Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Welcome to Great Smoky Mountains, comprised of ridge upon ridge of forest straddling the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. The park is world renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture. With over 800 miles of trails, America's most visited national park is a hiker's paradise.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: Dale DitmansonPhone Number: 865-436-1200
Entrance Fees: Free
Sights: Mingus Mill; Mountain Farm Museum; Caldwell House; Gregg-Cable House; Hannah Cabin; Little Cataloochee Church; Noah "Bud" Ogle Cabin; Palmer Chapel; Grotto Falls; Laurel Falls; Abrams Falls; Rainbow Falls; Fontana Dam; Clingmans Dome
Important Dates
Established as Park: June 15, 1934By The Numbers
Acres: 521,495.00Highest Point: Clingman's Dome (6643 feet)
Annual Visitation: 9,289,215 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :35.631230 / -83.555910 (map it)
State: TN
Nearby Big City: Gatlinburg, TN
Gateway Communities: Cherokee, NC; Whittier, NC; Bryson City, NC; Gatlinburg, TN; Dillsboro, NC
Nearby Airports: McGhee-Tyson Airport (TYS); Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : No
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
Park Photos
Bluebird Red Berry
Tony Campbell
Coyote Field
Tony Campbell
Night Opossum
Jeff Kinsey
View More Smoky Mountains Photos
In Detail
Activities & Programs Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers a variety of things to do each season. SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL Park Programs The NPS offers talks, slide shows, films, guided nature and history walks, a ... read more.
At Your Fingertips Park Headquarters and (865) 436-1200 General Information www.nps.gov/grsm Emergencies (865) 436-1230 (Touch tone only) (865) 436-1200, then 1, then 911 Backcountry Reservations (865) 436-1231 Speci ... read more.
Campgrounds in the Great Smokies Picnic tables, fire grills, running water and flush toilets are available. The large campgrounds also have amphitheaters for ranger talks and slide shows. There are no showers or trailer hookups.* Ab ... read more.
Camping at Great Smoky The park has 1,008 developed campsites at 10 campgrounds and 100 primitive backcountry campsites on the ridges. For information on horse camps, please see page 52. Reservations May 15 through Octob ... read more.
Did You Know : Battles While there were a few skirmishes, no Civil War battles were fought in the Smokies.. Mountain families sent many soldiers to fight for both the Union and Confederate armies. Meanwhile, some men, ... read more.
Did You Know : Families Mountain families typically sat down to a meal of "cat heads" (biscuits) drenched in 'lasses (sorghum molasses) or red-eye gravy, string beans with "side meat" and, of course, good, strong coffee. ... read more.
Did You Know : Photography When photographing wildlife, focus on the animal's eyes or on the area just in front of the eyes. ... read more.
Did You Know : Smokies According to local lore, the Smokies were so steep that the only way to sow them was to stand on an opposite hill and shoot the seeds across with a shotgun. ... read more.
Flora & Fauna The astounding variety of plants and animals in the Smokies is unequaled in most temperate areas of the world. Biological diversity is the hallmark of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which encom ... read more.
Foliage in the Great Smokies The Smokies foliage changes in the mountains beginning in mid-September and moves down to the valleys through October, often continuing into early November.. Here is a guide to the spectacular fall c ... read more.
Gatlinburg As one of Great Smoky Mountains National Park's principal gateway communities, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, hosts many of the park's millions of annual visitors. It is located on U.S. 441 on the park's nor ... read more.
Great Smoky Regulations SAFETY TIPS Bears: Feeding the bears is illegal! It makes them bold and potentially dangerous. Keep a clean camp and deposit garbage in park trash cans or dumpsters. Bears cause much property damag ... read more.
Highlights of the Smokies Established: The park was created in 1934 to protect the last of the southern Appalachian forest which once covered more than 4 million acres, but was virtually eliminated by logging and fire. Land A ... read more.
History of Crafts The strong crafts tradition in the Smokies produced many fine handcrafted items. Long after most people along the Eastern Seaboard lived in a cash economy, the mountain people still spun thread from ... read more.
History of Great Smoky The Great Smoky Mountains are among the highest peaks in the Appalachian mountain range, yet they are rounder and lower in elevation than younger mountain chains such as the Rocky Mountains. How they ... read more.
In A Nutshell TRANSPORTATION Getting to Great Smoky Mountains The beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway runs from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the southern entrance of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. U.S. 4 ... read more.
John Walker John Walker holds some cherries from his orchard. He, his wife Margaret Jane, and their 11 children lived in Little Greenbrier Cove and prided themselves on their self-sufficiency. He boasted that he ... read more.
Just For Kids Junior Rangers can earn a badge by engaging in specially-designed programs such as blacksmithing, creating a piece of pottery, venturing to learn about insects and other wildlife, or becoming a natur ... read more.
Life Zones The Smokies' various ecological communities are most often identified by forest types called, "life zones." Elevation, soil conditions, moisture or dryness, and exposure to wind and sun all play role ... read more.
Lodging & Dining at Great Smoky A variety of lodging and dining options are available to visitors, from a hike-in lodge in the park to many hotels, motels and cabins in nearby towns. LODGING AND DINING IN THE PARK LeConte Lodge For ... read more.
