Great Smoky Mountains National Park

About this city

Also known as: America's Most Visited Wilderness Jewel

Sprawling across a monumental, ancient mountain ridge along the southern Appalachian chain straddling the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most visited national parkland in the United States. Formed geologically over hundreds of millions of years, the park owes its poetic name to the natural blue mist generated by its vast, dense old-growth deciduous and temperate coniferous forests. This pristine wilderness represents one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in North America, home to thousands of wild black bears, rare synchronous fireflies, and ancient hardwood canopies. Operating under strict federal environmental conservation mandates, the park beautifully preserves dozens of historic 19th-century pioneer log cabins, churches, and grist mills within its sweeping glades, balancing raw natural power with deep Appalachian folklore.