Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee to the west and North Carolina to the east runs northeast to southwest through the centerline of the park. On its route from Maine to Georgia, the Appalachian Trail also passes through the center of the park. The park was chartered by the United States Congress in 1934 and officially dedicated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1940. It encompasses 815 square miles (2,110 km²), making it one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States. The main park entrances are located along U.S. Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) at the towns of Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Cherokee, North Carolina.

Great Smoky Mountains Wildlife

The park is almost 95% forested, with 25% of that being old-growth. Almost 100 different types of native trees can be found in the park in addition to over 1,400 flowering plant species and 4,000 non-flowering plants.

The wildlife is abundant as well, featuring hundreds of different bird species, 66 mammal types, 50 types of native fish, as well as numerous reptiles and amphibians.

Non-native species

Several non-native species, both plant and animal, now call the park home and often threaten the native species.

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Facts:

Established: 1934 as a National Park.
Size: 520,269 acres.
Location: North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Terrain: Mountains, valleys, waterfalls, and thick deciduous forests.
Points of Interest: Clingmans Dome and Thunderhead Mountain.
Wildlife: Bear, deer, raccoon, possum, fox, and salamander.
Activities: Ranger-led nature walks, and children’s campfire programs; auto tours, bicycling, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, bird-watching, backpacking, and camping.
Services: Two visitor centers, park lodge, and ten campgrounds.

History

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established on June 15, 1934 after a long process of land purchases starting in with Congress' authorization in 1926. More than $11 million was required to make all of the purchases. The main benefactor, who came to rescue during the Great Depression, was the Rockefeller family which dontated $5 million. This great deed was honored by the erection of a memorial at Newfound Gap. The park was officially dedicated on Septermber 2, 1940 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

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