Gatlinburg is known as the "Gateway to the Smokies." It borders, or you could even say it's surrounded by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and boasts multiple entrances into the Park. (Hey, did you know that entrance is FREE?)

The SECOND most visited national park is the Grand Canyon National Park. Yup, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is visited more often than the Grand Canyon.
The closest entrance to the Gatlinburg Lodge at SmokyMountainViews.com is Greenbrier...about a 5 minute drive... It is very beautiful and less traveled than most other areas.
If you're looking for an entrance that also has a visitor center, you might like the Sugarlands entrance, located closer to downtown Gatlinburg, on rt. 441. You will find nature and history exhibits and also park rangers who offer lectures, guided walks and hikes, and who can answer your questions. There is also a bookstore and a theater in the Sugarlands Visitors center where they continually show a film about the Smoky Mountains (18 minutes long).

If you prefer to do your site-seeing by car, the Newfound Gap Road begins here and travels 26 miles over the 5000 feet peak and ends at the Oconalauftee Visitors Center in North Carolina.