Pets are banned from all of the serious hiking trails in GSMNP. They allow pets on only two small walking paths in the park; one at the Sugarland Visitors Center, and the other at the visitors center in Cherokee.
I read that on the National Parks web site Keith, but I should clarify that my idea of hiking is likely not the same as yours, given that you logged that many miles. My knees have so few steps left in them that 1 mile is about it at one time for me. So a half mile out and a half mile back. Thus the "kiddie path" will pretty much be where we go.
I hate getting old ungracefully.