Great Smoky Mountains

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain.

The border between Tennessee and North Carolina runs northeast to southwest through the centerline of the park. It is the most visited national park in the United States. Established in 1934, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the largest national park East of the Rocky Mountains.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses approximately 244,000 acres in Tennessee and 276,000 acres in North Carolina for a total of 520,000 acres or more than 800 square miles. It open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

A 70-mile stretch of the 2,178-mile Appalachian Trail winds through Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

In addition to the Appalachian Trail, Great Smoky Mountains National Park features more than 850 miles of hiking trails.

Some of the most popular hiking trails in Great Smoky Mountain National Park include Abrams Falls Trail (5 miles round trip), Alum Cave Trail (11 miles round trip), Andrews Bald Trail (3.6 miles round trip), Boulevard Trail (16 miles round trip), Chasteen Creek Falls Trail (4 miles round trip), Chimney Tops Trail (4 miles round trip), Grotto Falls Trail (3 miles round trip), Hen Wallow Falls Trail (4 miles round trip), Indian Creek Falls Trail (2 miles round trip), Laurel Falls Trail (2.5 miles round trip), Ramsey Cascades Trail (8 miles round trip) and Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail (3,000-foot loop).

The Great Smoky Mountains are known as the “Salamander Capital of the World” since approximately 30 species of salamander can be found here.

Often called the “Crown Jewels of the Appalachian Mountains,” the Smokies were also referred to as the “ Land of Blue Mist” by the Cherokees.