Planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains this summer? Kidding Around’s Kristina Hernandez spent a few summer days in the Smoky Mountains and visited the Townsend Wye swimming hole. This swimming hole is FREE and perfect for families. You’ll want to add this one to your vacation things to do if you’re headed up to the Smoky Mountains!
Townsend Wye Quick Facts
- 📍 Location: Junction of Laurel Creek Road & Little River Road, Townsend, TN 37882 — at the Townsend entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, between Cades Cove and Gatlinburg.
- 🏞️ What it is: A free, natural swimming hole on the Little River with a jump-off rock, gentle rapids for tubing, calm pools, and a grassy hill for picnicking.
- 🎟️ Cost: No entrance fee to the park. A parking tag is required for parking longer than 15 minutes: $5 daily, $15 weekly, or $40 annually.
- 👨👩👧👦 Best for: Families who want to swim, tube, wade, and picnic on a hot summer day.
- 🌞 Best season: Summer and warm-weather months.
- 🚗 Distance: About 45 minutes from Gatlinburg; a little over three hours from Greenville, SC.
- ⚠️ Safety: No lifeguards, and water levels can rise quickly. Closely supervise kids, use life jackets for weak swimmers, and don’t dive.
Imagine a super hot summer day in the mountains. The heat is blistering. The humidity has made your clothes stick to your body. There is nothing you’d like better than a dip in cool, mountain water, and maybe a chance to chill out in a tube down small rapids.
We’ve got just the place. If you’re headed out to the Great Smoky Mountains or just want an awesome day trip, the Townsend Wye swimming hole is the most perfect place to enjoy a hot day. And it’s free!
Townsend Wye
The Townsend Wye, locally known as just the Y, is a huge swimming hole with a jump-off rock, small rapids, a few large pools, and enough space to spread out a picnic blanket and make summer memories with your family.
We brought along tubes and my oldest floated down the easy rapids several times, enjoying the thrill of a natural waterpark, perfect for her level of comfort (and mine). Several people were jumping off a big rock into the refreshing water, and I swam out into one of the deeper holes to cool off. It felt divine.
There is a small parking lot, and when that is full, you can easily park your car in the pull-offs nearby. There is a sidewalk to get to the little paths to walk down to the swimming hole as well as a huge grassy hill that overlooks the water where you can sunbathe.
One thing to plan for: while there’s no entrance fee to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the park’s Park It Forward program requires a parking tag for any vehicle parked longer than 15 minutes. Tags are $5 daily, $15 weekly, or $40 annually, and you can buy them online ahead of time or at kiosks in the park.
The swimming hole landscape is just stunning. The mountains hug the curves of the river, and even though there were a lot of people the day we went, it was peaceful. Visitors were also respectful of nature and thankfully cleaned up after their time at the swimming hole, making it enjoyable for everyone.
What to Bring to Townsend Wye
Plan like you are going to the beach, so bring a lot of sunscreen, snacks, water, and a blanket or two. Camp chairs are great as well. We saw some people with portable grills, which seemed like an awesome idea.
If you want to use a tube, bring a few. Life jackets are a good idea for non-swimmers or weak swimmers as there are several deep spots, currents, and some rapids.
Alcohol is not allowed in the park.
Getting To Townsend Wye Swimming Hole
The swimming hole is located right at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains in Townsend, Tennessee, and is between Cades Cove and Gatlinburg. It’s about 45 minutes from Gatlinburg and a little over three hours from Greenville.
We went there the same day we explored Cades Cove, an 11-mile one-way loop in the Great Smoky Mountains that was initially a settlement in the 1800s and is known for the high concentration of wildlife, especially black bears (we saw a mama bear and her two cubs on a recent trip!). Visiting these two places on the same day made for an exceptionally perfect time in the Smokies.
Swimming Caution
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most-visited national park in the country, with more than 11.5 million visitors in 2025. The official policy of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is that they never encourage visitors to participate in water activities as drowning is one of the leading causes of death in the park.
There are numerous waterfalls and swimming holes, and people swim and go tubing regularly throughout the summer months. But it’s important to take note of the warning from the National Park Service. They note that flash flooding can cause serious injuries if people don’t pay attention and give specific tips on how to avoid injuries, like closely supervising children, not diving into the water, and not climbing on or near waterfalls.
While both my children can swim, I did put a life jacket on my youngest and closely watched her older sister as she had fun tubing the rapids. And I made sure I was in the water with both of them when we went swimming. I also watched the weather since spotty thunderstorms were in the forecast that day. It’s awesome to visit these swimming holes, but you should always take proper precautions for safety.
Townsend Wye
Laurel Creek Road & Little River Road, Townsend, TN 37882
Looking for more things to do in the Great Smoky Mountains? Read our Guide To Visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park!
Townsend Wye: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Townsend Wye free to visit?
Yes. There is no entrance fee to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and swimming at the Townsend Wye is free. Just note that the park’s Park It Forward program requires a parking tag for any vehicle parked longer than 15 minutes ($5 daily, $15 weekly, or $40 annually). You can buy a tag online or at kiosks in the park.
Where is Townsend Wye?
It sits at the junction of Laurel Creek Road and Little River Road in Townsend, TN 37882, right at the Townsend entrance to the park, between Cades Cove and Gatlinburg. It’s about 45 minutes from Gatlinburg and a little over three hours from Greenville, SC.
Is it safe to swim at Townsend Wye?
There are no lifeguards anywhere in the park, and the National Park Service does not officially recommend water recreation because river levels can rise suddenly and drowning is one of the leading causes of death in the park. Families do swim and tube here throughout the summer. Closely supervise children, put life jackets on weak or non-swimmers, avoid diving, and keep an eye on the weather.
What should I bring to Townsend Wye?
Pack like it’s a beach day: plenty of sunscreen, snacks, water, and a blanket or camp chairs. Bring tubes if you want to float the rapids, and life jackets for anyone who isn’t a strong swimmer. Alcohol is not allowed in the park.
Are you looking for more fun things to do in Tennessee? Read our Travel Guide To Tennessee.
I love the Y so much, but it’s almost TOO cold for me lol,even on the hottest days. I stop on the way onto the park in Townsend, along the left side of 321 at the river there. Just as fun, but warmer and less scary for my 5 year old.
Where exactly is it that you stop? Sorry, not from the area and warmer sounds great!
Coming to visit in a few weeks will have a few little ones with us , are there bathrooms near by?!?
Not that we can remember. There is a gas station a little ways down the road from there.