Great Smoky Mountain National Park

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park covers 800 square miles between the states of Tennessee and North Carolina. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park has the most inspiring natural and cultural treasures in the Southern Appalachians. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park has abundant plant and animal life and a very large historical background. The Smokies lie within 550 miles of one-third of the American population.

The national park idea came about in the late 1890’s and by the mid-1920’s support groups from Asheville, North Carolina and Knoxville, Tennessee and were pulling together to search for an area between the two cities. The strongest supporters of the park were not conservationists but simply motorists who wanted to preserve the scenery through which they could drive their new cars.

Eighty-five percent of the land was held by commercial interests, mainly lumber companies, and the remember of the land was small farms and other parcels. More than 2,000 deeds were transferred to federal ownership. On June 15, 1934 it was official and Congress established the national park.

Over the next sixteen years the Civilian Conservation Corps worked to build many trails, campgrounds, stone buildings and bridges that are still enjoyed by visitors in the Park today. When President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated the park in 1940 it became a sanctuary for all the people of the world to enjoy.

The National Park preserves and maintains a collections of 77 historic structures and preserved landscapes in five historic districts. The collections represent a century of human history in the region and helps to tell the story of all the people who lived and worked in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park before it was created.

Conservationists, backpackers, fishermen, and motorists were among some of the main groups that were wanting the creation of the Park. Today many other visitors take pleasure in the Park’s fun and recreational opportunities. The park’s main purpose lies in its extraordinary quality as a sanctuary. Between the massive mountains, deep valleys and beautiful running streams create homes for hundreds of plants and animals.

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park has more than 1,100 front country campsites, 100 backcountry campsites, 800 miles of trails, 700 miles of streams, 11 picnic grounds, 3 visitor centers, and countless scenic overlooks. Many photographers love the area and love to take time to photograph American black bears, deer, turkeys, beautiful flowers, and other various types of wildlife that are popular. By taking a walk on the Park’s trails you can become up close and personal to the diversity of life in the Smokies. Many salamander and plants are found just inside the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the forests are lined with more different types of trees than any other national park.

Park maps, guidebooks and videos are available at the Park bookstores at each visitor center. More information can be obtained from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park website, www.nps.gov and you can call them at 865-436-1200.