The Gatlinburg Trail is very easy and well maintained. It can easily be accessed at the end of River Road in Gatlinburg. There are a few parking spaces by the trailhead. There is also parking in front of the Welcome sign for the National Park. If you are taking pictures at the Welcome sign, you can access the Gatlinburg Trail by walking the short path to the right of the sign. The path runs along the river. There is one small and gentle hill. The wooded area of the trail ends at the Park maintenance facility. If you wanted to walk to the Sugarland Visitor Center, you start walking along the road for about .4 miles. As you near hwy 441, you get on a sidewalk that passes in front of the park headquarters. The sidewalk will take you in between the visitor center and the restrooms.

Cataract Falls trail is located behind the visitor center. Short and easy to hike. Just up Newfound Gap Road/hwy 441 S is the Sugarland Valley Nature Trail. It is a concrete .5 mile loop trail that goes past the river. It is about .5 miles from the Sugarland Visitor Center but you will need to drive the trailhead. The Gatlinburg Trail is located at the very end of River Road in Gatlinburg which is no more than a 5 minute drive from the Visitor Center. When you leave the visitor center, take a left to get back to New found Newfound Gap Road. Take a left to Gatlinburg. Just past the welcome sign to the park (on the left) there will be a road to the left. Thus is the very end if River Road. There is a few parking spaces. If you miss the turn, turn left at the light. Turn left at the stop sign. This will get you to the parking on River Road. The trail is very easy and flat. It runs along the river and walk as much or as little as you like. You can actually get to the visitor center on this trail but the last .4 miles require walking along a side road which you might not want to do with kids.

Sugarland Valley Nature Trail is located about 1/2 mile from the Sugarland Visitor Center on Newfound Gap Road. It is a paved 1/2 mile loop trail suitable for wheel chairs.

This answer is for others... An article dated 6/19/19 spotted 2 elk at the Sugarland Visitor Center. They separated there and one went into Gatlinburg and the other was heading in the opposite direction. Spotted near Meigs Falls. That one could easily make it to Cades Cove. It is hard to say where it will end up but signs are posted to be careful if you spot one and stay 50 yards from it. These elk have come to TN before but return to NC during mating season.

Not the 2nd week of September when I was there but I saw Bear, they seemed very active!

Yes. It is directly behind the building. It is the Cataract falls trail. Very easy walk on the trail along side a creek. The falls at the end are a bonus. You just turn around and walk out the same trail.