Laurel - 2.6 miles round-trip - It has a paved path suitable for strollers. The falls to us were nice, but others turned out much better. It was also crowded there due to the ease and accessibility of the hike.

Grotto - 3 miles RT- beautiful! You cross four streams and will get wet, so be prepared! Rainbow - 5.4 miles RT - a tough climb straight up 1,500 feet! There are pretty falls, but we liked Grotto better.

1000 Drips is accessible from your car and easy and very pretty.

Our map had several others listed, with mileage and degree of difficulty. We also bought a guidebook at the station, "Hiking the GSM," and it was very helpful, too.

Oh, and for those who care, they've even got hikes, specially created for the handicapped... they are beautiful, and paved. You can go on guided hikes with Rangers, or you can go on your own. We did a little of both for the experience.

Also in the Smokies you can go for a Lightning Bug Hunt... you actually sit and watch. Yeah, sounds real fun, huh? But get this -- It's one of two places in the WHOLE WORLD that the lightning bugs all light up in synchronicity -- ALL AT THE SAME TIME. How cool. The kids loved it.

There's also a junior ranger program, and whole families can be involved, for kids to earn badges, do hikes, etc with the rangers. They get completely into it. Pick up an activities paper at any visitor's center at one of the park entrances.

Besides that we played in rivers, skipped stones in the deeper pools of the river, played in streams, and even got caught in the current a few places. Pure bliss.

And did I forget that so far we've spent NO MONEY on all this free entertainment, which depleted the energy stores of my children like no other activities can? Yeah, we love this place.