Great Smoky Mountains National Park

By Sheridan Alexander, About.com Guide

Tennessee and North Carolina - Welcoming eight to ten million annual visitors, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States. Located along the North Carolina and Tennessee border, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open 24 hours every day of the year, although some roads and facilities close during the winter. The park is one of the only major national parks that does not charge an entrance fee, although fees are charged for activities such picnic pavilion rental and overnight camping.

A sanctuary habitat for an abundant array of protected animals and plants, the Great Smoky Mountains are home to the most biological diversity in the world's temperate zone. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the largest protected land areas in the eastern United States. The Park supports an estimated 100,000 forms of life, including a world-renowned preserve of wildflower diversity. In 1983, the Park was inscribed as a Natural World Heritage Site.

Popular activities in Great Smoky Mountains National Park include hiking, fishing, picnicking, wildlife viewing and auto touring. Ranger-guided programs are offered in the spring, summer and fall.

Getting to Great Smoky Mountains National Park - There are three main entrances into Great Smoky Mountains National Park located in:

• Gatlinburg, Tennessee - via US-441 South
  
• Townsend, Tennessee - via TN Route 73 - East
  
• Cherokee, North Carolina - via US-441 North

Related Articles and Trip Planning Information:

• Where to See Spring Wildflowers
  
• Fall Foliage - Typical Peak Periods in North Carolina
  
• Fall Foliage - Typical Peak Periods in Tennessee
  
• More about Great Smoky Mountains National Park from About.com's Guide to US Parks
  
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park - NPS Website
  
• National Park Service Smokies Trip Planner