When is the Best Time of Year to Stay at Smoky Mountain Cabin Rentals TN?

July 26, 2016

Unlike other vacation destinations, Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains see millions of visitors all year round. There is no single “best time of year” to take a getaway in the Smokies, because each season has something special to offer, depending on your interests. To help you figure out when to book one of our Smoky Mountain cabin rentals TN, consider the following questions as you plan your trip:

When is the weather most comfortable in the Smoky Mountains?

Of course, everyone has their own idea about what type of weather is the most comfortable. If you plan on visiting Dollywood’s Splash Country our staying at one of our Smoky Mountain cabins with swimming pool access, we suggest booking your vacation in July or August. For avid hikers, May and October are wonderful times to explore the national park because the weather is warm without being too hot. For your convenience, we have put together a chart with Gatlinburg’s average monthly highs and lows:

Month	Average High °F	Average Low °F
January	51	28
February	54	29
March	61	34
April	71	42
May	79	50
June	86	58
July	88	59
August	87	60
September	83	55
October	73	43
November	61	33
December	52	28

When can you see wildflowers in the Smoky Mountains?

Closeup of a painted trillium wildflower.

The Smokies are sometimes called “Wildflower National Park”, and with 1,500 types of flowers in the area, it’s easy to see why! You can see wildflowers throughout the year in the national park, but spring is definitely the peak season to catch the beautiful blooms. Here is a quick look at some of the flowers you can expect to see during the spring months:

April – Violets, Yellow Mandarin, Wild Ginger, White Trillium, Dutchman’s Britches

May – Painted Trillium, Lady’s Slippers, Umbrella Leaf, Showy Orchid, Blue Cohosh

June – Indian Pink, Speckled Wood Lily, Goat’s Beard, Yellow Star Grass, Sundrops

When are the fall colors in the Smoky Mountains at their peak?

The Smokies have some of the most incredible fall colors in the country. There is nothing better than sitting on the deck of one of our Smoky Mountain cabin rentals TN and admiring the majestic reds, yellows, and oranges all around you.

The best time to see the autumn foliage in the lower elevations of the mountains is usually during the last two weeks of October and the first week of November. This period is ideal for a drive through Cades Cove or Wears Valley. However, if you come earlier in the season, around late September or the beginning of October, you can see the colors change in the highest elevations of the Smokies. The early fall is a wonderful time to visit Clingmans Dome for panoramic views of the fall leaves in the mountains.

When are you most likely to see snow in the Smoky Mountains?

Whether you love it when it snows in the Smokies or hate it, you should know when to expect some wintry precipitation! In February, the average monthly snowfall in Gatlinburg is 2.9” and in January the average is 2.3”. Sometimes there is also very light snow in late November or December, but this rarely results in significant accumulation.

The Smoky Mountains covered in snow.

If you’re planning on doing some skiing or snowboarding during your winter vacation, you can enjoy the slopes at the Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort from around mid-December through early March. Ober has some awesome snow machines, so there is always enough fresh powder to cover the trails.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to visit the Smokies throughout the year! To start planning your next trip, browse our complete selection of Smoky Mountain cabin rentals TN.