Great Smoky Mountains National Park

About this place

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a national park in the southeastern United States, spanning North Carolina and Tennessee along the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian chain. Its main entrance is at the town of Gatlinburg, about 12 km north of the heart of the park in a straight line. With more than 11 million visitors in 2025, it is the most visited national park in the United States. It covers about 2,114 square kilometres and contains some of the highest mountains in eastern North America, including Kuwohi and Mount Le Conte, and the Appalachian Trail crosses it. Congress chartered it in 1934 and it was formally dedicated in 1940. It is known for its mountains, waterfalls, great biodiversity and forests. Forested ridges roll on to the horizon under a faint blue haze that gave the mountains their «smoky» name. In autumn the forests turn red, orange and gold, and clear streams run between moss-covered boulders. Visitors drive the park's mountain roads, stopping at viewpoints, hike trails to waterfalls and sometimes see elk and black bears from a distance. Autumn is the most famous and busiest season.