Scout the black bear welcoming visitors to the Smokies
Smokies Sidekick
LOCAL GUIDE
YOUR GUIDE TO GATLINBURG · PIGEON FORGE · THE SMOKIES

Your Smokies.
Your adventure.

Places to eat, things to do,
and somewhere great to stay.

Gatlinburg · 3-day forecastNWS ↗
Today—Rain —
Tomorrow—Rain —
Day 3—Rain —

Ask ScoutTell Scout what you’re looking for around the Smokies
Trolley routesGatlinburg rides · routes, stops & hours
Places to StayHotels, resorts, cabins & campgrounds
Scout’s Visitor GuidesRainy days, scenic drives, travel tips & day plans
Take Scout offlineDownload before you go · browse without signal

How to use the app offline

  1. Before your trip: connect to Wi-Fi or mobile data. Save any places and plans you want to take with you.
  2. Download: choose an area below and tap Download trip. Keep the app open until you see Trip downloaded.
  3. When you have no signal: open this same Smokies Sidekick app or browser on this phone. Browse the directory, open venue descriptions, read visitor guides, and view your saved places and plans as usual. There is no separate trip file to open.
  4. Test before leaving: turn on airplane mode and turn Wi-Fi off, close and reopen the app, then open a venue, guide, and saved plan.

Available offline: the app, curated directory descriptions, visitor guides, illustrations, and locally saved places and plans.

Internet required: live Google photos and ratings, maps and directions, booking websites, external links, and updated weather. A saved forecast is dated information; check current trail and road conditions when connected.

The full app directory remains visible offline. Your selected area is recorded in the download summary. Download again after saving new plans or before your next trip. Downloads stay on this device and browser; clearing site data or low storage can remove them. Export saved pack is an optional data backup—you do not need it to browse offline.

20 guides for your Smokies tripLocal tips & day plans · available offline after download

Scout’s Picks

Directory target: up to 200 venues per category. Online ranking uses Google Maps ratings and review counts when available; until connected, the list uses alphabetical order. Base directory sources were checked September 30, 2026; selected descriptions and visitor guides were reviewed October 4, 2026. Source listings indicate current activity; opening hours and temporary closures need checking with each business.

Plan your Smokies day

SCOUT’S PLANNER

Choose an area, time, and interests. Scout builds a shareable draft using estimated visit lengths and simple buffers; travel time, opening hours, traffic, and trail conditions are not verified.

What sounds good?
Your draft itinerary will appear here. You can edit the stops by saving places from the directory.

Time blocks are planning estimates. This draft does not check current business hours, traffic, ticket availability, or road conditions. Confirm details and directions before you go.

Explore the area

Switch towns, then tap a pin to preview a place.

Free Gatlinburg Trolley · routes, stops & hours
OpenStreetMap · actual town centers and mapped NPS access points · map tiles need internet
Dining & historyOutdoorsShopping
GATLINBURG TRANSIT

Ride the Gatlinburg Trolley

Free city routes connect downtown, East Gatlinburg, the Welcome Center and the Arts & Crafts Community.

FREE
NO FARE
Fare$0 · no ticket needed
BoardingUse a signed trolley stop
Transfer hubMass Transit Center at Ripley’s Aquarium

Hours of operation

May 1 – October 318:30 AM – midnightRegular system schedule
November 1 – April 3010:30 AM – 10:00 PMWinter system schedule
Yellow Route seasonal hoursApril–October: daily · November–December: Monday–Saturday · 10:30 AM–6:00 PM

Hours can vary by route, special events and service changes. Check the live locator before you ride.

Routes & pickup areas

Board at any designated stop along the route. These are route corridors and major pickup areas; the live locator shows each current stop pin.

RED

Red Route Downtown · River Road · south and east Gatlinburg

  1. Mass Transit Center at Ripley’s Aquarium
  2. River Road and a short section of Ski Mountain Road
  3. Parkway between Traffic Lights 10 and 8
  4. Airport Road area and Park Vista Hotel
  5. Cherokee Orchard Road area; returns to Parkway near Traffic Light 6
PURPLE

Purple Route Welcome Center · Westgate · downtown Parkway

  1. Gatlinburg Welcome Center Park & Ride, 1011 Banner Road
  2. Westgate Resorts
  3. Parkway between Traffic Lights 1 and 5
  4. Mass Transit Center at Ripley’s Aquarium
BLUE

Blue Route East Gatlinburg · U.S. 321 / East Parkway

  1. East Gatlinburg along U.S. Highway 321
  2. Parkway between Traffic Lights 3 and 5
  3. Mass Transit Center at Ripley’s Aquarium
YELLOW

Yellow Route Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community

  1. Mass Transit Center at Ripley’s Aquarium
  2. Glades and Buckhorn Roads through the Arts & Crafts Community
  3. Marked stops along the community loop; return to the transit center

Detailed route map & live stops

Open the City’s 2026 street map for route lines and stop markers. The live map shows vehicle locations, every stop and arrival estimates.

Open official 2026 route map (PDF)Live trolley map & stop times

For the closest stop, choose your route in the locator and follow the marked Street Trolley signs. The Welcome Center Park & Ride lot is free.

Park & RideGatlinburg Welcome Center · 1011 Banner Road · free parking · Purple Route
Accessibility & helpCity vehicles are ADA-equipped. Trolley information: 865-436-3897 · toll-free / TRS: 1-800-848-0298

Schedules and route service may change for events or disruptions. Gatlinburg Trolley information ↗ · Accessibility & policies ↗

Places to stay

Browse a short list of lodging options by area. Check current rates, availability, fees and policies with each provider.

10 stays
Search more stays on Expedia ↗

Listings are a starting point, not a ranking. Check location, total price, cancellation terms and current availability before booking.

Getting around & checking conditions

Open official town trolley tools for their current stop and arrival information.

Gatlinburg Trolley app ↗Pigeon Forge Transit app ↗NPS road & trail closures ↗

Scout’s Deals & updates

NO LIVE OFFERS

Smokies Sidekick is not monitoring business promotions yet. We’ll show an offer here only after its source, dates, and terms are verified.

Local event calendars

Check the official calendars for current dates; event listings are not synced into the app yet.

Gatlinburg events ↗Pigeon Forge events ↗
Scout Alerts

This saves your interest on this device. It does not send push notifications yet.

I’m interested in future offer alerts
No verified offers to show yet

For current promotions, check the business’s official website or social page before you visit.

Your saved places

Tap the bookmark on a place to keep it here while you plan.

Your saved day plans

Ask Scout

Searches this guide’s listings and official links.

Try a question above, or ask Scout to find dining, attractions, shopping, outdoor places, or trails.

Scout searches the saved guide data; it does not verify live hours, traffic, weather, or deals.

Install Smokies Sidekick

Tip: If you opened the link inside another app, first open it in Chrome on Android or Safari on iPhone/iPad.