Parking Fees for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park doesn't charge an entrance fee — but it does require a paid parking tag for any vehicle parked inside the park for more than 15 minutes. Here's everything you need to know before you arrive.

Why the park charges for parking but not entrance

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States, drawing over 12 million visitors annually. Unlike most major national parks, it has never charged an entrance fee — a condition established by a deed transfer arrangement with the state of Tennessee in 1951 that prohibits tolls or fees at park entrances. That remains true: there is no gate, no entrance booth, and no admission charge to enter the park.

The Park It Forward parking tag system was introduced to address the maintenance and infrastructure costs that come with that volume of visitation. Parking tag revenue stays within the park, funding trail repairs, facility maintenance, trash removal, and staffing. The tag system applies to vehicles parking inside the park — not to visitors entering on foot, by bicycle, or by shuttle.

Where and when a tag is required

A Park It Forward parking tag is required for any vehicle parked inside the national park boundary for longer than 15 minutes. This applies everywhere in the park — visitor center lots, trailheads, scenic overlooks, picnic areas, and campgrounds. There are no exemptions for specific locations. Tags are not location-specific; a tag purchased for one visit works anywhere in the park during its validity period.

Tags are non-transferable — each vehicle must have its own tag. You cannot move a tag from one car to another. If you're traveling in multiple vehicles, each vehicle needs its own tag.

Tag pricing and validity

Park It Forward parking tags are available in three durations:

• One-day tag: $5
• One-week tag: $15
• Annual tag: $40

Pricing applies to all vehicle types. For visitors planning multiple days in the park during a single trip, the one-week tag at $15 is the better value over purchasing individual daily tags. For visitors who return to the Smokies regularly, the $40 annual tag covers an unlimited number of park visits for 12 months from the date of purchase.

How to purchase a tag

Tags can be purchased three ways:

• Online at recreation.gov before your visit — the most convenient option, particularly if you're planning early-morning trailhead arrivals where kiosks may not yet be staffed
• At visitor centers — all four park visitor centers (Sugarlands, Cades Cove, Oconaluftee, and Kuwohi) sell tags
• At automated kiosks near major park entrances and high-traffic trailheads — credit card only; no cash accepted at kiosks

Display the tag on your dashboard where it's visible through the windshield. Digital tags purchased at recreation.gov can be displayed on a phone screen or printed.

What a tag does and doesn't guarantee

A Park It Forward tag permits you to park inside the national park — it does not reserve a specific space or guarantee availability. On peak summer and fall foliage weekends, popular trailhead lots fill before 9 AM and may not reopen until afternoon departures create space. The tag is a requirement, not a reservation. To maximize your chances of finding parking at a specific trailhead: arrive before 9 AM, or plan to arrive after 3 PM when afternoon turnover typically begins.

Parking without a valid tag displayed risks a warning citation or vehicle tow. Rangers enforce the requirement at all park parking areas.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a tag if I'm just driving through the park?

No — a tag is only required if you park inside the park for more than 15 minutes. Driving through on Newfound Gap Road (US-441) or another park road without stopping requires no tag. The requirement triggers when you park and leave your vehicle.

Is there a timed-entry reservation system?

No — Great Smoky Mountains National Park does not currently operate a timed-entry reservation system. You can enter the park at any time without a reservation. The Park It Forward tag is a parking permit, not a timed-entry ticket. Some other national parks (Yosemite, Arches) use timed-entry systems; the Smokies does not.

Does an America the Beautiful pass cover the parking fee?

No — the America the Beautiful annual pass (Interagency Annual Pass) covers entrance fees at national parks but does not cover the Park It Forward parking tag at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, because the park charges no entrance fee. The parking tag is a separate, park-specific requirement that the interagency pass does not waive. You still need a Park It Forward tag regardless of pass status.