Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The most visited national park in the country
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, straddling the Tennessee–North Carolina border, is by far the most visited national park in the United States, drawing more than 12 million people a year — more than twice the next busiest. Established in 1934, it protects a rugged, ancient stretch of the southern Appalachians famous for the blue haze, or "smoke," that hangs over its forested ridges, given off by the dense vegetation.
The park is one of the most biodiverse temperate areas on Earth, its range of elevations packing an extraordinary variety of trees, wildflowers, and wildlife — including a famous population of black bears — into the mist-shrouded forest. Clingmans Dome, at 6,643 feet, is the high point. Free to enter and centered on the southern Appalachian heartland, the Smokies remain a beloved and crowded refuge of eastern wilderness.
Related
- Qualla BoundaryHome of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
- North CarolinaThe Tar Heel State, from the Blue Ridge to the Outer Banks
- TennesseeThe Volunteer State, a long ribbon across the South
- Pisgah National ForestThe birthplace of American forestry, in the North Carolina mountains
- The Appalachian MountainsThe ancient, worn mountains of the eastern U.S.
- DollywoodDolly Parton's Smoky Mountains park
- Tail of the Dragon318 curves in 11 miles
- The Blue Ridge ParkwayAmerica's longest scenic parkway