Recent News
- Alexander Backs New Source of Funding for National Parks July 3, 2008, 10:38 am
- Indian Head Rock getting a face-lift May 8, 2008, 7:45 pm
- Tourism summit focuses on sustaining area's natural beauty April 29, 2008, 6:17 pm
- Smokies can be hub of eco tourism April 29, 2008, 6:13 pm
- (Smokies) National Park gets $340,000 in grants April 28, 2008, 2:54 pm
Smoky Mountains In Depth
News from the Parks
Alexander Backs New Source of Funding for National Parks
July 3, 2008 - 9:38am
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced he will cosponsor bipartisan legislation to create a new source of funding for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other national parks across the country as part of the “Centennial Challenge” celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park System in 2016. “The Centennial Challenge could bring up to $4 million to the Smokies – the country’s most visited national park – and will go a long way toward improving park facilities, aiding conservation efforts, and helping build upon the excellent visitor services already offered. This 4th of July, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our country’s birthday than backing legislation that will aid efforts to preserve and celebrate our national parks, one of America’s greatest treasures.”
July 3, 2008 - 9:38am
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced he will cosponsor bipartisan legislation to create a new source of funding for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other national parks across the country as part of the “Centennial Challenge” celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park System in 2016. “The Centennial Challenge could bring up to $4 million to the Smokies – the country’s most visited national park – and will go a long way toward improving park facilities, aiding conservation efforts, and helping build upon the excellent visitor services already offered. This 4th of July, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our country’s birthday than backing legislation that will aid efforts to preserve and celebrate our national parks, one of America’s greatest treasures.”
EPA's Pollution Plan Slammed
July 3, 2008 - 9:35am
City officials and business leaders here Wednesday warned that a federal proposal to relax air quality standards for the nation's national parks will ultimately be bad for business. Simply put, they said during a news conference at the entrance to Zion National Park, lower air standards being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hurt this gateway city economically if fewer tourists visit the park. "Air pollution could damage the stars, vistas and clean air we enjoy," Springdale Mayor Pat Cluff said. "Some places deserve to be preserved and it is my responsibility to preserve [the park] for those who come here."
July 3, 2008 - 9:35am
City officials and business leaders here Wednesday warned that a federal proposal to relax air quality standards for the nation's national parks will ultimately be bad for business. Simply put, they said during a news conference at the entrance to Zion National Park, lower air standards being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hurt this gateway city economically if fewer tourists visit the park. "Air pollution could damage the stars, vistas and clean air we enjoy," Springdale Mayor Pat Cluff said. "Some places deserve to be preserved and it is my responsibility to preserve [the park] for those who come here."
Dinosaur Fossils In Utah Inspire 'Jr. Paleontologists'
July 2, 2008 - 9:57am
Millions of years ago, northeastern Utah was a hot spot for dinosaurs. Today, people travel to the Dinosaur National Monument located on the borders of Colorado and Utah to see the leftover dinosaur bones. Visitors can see as many as 1,500 Jurassic-era fossils exposed on the cliff face of the Douglass Quarry.
July 2, 2008 - 9:57am
Millions of years ago, northeastern Utah was a hot spot for dinosaurs. Today, people travel to the Dinosaur National Monument located on the borders of Colorado and Utah to see the leftover dinosaur bones. Visitors can see as many as 1,500 Jurassic-era fossils exposed on the cliff face of the Douglass Quarry.
A Paiute Take On Bryce Canyon's Hoodoos
July 2, 2008 - 9:56am
The red spindly rock formations that make up the views at Bryce Canyon National Park are called hoodoos. Geologists say they were formed by erosion, but Kevin Poe, chief of interpretation at Bryce, shares his take on the Paiute legend about hoodoos.
July 2, 2008 - 9:56am
The red spindly rock formations that make up the views at Bryce Canyon National Park are called hoodoos. Geologists say they were formed by erosion, but Kevin Poe, chief of interpretation at Bryce, shares his take on the Paiute legend about hoodoos.
Can The Everglades Be Saved?
July 2, 2008 - 9:55am
Environmentalists have been issuing dire warnings about the deterioration of the Florida Everglades for years, saying these wetlands have to be restored in order to revive fragile ecosystems and increase scarce fresh water supplies. Over half of the Everglades are gone, irreversibly converted to urban or agricultural development. But this week, in an attempt to save what's left, the state of Florida announced a plan to buy nearly 200,000 acres of former wetlands from a sugar cane producer. Advocates say the plan is the largest restoration project in American history.
July 2, 2008 - 9:55am
Environmentalists have been issuing dire warnings about the deterioration of the Florida Everglades for years, saying these wetlands have to be restored in order to revive fragile ecosystems and increase scarce fresh water supplies. Over half of the Everglades are gone, irreversibly converted to urban or agricultural development. But this week, in an attempt to save what's left, the state of Florida announced a plan to buy nearly 200,000 acres of former wetlands from a sugar cane producer. Advocates say the plan is the largest restoration project in American history.
