"My Tennessee (and North Carolina) Mountain Home" Top 5 Page for this destination Great Smoky Mountains National Park by Stephen-KarenConn

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Travel Guide: 213 reviews and 511 photos

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

"There are trees here that stood before our forefathers came to this continent; there are brooks that still run as clear as the day the first pioneer cupped his hand and drank from them."
--Franklin D. Roosevelt
Dedicating Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Great Smoky Mountains are my favorite spot on Planet Earth. The National Park straddles the Tennessee/North Carolina border and encompases more than half a million acres of mountain splendor. These verdant peaks are the storehouse of more different species of flowering plants and trees than in all of Western Europe. They are also home to an impressive array of wildlife including whitetail deer, elk, red wolves, wild boar, and the largest population of black bears in eastern America.

The Smokies may not have the stark naked beauty of western U.S. peaks, such as the Grand Tetons, but their more mature, softer contours comfort me like once did my own Mother's bosom. Not to be underestimated, the Smokies rival their Rocky Mountain counterparts when measured from foot to peak, rather than by elevation alone. Mt. Leconte soars more than a mile into the southern sky above it's base along the Little Pigeon River in Gatlinburg. Although this most popular of all U.S. national parks draws up to 10 million visitors a year (more than Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon combined), there's enough room to easily escape the crowds and not see another human being for days on end.

I grew up in East Tennessee and have lived within sight of the Smokies both on the Tennesse and North Carolina sides. As time allows I will be building these pages in an effort to share with you my mountain home.

FYI: The proper spelling is "Smoky" NOT "Smokey" as you see it so often misspelled.

Pros and Cons

In a nutshell:The Most Visited National Park in the United States

Last visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Jul 2004
Intro Updated Oct 21, 2005
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Reviews (37)

The Appalachian Trail - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Appalachian Trail Off The Beaten Path (5)

coming... more travel advice

Big Creek - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Big Creek Off The Beaten Path (5)

coming... more travel advice

A Smoky Mountain Stream - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Don't Drink the Water Warnings and Dangers (2)

One of the things we love most about the Smokies are the hundreds of miles of swift flowing rocky streams. They're... more travel advice

Karen in Front of # 9 Cabin - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

On Top of Old Smoky Hotels (3)

Karen is so wonderful. She actually got more of a kick out of staying in this rustic 10x10 cabin at LeConte Lodge than... more travel advice

Things to Do (20)
See All Newfound Gap
Favorites (4)
See All Great Smoky Mountains Weather

Comments (47)

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alisha66 Dec 9, 2010 at 10:08 PM

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the largest protected land areas east of the Rocky Mountains. wildlifeworld360.com/great-s...
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Faiza-Ifrah Aug 18, 2009 at 6:24 PM

these are great tips on a great national park. i will be here auguts 22 2009 onwards. thanks for building such a great page as this.
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BROOKS Oct 28, 2007 at 6:41 PM

WHAT A DETAILED PAGE, IT SOUNDS LIKE FUN.
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volopolo Oct 15, 2006 at 5:07 PM

Wonderful picture! My friend George lives in Ohio, so i hope in the future to visit Usa. Nikos
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herbeehusker Jul 23, 2006 at 5:40 PM

How wonderful...I'd love it too
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vhasouth Jun 7, 2006 at 1:15 PM

I'm getting ready to head back to the Smokies...have you tried Whitewater Rafting there???
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chewy3326 Jan 16, 2006 at 11:34 AM

Looks like quite a beautiful place! the Smokies are high up on my must do list.
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KiKitC Oct 25, 2005 at 2:36 PM

Fantastic pages, and sooo many travels, how lucky. I'll be visiting your pages often. Thank you.
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CoAir13 Sep 7, 2005 at 4:45 AM

Another well written, informative page!! Great pics, too!!! Booked a cabin in Townsend next month...can't wait!!! J & E
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ferdnbean Jul 7, 2005 at 2:48 PM

As usual, Steve has accumluted another "Connprehensive" travel guide that isn't just about the facts...he also captures the feel of the place, and in this case even the spirit of the Smokies and the people who have lived there for centuries. Bravo! Wayne