Great Smoky Mountains

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains is a national park and large mountain range in the southern Appalachians, located on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. The name (literally “Smoky Mountains”) refers to the haze that often hangs over the mountains. As in the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains, hydrocarbons produced by trees and other plants give the sky a bluish hue in high humidity conditions, noticeable even from a short distance. The most visited of the national parks in the eastern United States, the Smoky Mountains is the site of Klingman’s Dome, the highest point on the world’s longest hiking Appalachian Trail at 2030 meters. The paved road doesn’t reach the summit until 91 meters high, from where hikers can enjoy views of four states – Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. The park is home to a variety of mammals, including the symbol of the region, the baribal black bear.

Video: Great Smoky Mountains

General Information

Nearly 95% of Great Smoky Mountains Park is forested, with about 80% of the area covered by various variations of broadleaf forest. It is variously estimated that between 20 and 36% of the area is occupied by relict forests, almost untouched by human activity. According to the species diversity, ecologists distinguish 5 main forest ecosystems: Appalachian forest, northern mixed forest, spruce-fir forest, hemlock forest and oak-pine forest. Each of these ecosystems is characterized by a specific landscape type and elevation. Almost 1600 species of flowering plants, 2250 species of fungi, 284 species of mosses, 305 species of lichens and 150 species of liverworts are found in the park. There are 142 species of trees – more than any other park in North America. Unforested areas of the park are covered with meadow grasses, vineyards and heather. In addition, a small portion of the ridge between Newfound Gap Pass and Getlinburg is bare rocky terrain.

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Many rare plants grow here – medicinal cuproena, English borer and clobber dicentra, various orchids and trillums, several species of rhododendrons, yellow azalea and broadleaf calamia. In autumn, the mountains, covered in an icy haze of hoarfrost, contrast starkly with the green valleys with the ornate color of bright foliage.

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Several rivers originate from this region, which are also popular with tourists, and the short winter season allows you to enjoy skiing in centers such as Catalucci and Ober, Gatlinburg.

Routes

The national park has more than 150 hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty, totaling more than 1,300 km (800 mi), as well as about 885 km (550 mi) of horseback riding trails. Most of these were laid out by workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.

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Traditionally, hikers are drawn here by the Appalachian Trail. It is a huge hiking route, 3,500 kilometers in length. Starting in Georgia and ending in Maine, the trail runs through North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. The trail is approximately 114 kilometers (71 miles) long within the park; it begins near Fontana Hydroelectric Dam in the southeastern part of the park and ends at Davenport Gorge in the northwest. Another long hiking trail that extends well beyond the park’s boundaries is the Mountains-to-Sea Trail; it begins at the highest point in the park, Mount Klingmans Dome, and ends on the Atlantic coast of North Carolina near Cape Hatteras.

The most popular trails involve climbing peaks or lead to waterfalls. Albright Grove, Boogerman Loop, Brushy Mountain, Chestnut Top, Cucumber Gap Loop, Deep Creek Loop, Fork Ridge Trail, Gregory Bald, Huskey Gap, Kanati Fork Trail, Little River Trail, Porters Creek Trail, Rich Mountain Loop, Schoolhouse Gap, Shuckstack Fire Tower, and Smokemont Loop are most associated with spring blooms of various colors. A large number of trails offer panoramic views of the mountains and nearby valleys, among them Alum Cave, Andrews Bald, Bullhead Trail, Chestnut Top, Chimney Tops, Gregory Bald, Mount Cammerer, Mount Sterling, Rich Mountain Loop, and Rocky Top. Some of the trails are along watercourses, most notably the Cucumber Gap Loop, Huskey Gap, Kephart Prong Trail, Little River Trail, Oconaluftee River Trail, and Smokemont Loop.

Classic Appalachian forest can be encountered on the Cucumber Gap Loop and Porters Creek Trail, as well as in the vicinity of Cook’s Cabin on the banks of Little Cataluchee Creek. Its cooler variety, which also contains plants characteristic of northern mixed forest, is found in the Ocolanufty River Valley and on the banks of Deep Creeck Creek.

Campgrounds

There is no hotel or cottage service directly within the park, with the exception of the small Le Conte Lodge located at the summit of Mt. LeConte. However, 10 fixed campgrounds are open to visitors. They contain more than 940 individual sites, each equipped with a tent site, fireplace, picnic table and paved access. Some sites allow you to put a motorhome on them, but electrical and plumbing hookups are usually not available. The cost of renting an individual (for one tent) site – from 14 to 23, group – from 26 to 65 dollars per day. The largest campgrounds have stores where you can buy some food, camping equipment and souvenirs. There are no showers or laundry facilities in the park; these services are available in nearby towns. In addition to fixed campsites, camping is also allowed at designated camping sites in various parts of the park, subject to authorization. For visitors with horses, 5 specialized campsites are open, through which the riding trails pass. Finally, during daylight hours, campers can visit 11 picnic areas equipped with free restrooms, grills, and tables.

• Abrams Creek is a small, 16-site campground in the western part of the park near the creek of the same name. It is open from the second decade of March through late October. It is located at an elevation of 343 m (1,125 ft).
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• Balsam Mountain is also a small, 46-site campground. It is located at an elevation of 1,618 m (5,310 ft) in the southeastern part of the park near an Indian reservation. It is open from mid-May through late October.
• Big Creek is a 12-site campground in the eastern part of the park near the Appalachian Trail. The elevation is 518 m (1,700 ft) above sea level. It is open from the second decade of March through late October.
• Cades Cove – The third largest campground in the park is located in the valley of the same name. The number of sites is 159 and there is a store. It is open year-round.
• Cataloochee – campground with 27 sites in the southeast of the park. It is 795 m (2,610 ft) above sea level. Pre-registration is required.
• Cosby is the second largest, 165-site campground in the northeast corner of Great Smoky Mountains. It has an elevation of 750 m (2,459 ft) above sea level. Open from the second decade of March through the end of October.
• Deep Creek is a 92-site campground in the south of the park. Open from April through October. Elevation is 549 m (1,800 ft) above sea level.
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• Elkmont is the largest campground within the park, offering 220 sites. Located in the north near the central office, it is open from the second decade of March through the end of November. Elevation is 655 m (2,150 ft) above sea level.
• Look Rock is a 68-site campground on the west side of the park. Elevation 792 m (2,600 ft) above sea level, open mid-May to late October.
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• Smokemont – A campground in the southeastern part of the park, near an Indian reservation. The number of sites is 142 and is open year-round. Elevation is 670 m (2,198 ft) above sea level.