Local companies to offer GSMNP shuttle services
By Rachel Totten
Published March 26, 2023; 7:18 p.m.

In response to Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s new parking tag initiative, companies in the area are stepping up to provide shuttle services for park visitors.

The “Park it Forward” program, which went into effect March 1, requires visitors to purchase and display a valid tag for all vehicles parking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park for more than 15 minutes.

GSMNP Superintendent Cassius Cash said the shuttle services will enable visitors to access some of the Park’s most popular destinations, including Alum Cave Trail, Laurel Falls Trail, Chimney Tops Trail, Trillium Gap Trail, Rainbow Falls Trail and Clingmans Dome.

“We are committed to developing innovative solutions to improve visitor access and experience while protecting this national treasure,” Cash said in a press release. “Having a shuttle option is a stress-free way for visitors to experience some of the Park's most iconic destinations.”

Great Smoky Mountain Eco Tours is one of the six companies that’s expanding their offerings to provide daily pickup and drop-off shuttle services throughout America’s most visited national park.

Based in Dandridge, Great Smoky Mountain Eco Tours has offered commercial-use-authorized guided tours and scenic drives throughout the national park since 2020. However, Michael S. Grasso Jr., the company’s owner, said Eco Tours has seen an uptick in shuttle service requests since the launch of the Park it Forward program earlier this month.

As a result, the company has chosen to work with park officials to ensure that high-quality shuttles are available so that visitors can experience a safe and stress-free visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Eco Tours is now in the process of developing a schedule for bulk shuttle services to and from the Park’s most frequented trailheads. This service will run on certain days of the week from March through December.

While the task has presented some challenges, such as securing a staging area for parked vehicles outside the Park, Grasso said the company is hoping to begin implementing the service “as soon as possible.”

“We are driven to create a product that will be organized, safe, environmentally-minded and budget-friendly, and the 2023 season will serve as research and development to help us achieve this goal,” he said, noting that the scheduled routes will likely cost $25 to $35 per person for a round-trip shuttle into and out of the Park. “It’s still very early on, and as these services evolve, rates will balance out and services will be refined to meet the needs of the visiting public.”

With a fleet of Ford Transits that can transport up to 13 passengers at a time, Grasso added that the shuttle service will provide a means of improving visitor access to GSMNP, while also helping the environment.

“Each time one of our (Ford) Transits enters the Park with four to 13 guests, we are removing two to six cars from the congested roads and parking lots,” he explained. “We are truly looking forward to the future and the opportunity to help create services that will allow guests to access this natural wonder in a way that is convenient, affordable and environmentally-minded.”

In addition to Great Smoky Mountains Eco Tours, visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park can utilize shuttle services offered by AAA Hiker Shuttle, A Walk in the Woods, Bryson City Outdoors, Rocky Top Tours and Smoky Mountain Rides.

Annual parking tags can be purchased online for $40. Daily tags are also available for $5, as are weekly tags for $15. All parking tag proceeds will go toward protecting the Park and enhancing the visitor experience.