Great Smoky Mountains
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Great Smoky Mountains
A rainy day in the Great Smoky Mountains, Western North Carolina
Country	United States
States	North Carolina, Tennessee
Part of	Appalachian Mountains
Borders on	Blue Ridge Mountains
Highest point	Clingmans Dome
- elevation	6,643 ft (2,025 m)
- coordinates	35°33′46″N 83°29′55″W / 35.56278, -83.49861
Appalachian Mountain system

The Great Smoky Mountains are a major mountain range in the southern part of the Appalachian Mountains, the second ridge line forming a north-south running mountain chain from the Eastern United States and bordering the western side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Also called the Smoky Mountains or the Smokies, they straddle the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, and are entirely west of the Eastern Continental Divide.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the prominent feature of the mountains. It was established as a national park in the 1930s, and with over 9 million visits per year, it is the most-visited national park in the United States^[1]. Much of the range is also protected as the Nantahala National Forest, Pisgah National Forest, and Cherokee National Forest outside of the park.

The name of the area comes from the natural haze that often hangs over it. As in the neighboring Blue Ridge Mountains to the east, hydrocarbons produced by trees and other local vegetation — as well as higher humidity — produce a bluish cast to the sky, even over short distances. Visibility now is dramatically reduced by smog from both the Southeastern United States and the Midwest, and smog forecasts are prepared daily by the Environmental Protection Agency for both nearby Knoxville, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina.

Peaks

The Great Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Most of the major peaks of the Great Smokies are situated along a 75-mile (120 km) crest stretching roughly from the Little Tennessee River in the west to the Pigeon River in the east. Notable exceptions are Mount Le Conte, located in the central Smokies, and the high peaks of the Balsam Mountain crest, which intersects the crest of the Smokies at Tricorner Knob.

The highest point in the Smokies is Clingmans Dome (6,643 feet or 2,025 m), which is located within the national park. A paved road leads to within 300 vertical feet (90 m) of the summit, and from there visitors can walk a paved trail to the top. A handicap-accessible tower is located at the summit, and on clear days visitors can see five states (Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Kentucky). Clingmans Dome is also the highest point in Tennessee.

The Smokies rise prominently above the surrounding low terrain. For example, Mount Le Conte (6,593 feet or 2,010 m) rises more than a mile (1.6 km) above its base. Because of their prominence, the Smokies receive heavy annual amounts of precipitation. Annual precipitation amounts range from 50 to 80 inches (130–200 cm)^[2], and snowfall in the winter can be heavy, especially on the higher slopes. For comparison, the surrounding terrain has annual precipitation of around 40 to 50 inches (100-130 cm).

Major peaks in the western Smokies

Major peaks in the central Smokies

Major peaks in the eastern Smokies

Flora and fauna

Biological diversity is the hallmark of Great Smoky Mountains. Over 10,000 species have been documented; scientists believe an additional 90,000 species may be present.^[3]

Many wildflowers grow in the mountains and valleys, including bee balm, Solomon's seal, Dutchman's breeches, various trilliums, the Dragon's Advocate and even hardy orchids.

The ecosystem is not as healthy as it could be. Atmospheric pollution may be contributing to increased Red Spruce tree mortality at higher elevations and oak decline at lower elevations, while the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid attacks the hemlocks, and the balsam woolly adelgid attacks the firs. Pseudoscymnus tsugae has been introduced in an attempt to control the pests^[4].

Other subalpine species more typical of Maine and Canada are found at the highest elevations, above about 5,000 feet (1,500 m) AMSL. Some bird migration actually takes place vertically, with the "local" birds going up and down the mountains rather than north and south.

There are two native species of rhododendron in the area. The Catawba rhododendron has purple flowers in May and June, while the rosebay rhododendron has longer leaves and blooms white or a light pink in June and July. The orange- to sometimes red-flowered and deciduous flame azalea closely follows along with the Catawbas. The closely-related mountain laurel blooms in between the two, and all of the blooms progress from lower to higher elevations.

The reverse is true in autumn, when nearly-bare mountaintops covered in rime ice (frozen fog) can be separated from green valleys by very bright and varied leaf colors. The rhododendrons are broadleafs, whose leaves droop in order to shed wet and heavy snows that come through the region in winter.

Water

The sources of several rivers are located in the Smokies, including the Little Pigeon River, Oconaluftee River, and Little River. The Pigeon River and the Little Tennessee River pass along the park boundaries to the northeast and southwest, respectively. Streams in the Smokies are part of the Tennessee River watershed.

Flooding can and does occur after heavy rains. In 2004, the remnants of Hurricane Frances caused major flooding, landslides, and high winds, which was soon followed by Hurricane Ivan, making the situation worse. Other post-hurricanes, including Hurricane Hugo in 1989, have caused similar damage in the Smokies.

Culture and tourism

The culture of the area is that of Southern Appalachia, and previously the Cherokee people. Tourism is a huge draw to the area, particularly to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg in Tennessee, Cherokee, North Carolina.

Rafting, either leisurely river tubing or in full whitewater, is common all summer. Downhill skiing is also done in winter, though for a short season, at places like Cataloochee and Ober Gatlinburg.

Country music legend Dolly Parton is from the Smokies, born and raised in Sevierville. She is associated with the Dollywood amusement park.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park provides a breath-taking view in the fall and has become a popular tourist attraction.

See also

• Elizabethton, Tennessee
• Gatlinburg, Tennessee
• Roan Mountain, Tennessee
• Sylva, North Carolina
• Wildflowers of the Great Smoky Mountains

References

• National Park Service website
• Official Nonprofit Partner Event Calendars
• National Weather Service Southern Appalachian Precipitation study
• Cornell University study on invasive balsam woolly adelgid control

External links

• History and maps
• The Great Smoky Mountains Regional Project — a collection of documents and early photographs regarding the Great Smokies and surrounding communities
• Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
• Great Smoky Mountains landforms
• Photos of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park