The Great Smoky Mountains National Park draws in millions of visitors each year. Some guests are expert outdoorsmen who know exactly how to tackle exploring the park. For others who are bit less confident in their skills of navigating the Smokies, Gatlinburg’s special events department will be offering free guided tours of the mountains and downtown through May. Led by experts, guests of these walks will learn about wildlife habitats and area history while viewing some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country.

(See Also: Take a Walk on the Wild Side at Week-Long Wildflower Event)

Naturalist Tours

To see the spectacular colors of spring in the Great Smoky Mountains, those who participate in Naturalist Tours with Jamie Matzko will get more than a simple tour of a popular hiking trail. She’ll spend an hour and a half taking park visitors through different habitats only found in the Smokies while teaching simple birding and wildflower ID techniques. Each tour begins at the Sugarlands Visitor Center

April 14 3:00pm

April 21 3:00pm

Downtown Tours

Not only can you enjoy time out in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you can also take tours of downtown Gatlinburg. This two hour tour takes you through an interesting walk starting at the Gatlinburg Welcome Center at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, but it does require advanced registration.

May 2 2:00pm

May 9 2:00pm

May 16 2:00pm

May 23 2:00pm

May 30 2:00pm

Bird Walks

For those interested in our Smoky Mountain feathered friends, former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Biologist Keith Watson will lead three morning bird tours of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This free event is open to all levels of birding experience. Watson’s groups will learn how to identify birds by their songs and visual aids during the peak of songbird migration season. You can RSVP for any of the walks by calling Jennie at (865) 436-0505.

May 6 8:30am, Sugarlands Visitor Center

May 13 9:00am, Newfound Gap

May 20 8:30am, Rainbow Falls Trailhead

If you want to enjoy the Great Smoky Mountains from your own back porch, call Diamond Mountain Rentals today at (888) 430-4060 to reserve one of our Gatlinburg cabins, overlooking the National Park and other spectacular outdoor views. See you in the Smokies!

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