TOWNSEND, Tenn. — Months after its official opening, Blount County leaders and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park celebrated the Great Smokies Welcome Center.
The welcome center is run by Smokies Life in Townsend. Formerly known as the Great Smoky Mountain Association, it has been providing support to the park since 1953.
While inside, visitors can purchase a parking tag, maps and merchandise. Rather than park rangers, Smokies Life staff inside can answer park questions, provide safety tips and hiking recommendations.
"It's been years since there have been regular ranger programming and hikes and things like that being offered in this park," CEO of Smokies Life Laurel Retamore said. "We could really fill a need by taking over the information desk work and freeing up those rangers for other interactions."
With 13 million visitors in 2023, the Smoky Mountains is the most visited national park in the U.S. On the Townsend side, Caves Cove is an attraction that draws millions each year.
"I remind people that if Cades Cove was its own national park, it would have been in the top 15 National Parks for its visitation in the country," GSMNP Superintendent Cassius Cash said. "So even though it's considered to be the quiet side, there are millions of people that still come to this side of the park."
Previously, Smokies Life operated out of the Townsend Visitor Center. Now, they'll have retail space on the first floor, and meeting and office space on the top floor of welcome center.
Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell said because a third of the county is in the park, a partnership between Townsend, the county and the park is crucial.
"The tourism, the visitors, they generate a lot of revenue for Blount County," Mitchell said. "I think at one point, we were looking at that tourism dollars coming in at about about $66 million."
The Welcome Center is on the east side of Lamar Alexander Parkway. It's open from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. every day except Christmas Day.