Great Smokey National Park

Come one, come all, to the Great Smoky Mountains Park 75th Anniversary!

There will be a number of special activities throughout the year, here is some general information to get you started!

Grand Smoky Mountains National Park

History: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established on June 15, 1934. It was named because of the soft haze that falls and hangs over the mountains.


Location: In between Eastern Tennessee, and Western North Carolina.
The great Smoky Mountains are a part of the Appalachian Mountains.


Size: 521,000 acres of federal land
Elevations range from 875 to 6,642 ft.
One of the most popular lookout spots in the park is Clingmans Dome, it has the highest elevation in the park(6,642 ft).

Climate: The climate is mild in the winter and very hot and humid in the summertime.

Wildlife: The park is very well known for its black bear population. There is estimated to be around 1,500 black bears in the park. For many these gentile but strong creatures are a symbol of the wilderness and freedom of the park.
Many other animals dwell at the park as well, there are app. 66 different types of mammals found at the park. Some including foxes, wolves, elks, coyotes, hogs, bobcats, white-tailed deers, and other beautiful creatures.
There is one animal in particular that has been causing quite some damage to the park, the wild European hog. Only following their nature, the hogs root, and wallow tearing up the land, and soil the water for the other animals. It is not possible for scientists to completely kill off the species, so to keep the number of them in check they trap and/or shoot some.
In addition, there are over 240 species of birds in the park.

Vegetation: The park is also noted for is rich and varying vegetation. Inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park there are 5 different types of forests. Also, nearly 40% of the land is covered with forest, and there is a total of 130 different types of trees have been found. Other types of vegetation such as wildflowers, bushes, etc. can be found within the park.

Precipitation: The mountains receive anywhere between 55-85 inches of precipitation per year.

Activities to do: The park offers many choices for people to do, weather you are one of those calm nature goers, or a free spirited hiker. The great Smoky National Park has it all. You can hike, bike, fish, horse riding, picnicking, workshops, and other activities. The park has app. 800 miles of hiking trails all together! These activities are what helps roll in the parks 8-10 million visitors per year!