Smoky Mountains Retreat
Plan a Smoky Mountains Retreat Vacation!
Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee is one of the nation's most visited National Parks. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains that are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The park normally has very high humidity and precipitation, more annual rainfall than anywhere in the United States outside the Pacific Northwest and parts of Alaska. It is also generally cooler than the lower elevations below, and most of the park has a humid continental claimate more comparable to locations much farther north. The variety of elevations, the abundant rainfall, and the presence of old growth forests give the park an unusual richness of biota. There are about 10,000 species of plants and animals known to live in the park, and estimates of an additional 90,000 undocumented species may also be present. There are 200 species of birds, 66 species of mammals, 50 species of fish, 39 species of reptiles, and 43 species of amphibians that include many lungless salamanders. The park is known for a black bear population at numbers as high as 1,800. Over 100 species of trees grow in the park.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a major tourist attraction in the region with over 9 million tourists and 11 million non-recreational visitors traveling to the park yearly, which is double that of any other national park in the United States. The town of Gatlinburg as well as other surroundings towns such as Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Townsend, Tennessee, and Cherokee, Sylva, Maggie Valley and Bryson City, North Carolina receive a significant portion of their income from tourism associated with the park.
Cades Cove is a valley with a number of preserved historic buildings including log cabins, barns, and churches. Cades Cove is the single most frequented destination in the national park. Self-guided automobile and bicycle tours offer the many sightseers a glimpse into the way of life olf old-time southern Appalachia.
Hiking
Including seventy miles of the Appalachian Trail, there amounts to 850 miles of trails and unpaved roads in the park for hiking. Mount Le Conte is the third highest summit in the park, and, measured from its base to its highest peak, is the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River. It is one of the most frequented destinations in the park. Its Alum Cave Trail provides many scenic overlooks and unique natural attractions for hikers planning to spend a night at the LeConte Lodge, which provides cabins and rooms for rent, except during the winter season, located near the summit. It is accessible solely by trail and the only private lodging available inside the park.
Backpacking and Camping
In addition to dayhiking, the national park offers opportunities for backpacking and camping particularly via the placement of shelters along the Appalachian Trail. Campsites are scattered throughout the park. Permits are required for stays at both locations and are almost always valid for only one night.
Fishing, Horseback Riding, Bicycling and Water Tubing
Fishing is the most popular activity in the national park. Horseback riding, bicycling and water tubing are all also practiced within the park.
Brief History of the Park Area The region was part of the homeland of the Cherokee Indians before arrival of European settlers. In 1830 President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act that began the process which eventually resulted in the forced removal of all Indian tribes east of the Mississippi River to what is now Oklahoma. Many of the Cherokee Indians left, however, some led by renegade warrior Tsali, hid out in the area that is now the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Some of their descendants now live in the Qualla Reservation south of the park. Plan a Smoky Mountain Retreat Trip This web site is a resource for your trip planning. Navigation of the Site Use the menu bar to your left and at the bottom of each page to navigate easily throughout the site.
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