Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Tennessee

Address:107 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Tel: (865) 436-1200

It's no coincidence that this park receives about 10 million visits each year, double that of any other National Park, in case you're keeping track. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (or the "Smokies" if you're a local) is a stunning forested mountainous area covering more than a half million acres in North Carolina and Tennessee, making it one of the largest protected areas in the United States. The park is an International Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its great richness of biological resources and exciting cultural items from the 19th and early-20th centuries. Emerald mountains, unbelievable fall foliage, and many miles of winding scenic roads contribute to the park's splendor.
Cades Cove, one of the park's many fabulous attractions, is an 11-mile road looping through a beautiful Tennessee valley. Driving it one-way can take several hours during heavy tourist season but the sites you'll see along the way (several historic structures and a working grist mill) make it more than worthwhile. Visitors can also camp, hike, bicycle, and horseback ride through the cove. Other sites you've got to see are the Mountain Farm Museum and Cataloochee Valley.
Dramatic scenic overlooks, dazzling waterfalls, and a multitude of nature trails and other activities make this park an excellent destination for families, honeymooners, and adventurers alike.

Ridge upon ridge of endless forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World-renowned for the diversity of its plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America's most visited National Park.