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A rainy day in the Great Smoky Mountains, Western North Carolina

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

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).

List of major peaks in the Western Smokies

Mountain	Elevation	Prominence	General location	Trail access
Silers Bald	5,607 ft/1,709 m	337 ft/102 m	Tremont	Appalachian Trail
Thunderhead Mountain	5,527 ft/1,684 m	1087 ft/332 m	Cades Cove	Appalachian Trail
Blockhouse Mountain	5,470 ft/1,667 m	590 ft/180 m	Fontana	Jenkins Ridge Trail
Gregory Bald	4,949 ft/1,508 m	1,107 ft/337 m	Cades Cove	Gregory Bald Trail
Parson Bald	4,732 ft/1,442 m	Appx. 100 ft/30 m	Cades Cove	Wolf Ridge Trail
Doe Knob	4,520 ft/1,378 m	280 ft/86 m	Cades Cove	Appalachian Trail
Shuckstack	4,020 ft/1,225 m	300 ft/91 m	Fontana	Appalachian Trail
Rich Mountain	3,765 ft/1,148 m	1,645/502 m	Cades Cove	Rich Mountain Loop Trail

List of major peaks in the Central Smokies

Mountain	Elevation	Prominence	General location	Trail access
Clingmans Dome	6,643 ft/2,025 m	4,503 ft/1,373 m	Newfound Gap	Appalachian Trail
Mount Le Conte	6,593 ft/2,010 m	1,360 ft/415 m	Newfound Gap	Boulevard Trail
Mount Kephart	6,217 ft/1,895 m	657 ft/200 m	Newfound Gap	Appalachian Trail/Jumpoff Trail
Mount Collins	6,188 ft/1,886 m	465 ft/142 m	Newfound Gap	Appalachian Trail
Andrews Bald	5,920 ft/1,804 m	160 ft/48 m	Newfound Gap	Forney Ridge Trail
Mount Mingus	5,802 ft/1,768 m	530 ft/161 m	Newfound Gap	Sugarland Mountain Trail
Charlies Bunion	5,560 ft/1,695 m	Appx. 120 ft/37 m	Newfound Gap	Appalachian Trail
Newton Bald	5,180 ft/1,579 m	560 ft/171 m	Oconaluftee	Newton Bald Trail
Chimney Tops	4,800 ft/1,463 m	appx. 200 ft/61 m	The Sugarlands	Chimney Tops Trail
Blanket Mountain	4,607 ft/1,404 m	appx. 500 ft/152 m	Elkmont	Jakes Creek Trail
Bull Head	4,282 ft/1,305 m	appx. 200 ft/61 m	The Sugarlands	Bullhead Trail

List of major peaks in the Eastern Smokies

Mountain	Elevation	Prominence	General location	Trail access
Mount Guyot	6,621 ft/ 2,018m	1,581 ft/482 m	Cosby	Appalachian Trail
Mount Chapman	6,417 ft/1,956 m	577 ft/176 m	Greenbrier	Appalachian Trail
Old Black	6,370 ft/1,942 m	170 ft/52 m	Cosby	Appalachian Trail
Luftee Knob	6,234 ft/1,900 m	314 ft/96 m	Oconaluftee	Balsam Mountain Trail
Big Cataloochee Mountain	6,180 ft/1,876 m	635 ft/194 m	Cataloochee	Balsam Mountain Trail
Marks Knob	6,169 ft/1,880 m	appx. 249 ft/76 m	Oconaluftee	Balsam Mountain Trail
Tricorner Knob	6,120 ft/1,865 m	160 ft/48 m	Cosby	Appalachian Trail
Mount Sequoyah	6,003 ft/1,830 m	163 ft/50 m	Greenbrier	Appalachian Trail
Mount Sterling	5,842 ft/1,781 m	663 ft/202 m	Cataloochee	Mount Sterling Trail
Cosby Knob	5,160 ft/1,573 m	466 ft/142 m	Cosby	Appalachian Trail
Mount Cammerer	4,928 ft/1,502 m	8 ft/2 m	Cosby	Appalachian Trail

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

Several rivers rise from streams in the Smokies, including the Pigeon River, Little Pigeon River, Oconaluftee River, Nantahala River. The French Broad River originates in the Blue Ridge Mountains and flows through Asheville, North Carolina, and across the northeastern end of the Smokies. A Norfolk Southern railway line runs along the river as well.

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.

References

External links

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 ==External links==
+*[http://www.thesmokmountaindirectory.com
 *[http://www.smokymtnmall.com/ Smoky Mountains]
 *[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/nphtml/gsmhome.html History and maps]