World Famouse Tourist Spots

On the border between North Carolina and Tennessee lies the most visited National Park in the USA. This national gem lies in the southern Appalachian Mountains, just a short distance from Knoxville, Tennessee (to the northwest of the park) and Asheville, North Carolina (to the east of the park). I’m talking about Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a popular family vacation destination in the eastern United States.

Attractions:

The Great Smoky Mountains received their name due to the blue mist that surrounds the mountain peaks and valleys, giving the appearance of smoke when viewed from afar. The Cherokee name for the region is “Shaconage”, meaning “place of blue smoke”. The park is very large- more than 800 square miles (512,000 acres) in total area with entrances on both the Tennessee and North Carolina sides.

Among the gateways to the park, the most popular of these is Gatlinburg, Tennessee, located on the north side of the park itself. This tourist- oriented city includes many resort condos and other places of lodging, along with many specialty shops and places of entertainment. Most visitors start their adventure in Gatlinburg, enjoying the amenities of the city before beginning the ascent into the Great Smoky Mountains.

The park offers much in the way of mountain and forest scenery. Among the mountain peaks, the best- known is Clingmans Dome. At 6,643 feet above sea level, it is the highest point in the state of Tennessee and the second highest point in the continental U.S. east of the Mississippi. There is a walking trail that leads to an observation point at Clingmans Dome where you can enjoy a great view of the Smoky Mountains. Keep in mind that this trail is open only from April 1 through December each year.

The Smokies also offer some scenic waterfalls. If you visit from the Tennessee side (entering at Gatlinburg), the closest waterfall is Laurel Falls, which is close to the Sugarlands Visitor’s Center. Another waterfall is Ramsay Cascades. Both offer a scenic, cascading drop of water over rocks, but Ramsay is more difficult to get to. It requires a hike of more than 7 miles through the forest. Laurel Falls is closer to the roadway and it can be reached from a paved path. Other waterfalls in the park include Rainbow Falls, Tom Branch Falls, Indian Creek Falls, Hen Wallow Falls, Grotto Falls, Juney Whank Falls, Mouse Creek Falls, Abrams Falls, and the tallest one of all, Mingo Falls, which has a drop of 120 feet. All of the waterfalls require a certain amount of hiking, although some are easier than others.

Black bear, wolves, birds, and other wildlife are found throughout the park. There are a couple of poisonous snakes, too- copperheads and rattlesnakes. Elk, once extinct in this part of the United States, have been reintroduced to this park and are growing in number.

The Appalachian National Trial cuts through the center of the park, following very closely to the Tennessee/North Carolina state border. All together, there are more than 800 miles of hiking trails in the park with varying degrees of difficulty.

Route 441 is the main gateway to the park, and it’s open all year unless severe weather conditions require it to be closed. Other scenic roads/routes exist in the park, but they are closed during the winter season. Some of these scenic roads include Balsom Mountain, Rich Mountain, Parson Branch, Roaring Fork, and Clingman’s Dome. The opening and closing of these roads varies slightly, with some of them opening in mid- March and others opening in April or May. They all close in November.