, bring flashlights and don’t stray off the path too much. 

Kuwohi

This view could probably be rated No. 1. However, the road to Kuwohi closes during the winter months, leaving availability something of an issue, depending on where you’re going. Technically, you could hike up the road to the mountain, but it’s several miles long and very steep. I’d rather just go to the Cove. What Kuwohi does offer is the highest views in the park. The observation point closes at dusk. But from the parking lot, you can still get amazing views, including the Milky Way with your naked eye and also multiple constellations. It’s a great spot to see shooting stats. Just really, one of the best accessible views in the world. 

Fontana Dam/Fontana Lake

Again, very easy to get to from Bryson City, North Carolina and you don’t have to do a lot of hiking. Sure, if you’re on the Tennessee side, Cherokee and Douglas are closer, but they’re closer to light pollution, too. Fontana is up in the deep forest and offers you the chance to commune with the night sky in ways that other TVA lakes don’t.

Newfound Gap Trailhead

Located right at the intersection of Kuwohi Road and Newfound Gap, this location has a parking lot with access to the Appalachian Trail – please do not go exploring the AT at night on a whim. Also found here is the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial, where FDR stood in 1940 to dedicate the park. What better place to gaze up at the stars than where so much national park history intersects? Also, since the state line runs right through, you can stargaze from two states. 

Tips for stargazing

1. Don’t just stop on the edge of town

If you really want to get a true view of the night sky, don’t just settle for a place on the edge of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, or Cherokee. You’ve got to get out away from the lights of town a little bit more than that. 

2. Get away from the trees

You need to look for spots where your view of the sky won’t be obstructed by the forest. The edges of lakes, mountain balds, scenic overlooks, or wide valleys like Cades Cove are your best options for seeing the sky.

3. Instruments can help but aren’t necessary

If you have a clear view of the night sky, especially on nights when the moon isn’t at its brightest, you’re going to be able to see quite a show with the naked eye. Certainly, a good set of binoculars is going to help, as would a telescope, but those items aren’t necessary to get spectacular views. If you are going to take a telescope, make sure you know how to operate it. The last thing you want to be doing in the beauty of the mountains is messing around in the dark trying to get the various mechanics of your telescope to align properly. 

4. Be prepared to be a little spooked

Just driving through the mountains at night can be a little eerie. Driving up one of those mountain tunnels at night feels like a setup. And all those trees illuminated only by your headlights can help your imagination to wander. If you find a spot out in the mountains alone, the howling of the coyotes is beautiful but can also set a spooky mood. Then, when a twig snaps in the woods behind you, you’ll immediately conjure images of a bear, even if it’s probably only a possum or raccoon. Still, if you’re going to be in the park at night, even if you’re right by the road and your car, good flashlights are not a bad idea. 

5. Download an app

There are a number of good apps available for free that you can point at the sky and give a firmer understanding of what you’re looking at. For $2.99, I bought SkyView – which worked in the park without a regular signal as we were on a satellite connection. It really enhanced the viewing experience. It also stopped me from having to guess which constellations were which and whether that was actually Saturn or an outbound jet from McGhee Tyson airport. 

Are you a stargazer? What are your best tips? Let us know in the comments and on the socials!