Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Welcome to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a forested mountainous area covering more than a half million acres in North Carolina and Tennessee. Gatlinburg is located at the western boundary of the Park. Begin your visit at the Sugarlands Visitor Center at the Gatlinburg entrance on US 441 to make the most of your visit.

These ancient mountains are home to a wide variety of plant and animal life unsurpassed in the National Park Service. The Park also offers a glimpse into the lives of early Southern Appalachian farming families and community lifestyles. Seventy-seven historic structures concentrated in five historic districts include a collection of log cabins, barns, churches, grist mills and various outbuildings. The Smokies offer activities for visitors of various ages and interests. Recommended activities include camping, hiking the park's more than 800 miles of trails, picnicking, sightseeing, fishing, auto touring, horseback riding, nature viewing, and photographic opportunities abound.

In addition to its role in preserving the rich natural and historical heritage, the Park is a place for outdoor recreational pursuits. These range from a short stroll in the woods to a more extensive hike in the backcountry. Camping, fishing, picnicking, and horseback riding, or just viewing magnificent scenery are favorite pasttimes.Every season in the Smokies can be the best time to visit: spring wildflowers, summer camping along cool mountain streams, fall foliage, and winter's crisp, blue skies are all reasons to visit. But planning is the key to a safe and enjoyable stay

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is indeed a special place. Among some of the features making it special are:

Diversity. More than 4,000 species of plants grow here. A walk from mountain base to peak compares with traveling 1,250 miles north. Several resident plants and animals live only in the Smokies.

A rich cultural history. From the Cherokee Indians, to the Scotch-Irish settlers, this land was home to a variety of cultures and people. Many historic structures remain standing. Subsistence turned to exploitation as logging concerns stripped the region of timber. Recovery is now the dominant theme.

Nine million visits per year. The National Park Service must balance the needs of the land with the desires of the people both today and for the future.

The Park is an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site. These international recognitions represent the Smokies' importance to the planet. Neither designation results in a loss of national sovereignty or infringement on private land use, including development. The purpose of this United Nations' program is to recognize and encourage preservation of the world's great cultural and biological areas. The United States' National Park Service is proud to steward this world renowned site. The International Biosphere Reserve Program is a voluntary approach to help preserve and protect the world's biological resources. Each reserve has a core and buffer areas. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, shielded from development, provides a core area. Other public lands serve as the buffer. Education is the only tool used to promote stewardship among private land owners. Other International Biosphere Reserves include Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon National Parks. The World Heritage Site designation denotes the Park's inventory of Appalachian cultural items from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Combined with the Park's management to maintain cultural landscapes, such as in Cades Cove and Cataloochee, the Park stewards a unique cultural resource. Like biosphere reserves, it is a voluntary program working to preserve Earth's resources and history. Other World Heritage Sites include Yellowstone and Mammoth Cave National Parks.

Information compliments of the National Park Service.