Great Smoky Mountains National Park in July
July at Great Smoky Mountains National Park averages a daytime high near 74°F and an overnight low around 57°F, with about 7.3" of precipitation. Visitation runs about 1.5× the park's average month, which makes July a busy month here.
- Average low
- 57°F
- Average high
- 74°F
Range across the year: 22°F to 74°F
- Precipitation
- 7.3 in
- Daylight
- 14.2 hours
Roughly 13% of the park's yearly visitors come in July: 1.5 million recreation visits in a typical year, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.
It is the single busiest month of the year at Great Smoky Mountains; January, the quietest, runs only about 0.4× the average — a 4-to-1 swing between high and low season.
On our Best Time to Visit score July rates 44/100 ("Poor"). Our recommended month is May: the lightest crowds of the park's good-weather months.
The daily average of about 66°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day. These figures are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals from the nearest station, about 4.5 miles from the park.
July falls inside the park's busiest stretch: June, July and August together pull about 35% of the year's visitors, so a visit this month means sharing the park with the peak-season crowd.
You'll have about 14.2 hours of daylight in July to explore — near the year-round maximum.
Park-wide, 2025 drew 11,527,939 recreation visits, down 5.4% from 12,191,834 in 2024.
Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 9.2%, so a July visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.
How July compares with the months around it
| Month | Avg high / low | Crowds | Best-time score |
|---|---|---|---|
| June | 71°F / 54°F | 1.4× Busy | 46 Fair |
| July | 74°F / 57°F | 1.5× Busy | 44 Poor |
| August | 72°F / 57°F | 1.2× Busy | 53 Fair |
All twelve months at Great Smoky Mountains, with the best time to visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
July averages a daytime high near 74°F and an overnight low around 57°F at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with about 7.3 inches of precipitation. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals from the nearest station, about 4.5 miles from the park, so conditions inside the park can differ, especially at other elevations.
July is busy at Great Smoky Mountains National Park (about 1.5× the average month). Our best-time score rates it "Poor" at 44/100. Our recommended month is May.
The busiest month is July and the quietest is January. July sits at about 1.5× the park's average, or 13% of annual visitation.
A typical July sees about 1.5 million recreation visits at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979–2025.
Where to stay near Great Smoky Mountains in July
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Top-rated places to stay near Great Smoky Mountains
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See the full ranking of the best national parks to visit in July.
Source: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI Climate Normals 1991–2020. Updated 2026-10-11.