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Layered blue ridgelines of the Great Smoky Mountains fading into haze, with dark spruce in the foreground

Great Smoky Mountains National Park · Park it Forward

Smokies parking tag: $5, $15 or $40.

Entry to the park is free. Parking is not. Tell the calculator how you'll use the park and it picks the cheapest tag for every car in your group.

Which tag do I need?

Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Short answer

Great Smoky Mountains National Park charges no entrance fee, but every vehicle parked in the park for longer than 15 minutes needs a parking tag: $5 daily, $15 weekly or $40 annual. Driving through without parking needs no tag. The tag must be a physical tag for that vehicle; an America the Beautiful pass does not replace it.

NPS fees page updated Oct 8, 2026
$5daily tag, good for one vehicle.
$15weekly tag, expires seven days from purchase.
$40annual tag, displayed on the windshield.
15minutes of parking allowed before a tag is required.

Interactive

Which tag is cheapest for you?

Count the days you'll actually park inside the park, such as at trailheads, overlooks over 15 minutes, Cades Cove or the visitor centers. Days spent only in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge don't count.

Parking tag calculatorNPS prices: $5 daily · $15 weekly · $40 annual

3 daily tags

$15Cheapest total for your pattern

Per car: $15 a trip with daily tags, versus $40 for one annual tag.

    Each tag covers one vehicle and must be displayed as a physical tag. Weekly tags expire at 11:59 p.m. ET, seven days from the purchase date. Prices from NPS, page updated Oct 8, 2026.

    Derived from NPS prices

    The break-even math

    If you park in the park on...Daily tagsWeekly tagsCheapest
    1 day$5$15Daily
    3 days in one week$15$15Either
    4 to 7 days in one week$20 to $35$15Weekly
    8 separate days in a year$40variesDaily or annual (tie at $40)
    9 or more separate days in a year$45+variesAnnual
    3 separate weeklong trips$45Annual

    Derived from the NPS prices. Each car needs its own tag.

    Where to buy

    Get the tag before the trailhead.

    OnlineRecreation.gov

    Daily and weekly tags. You must print the tag; digital copies are not accepted.

    Online, annualSmokies Life

    Annual tags are sold online through Smokies Life, which can ship them.

    In personVisitor and welcome centers

    Including Gatlinburg, Townsend, Cherokee, Bryson City, Robbinsville and Lake Junaluska.

    RetailGreenbrier Grocery, REI

    REI Pigeon Forge sells all tags. Other REI stores sell annual tags only.

    Machines13, open 24/7

    Card only, no tap-to-pay. NPS notes most trailheads don't have a machine.

    DisplayDash or windshield

    Daily and weekly: face-up on the lower passenger-side dashboard. Annual: lower passenger-side windshield.

    Morning fog lifting off a forested ridge above a wildflower meadow in the Great Smoky Mountains

    Free days

    The days no tag is needed.

    NPS honors the national fee-free days. Remaining in 2026: Tue, Oct 27 and Wed, Nov 11.

    Every 2026 date: Mon, Feb 16, Mon, May 25, Sun, Jun 14, Fri, Jul 3, Sat, Jul 4, Sun, Jul 5, Tue, Aug 25, Thu, Sep 17, Tue, Oct 27, Wed, Nov 11.

    Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

    Where you'll park

    Places that need a tag.

    Cades Cove
    Tag needed to stopCades CoveThe 11-mile loop. Parking along it counts.
    Kuwohi
    Seasonal roadKuwohiThe road to the parking area is open April to November.
    Fall color drives
    OverlooksFall color drivesShort overlook stops under 15 minutes need no tag.
    Gatlinburg
    Town lotsGatlinburgCity parking is separate from the NPS tag.

    Plan more

    Questions

    How much is a Smoky Mountains parking tag?
    $5 for a daily tag, $15 for a weekly tag and $40 for an annual tag, per the National Park Service (fees page updated Oct 8, 2026).
    Do I need a parking tag to drive through the Smokies?
    No. NPS says tags are not required for motorists who pass through or park for less than 15 minutes. Any vehicle parked longer than 15 minutes needs one.
    Can I use my America the Beautiful pass instead of a parking tag?
    No. The parking tag is a separate requirement, and it must be a physical tag displayed in the vehicle. Digital copies are not accepted.
    Can I share one parking tag between two cars?
    No. Each tag is valid for a single vehicle, shows that vehicle's license plate, and is not transferable, refundable or upgradable.
    When does a weekly parking tag expire?
    NPS says weekly tags expire at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, seven days from the date of purchase. Tags bought online expire at 11:59 p.m. on the date printed on the tag.
    Where can I buy a Smokies parking tag?
    Daily and weekly tags online at Recreation.gov (print them) or at park visitor centers, some welcome centers, Greenbrier Grocery, REI Pigeon Forge and 24-hour card-only machines. Annual tags online from Smokies Life, at visitor centers and at REI stores.
    Are there free days without a parking tag?
    Yes. NPS honors the national fee-free days. The 2026 dates are Mon, Feb 16, Mon, May 25, Sun, Jun 14, Fri, Jul 3, Sat, Jul 4, Sun, Jul 5, Tue, Aug 25, Thu, Sep 17, Tue, Oct 27, Wed, Nov 11.

    Sources

    1. NPS: Fees and passes, parking tags (updated Oct 8, 2026)
    2. NPS: Frequently asked questions (updated Sep 28, 2026)
    3. NPS: 2023 fee program changes (pass-through rule)
    4. Recreation.gov (daily and weekly tags, search "Great Smoky Mountains")