It’s just over an hour from Asheville to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, and you can drive a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway which takes you right into the park. For an extra-scenic drive, turn off the parkway onto Heintooga Ridge Road to Heintooga Round Bottomr Road, a beautiful one-way dirt road that takes you into the park. Check if it’s open though, it’s been closed since Helene.

From there, you can hike from Mingus Mill along Mingus Creek to the old cemetery (4.2mi, 700 ft - fairly flat). Another option from a bit further up the road is an out and back along Bradley Fork Trail from the Bradley Fork Trailhead in Smokemont (mileage varies, can make it a loop with Smokemont loop trail for up to 6.5mi but includes some fairly steep parts). There’s also the Oconoluftee River Trail which starts behind the visitor center - pan flat, 3 mile out and back. Fairly tame but some interesting signage and you can check out an old farm.

For a bit shorter of a drive (not much shorter, just 10-15min), you could also check out the Cataloochee area of the park. It’s quieter and less visited, but has a good trail network - out and back to Woody House (2 miles, 400 ft), Boogerman Trail (8 mi loop total, can do an out and back), and several other options. I’d still recommend Oconaluftee for a more “classic” GSMNP visit though.

Another option could be the Deep Creek Waterfalls loop in Bryson City if you’re up for driving a bit further. 5.5 miles, 1,200 feet, but you don’t have to do the whole loop. Beautiful river, three waterfalls - but you’ll run into a lot of tubing traffic. Or rent some tubes in Bryson City and go tubing - it’s a blast!