Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Understand

History The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established on June 15, 1934 after a long process of land purchases starting in with Congress' authorization in 1926. More than $11 million was required to make all of the purchases. The main benefactor, who came to the rescue during the Great Depression, was the Rockefeller family which donated $5 million. This great deed was honored by the erection of a memorial at Newfound Gap. The park was dedicated on September 2, 1940 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Landscape

Flora and fauna The park is almost 95% forested, with 25% of that being old-growth. Almost 100 different types of native trees can be found in the park in addition to over 1,400 flowering plant species and 4,000 non-flowering plants. The wildlife is abundant as well, featuring hundreds of different bird species, 66 mammal types, 50 types of native fish, as well as numerous reptiles and amphibians.

Non-native species Several non-native species, both plant and animal, now call the park home and often threaten the native species.

Climate Elevations in the park range from 800 feet (250 m) to 6,643 feet (2,025 m): the topography can drastically affect local weather. Temperatures can easily vary 10-20 °F (5-10 °C) from mountain base to top, and clear skies lower down do not guarantee equally pleasant weather at higher elevations. Rainfall averages 55 inches (140 cm) per year in the lowlands to 85 inches (215 cm) per year at Kuwohi. Extreme weather changes are likely in this park. Be prepared for sudden temperature changes in any season of the year, including summer.

Spring March through May: Spring brings with it unpredictable weather. Changes occur rapidly - sunny skies can yield to snow flurries in a few hours. March is the month with the most radical changes; snow can fall at any time during the month, particularly in the higher elevations. Temperatures in the lower elevations have a mean high of 61 °F (16 °C). Low temperatures, whic

Getting there

Access to the park is restricted to non-commercial vehicles.

By plane Planes will get you to Asheville (60 miles east) or Knoxville (45 miles west).

By train The closest train station is in Clemson, South Carolina, a two-hour drive from the park entrance near Bryson City.

By car Travelling by car is the best method to visit the park. The most popular entrance into the park is from the north through Gatlinburg, Tennessee. You can also enter from the south on the North Carolina side of the park, through Cherokee, Maggie Valley, or Bryson City.

Getting around

Take your car or backpack. Yes, you can walk through the park on the Appalachian Trail.

Road closures and restrictions Motorists should be aware that some roads close for several months out of the year due to snow and ice. Buses and large motorhomes are prohibited on some roads in the park. There are also temporary road closures due to weather and construction. Refer to the park's website for all up to date conditions.

See

Mountain Peaks Mount Le Conte Kuwohi Charlies Bunion Mount Sterling Mount Guyot Max Patch Mountain Chimney Tops Andrews Bald Mount Cammerer Gregory Bald Waterfalls Abrams Falls Laurel Falls Grotto Falls Rainbow Falls See the Elkmont Historic District, a ghost town. Founded in 1908 by the Little River Lumber Company as a logging village, the town of Elkmont later became a resort with a hotel. When Great Smoky Mountains National Park was created, cottage owners in Elkmont were permitted to lease their properties back. This ended in 1992: the government refused to renew the leases and the properties were abandoned. The former hotel structure collapsed in 2005, but some other buildings are still standing and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Only a campground is still in operation on Elkmont Road today.

Do

Hikes The park has many miles of hiking trails. There are occasional ranger-guided tours.

The Appalachian Trail crosses the park. Kuwohi (6643 feet, 2025 m), also known as Clingmans Dome, is the highest point in the park, the highest point in Tennessee, and the third highest point east of the Mississippi River. From the Sugarlands Visitors Center, go south 13 miles on Newfound Gap Road, to the also stunning Morton Overlook, and west 7 miles to the parking lot. Hike the fairly steep paved path 0.5 mile to a concrete overlook. There are many dead trees at the top, victims of bug disease over past decades. Visibility at the top has been greatly reduced over past decades due to pollution. Laurel Falls is the easiest waterfall hike, 2.5 miles round trip. The trail is paved and accessible even to strollers.

Drives A drive around Cades Cove, an historic farming valley, is very popular due to the frequency of wildlife. However, due to congestion and "deer jams," the effective speed on this 11-mile (17-km) one-way loop is very slow — allow a few hours. US Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) runs north to south through the park connecting Gatlinburg, Tennessee to Cherokee, North Carolina. The road has steep grades and some tunnels as it winds through the mountains. There are many pull offs offering different views of the park, including the road to Kuwohi. Traffic on this road can be heavy during the park's busy seasons. The West Prong of the Little Pigeon River can be accessed from many of the pull offs on the Tennessee side of the highway, and the Oconaluftee River from the North Carolina side. Morton Overlook. En route to Kuwohi, or if you're just going from one end of the park to the other on Newfound Gap Road, this great overlook, close to a mile above sea level, offers great views, plus a sign displaying the Tennessee-North Carolina state border, and the Appalachian Trail crosses here. Morton Overlook is among the best venues in the Smokies for sunset viewing. 1

Buy

The visitor centers offer books and souvenirs pertaining to the park. The Cable Mill store, in Cades Cove, offers the same, and grains ground in the on-site, water-powered, historic cable mill. The main focus of the park is nature, not commerce, so don't expect huge selections of goods. Autotouring is a nice way to see the park; however, gas is not sold in the park. There are gas stations in the surrounding cities.

1 Fontana Dam Post Office, 50 Fontana Rd, Fontana Dam, NC 28733. USPS post office serving AT thru-hikers; a common mail-drop stop before the Smokies. Has faced closure threats in the past, so call ahead to confirm it's still operating before relying on it.

Eat

Camp stores are expensive and have limited selection. There might be a restaurant or two, but lines are long and prices high. Since the nearby tourist towns of Gatlinburg and Cherokee are very tourist oriented, they offer a variety of restaurants to suit any taste. Your best bet is to visit a grocery store and buy ready-to eat or picnic style food. Many places in the park offer great locations to pull off the road and have a meal in nature. There are also many designated picnic areas in the park, includin