The Great Smoky Mountains
In a land that combines stunning natural beauty and the traditions of times gone by, the Great Smoky Mountains takes you to a simpler time when life moved slower. From the meandering streams of its rich lowland valleys to the stunning views of its majestic peaks, no place allows us to disconnect from our frenzied lives like the Smokies.
Whether your style is a relaxing picnic among the spring flowers of Cades Cove in April, a stiff hike to the summit of Mt. LeConte, a drive through the foliage covered roads in Fall or a helicopter tour of the Great Smoky Mountains from nearby Gatlinburg TN, the Smokies has it all. There’s no place in America that holds the variety of experiences that the Smokies has to offer.
It’s no wonder more people visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park than any other park in the United States.
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About the Smokies
The Great Smoky Mountains are located in the southern part of the Appalachian Mountains. Also known as the Smoky Mountains or the Smokies, the Great Smoky Mountains straddle Tennessee and North Carolina. The natural blue haziness, produced by decaying trees and vegetation, hangs over the Great Smoky Mountains giving the Smokies its name.
The outstanding feature of the Great Smoky Mountains is Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Recognized as a national park in the 1930s, it is the most-visited national park in the United States, with an excess 9 million visits per year.
Most of the Smokies’ major peaks are located along a 75-mile ridge that stretches from the Little Tennessee River in the west to the Pigeon River in the east. Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Smokies at 6,643 feet. Visitors can walk a paved trail to the top from a parking lot situated a half mile walk from the summit, where they can see up to five states on a clear day.
The Great Smoky Mountains rise significantly above the adjacent low land. Because this land swelling produces a moisture barrier, the Smokies receive heavy annual amounts of rainfall. Annual precipitation ranges from 50 to 80 inches. Winter snowfall can also be relatively severe, especially on the high peaks.