Those planning a trip to the park can obtain full information in advance by writing or calling Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, phone (423) 436-1200, and specifying your needs.
Another excellent source of information is the Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association (GSMNHA), 115 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 3738, phone (423) 436-7318. This is a nonprofit organization that assists the Park Service in educational and scientific projects. Funded entirely by private contributions and membership dues, it publishes a quarterly park newspaper and a variety of books and brochures, and operates the bookstores at the park's Sugarlands Visitor Center, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, and the Cades Cove Visitor Center.
The GSMNHA also operates the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont inside the park near Townsend. The institute is a conference and environmental educational facility where wilderness programs and activities are presented to school groups and families.
Information on the park is also available at visitor centers in Townsend, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Knoxville in Tennessee as well as in Cherokee and Franklin, North Carolina.