Park of China
Overview
| Designation | UNESCO World Heritage (natural, 1983) US National Park |
| Location | On the border of Tennessee and North Carolina |
| Latitude, longitude | 35.6, -83.5 Google Maps |
| Nearby cities | Knoxville, Gatlinburg |
| Highlights | Rich plant and animal life |
| Top sights | Clingmans Dome, Cades Cove |
| Wildlife | Black bears, coyotes, deer, wild hogs, ginseng |
| Area | 521,500 acres |
| Highest point | 6,643 ft |
| Nearby sites | Mammoth Cave National Park 293km Search nearby |
| Themes | Mountain, Forest, Plant, Wildlife, Stamp, Autumn colours, Hiking & climbing, Scenic drives |
About
Great Smoky Mountains National Park lies on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. With about ten million visitors a year, it is the most visited national park in the United States.
From the park you can drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, which runs along the ridges for more than 400 miles, all the way to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.
The park is rich in plant and animal life. More than 19,000 species have been recorded here.
One-day trip: drive Newfound Gap Road to Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the park, for mountain views.
Half-day trip: drive the Cades Cove Loop Road and watch wildlife.
Visitor map
Travel tips
Getting there: the main entrances and visitor centers are at Gatlinburg on the Tennessee side and Cherokee on the North Carolina side. The nearest major airport is Knoxville (McGhee Tyson), about 1.5 hours by car; Asheville is also a gateway.
Entry: there is no entrance fee, but a parking tag is needed. This is the most visited national park in the United States, and roads are badly congested in summer and during the autumn colors.
A one-day drive: take Newfound Gap Road over the ridge between Tennessee and North Carolina, then the spur road up to Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome), the highest point, where an observation tower stands at the summit.
Cades Cove: an old settlement in a mountain valley, with an 18 km one-way loop road lined with log cabins, churches and wildlife, often black bears and white-tailed deer. On weekends and in high season traffic queues on the loop, so start early.
Hiking: the park has more than 800 miles (about 1,300 km) of trails, including a stretch of the Appalachian Trail. Short walks include Laurel Falls, and the Mount LeConte area.
Season: wildflowers bloom in April and May, autumn color is best in late October, and summer is humid and hazy. The Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome) road and some mountain roads close in winter.
Safety: do not feed or approach black bears; store food properly, and campgrounds have bear-proof lockers.
Where to stay: the park has campgrounds and the lodge on Mount LeConte, all needing advance booking; most visitors stay in gateway towns such as Gatlinburg.
Map
