| Great Smoky Mountains National Park | |
|---|---|
IUCN category II (national park)
| |
View from Mount Le Conte
| |
 
Location in the United States
| |
| Location | Swain & Haywood counties in North Carolina; Sevier, Blount, & Cocke counties in Tennessee, United States |
| Nearest city | Cherokee, North Carolina and Gatlinburg, Tennessee |
| Coordinates | 35°36′N 83°31′WCoordinates: 35°36′N 83°31′W |
| Area | 522,419 acres (2,114.15 km2) |
| Visitors | 11,421,200 (in 2018) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Official website |
| Criteria | Natural: vii, viii, ix, x |
| Reference | 259 |
| Inscription | 1983 (7th session) |
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee and North Carolina runs northeast to southwest through the centerline of the park. Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited national park in the United States with over 11.3 million recreational visitors in 2016. The Appalachian Trail passes through the center of the park on its route from Maine to Georgia. The park was chartered by the United States Congress in 1934 and officially dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940.
The park encompasses 522,419 acres (816.28 sq mi; 211,415.47 ha; 2,114.15 km2), making it one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States. The main park entrances are located along U.S. Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) at the towns of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Cherokee, North Carolina. Great Smoky Mountains was the first national park whose land and other costs were paid for in part with federal funds; previous parks were funded wholly with state money or private funds.
History
Before the arrival of European settlers, the region was part of the homeland of the Cherokees. Frontiers people began settling the land in the 18th and early 19th century. In 1830 President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, beginning the process that eventually resulted in the forced removal of all Indian tribes east of the Mississippi River to what is now Oklahoma. Many of the Cherokee left, but some, led by renegade warrior Tsali, hid out in the area that is now the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Some of their descendants now live in the Qualla Boundary to the south of the park.
Clearcut logging in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Tennessee, 1936
As white settlers arrived, logging grew as a major industry in the mountains, and a rail line, the Little River Railroad, was constructed in the late-19th Century to haul timber out of the remote regions of the area. Cut-and-run-style clearcutting
was destroying the natural beauty of the area, so visitors and locals
banded together to raise money for preservation of the land. The U.S. National Park Service wanted a park in the eastern United States, but did not have much money to establish one. David Chapman,
a Knoxville business leader, was appointed to head a commission to turn
the area into a national park in 1925. Though Congress had authorized
the park in 1926, there was no nucleus of federally owned land around
which to build a park. John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
contributed $5 million, the U.S. government added $2 million, and
private citizens from Tennessee and North Carolina pitched in to
assemble the land for the park, piece by piece. Slowly, mountain
homesteaders, miners, and loggers were evicted from the land. Farms and
timbering operations were abolished to establish the protected areas of
the park. Travel writer Horace Kephart, for whom Mount Kephart was named, and photographers Jim Thompson and George Masa were instrumental in fostering the development of the park. Former Governor Ben W. Hooper of Tennessee was the principal land purchasing agent for the park, which was officially established on 15 June 1934. During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Works Progress Administration,
and other federal organizations made trails, fire watchtowers, and
other infrastructure improvements to the park and Smoky Mountains.
It was also a site for filming of parts of Disney's hit 1950s TV series, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.
This park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1976, was certified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, and became a part of the Southern Appalachian Biosphere Reserve in 1988.
A 75th anniversary re-dedication ceremony was held on 2 September
2009. Among those in attendance were all four US Senators, the three
US Representatives whose districts include the park, the governors of
both states, and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. Tennessee native, singer, and actress Dolly Parton also attended and performed.
Geology
The majority of rocks in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are Late Precambrian rocks that are part of the Ocoee Supergroup. This group consists of metamorphosed sandstones, phyllites, schists, and slate.
Early Precambrian rocks are not only the oldest rocks in the park but
also the dominant rock type in sites such as the Raven Fork Valley and
upper Tuckasegee River between Cherokee and Bryson City. They primarily
consist of metamorphic gneiss, granite, and schist. Cambrian sedimentary rocks can be found among the bottom of the Foothills to the northwest and in limestone coves such as Cades Cove. One of the most visited attractions in the mountains is Cades Cove which is a window or an area where older rocks made out of sandstone surround the valley floor of younger rocks made out of limestone.
The oldest rocks in the Smokies are the Precambrian gneiss and
schists which were formed over a billion years ago from the accumulation
of marine sediments and igneous rock. In the Late Precambrian, the
primordial ocean expanded and the more recent Ocoee Supergroup rocks
formed from the accumulation of eroding land mass onto the continental
shelf. In the Paleozoic Era, the ocean deposited a thick layer of marine
sediments which left behind sedimentary rock. During the Ordovician Period, the collision of the North American and African tectonic plates initiated the Alleghenian orogeny that created the Appalachian range. During the Mesozoic Era rapid erosion of softer sedimentary rocks re-exposed the older Ocoee Supergroup formations.
Environment
The observation tower at Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the national park
Elevations in the park range from about 875 feet (267 m) to 6,643 feet (2,025 m) at the summit of Clingmans Dome. Within the park a total of sixteen mountains reach higher than 5,000 feet (1,520 m).
The wide range of elevations mimics the latitudinal changes found
throughout the entire eastern United States. Indeed, ascending the
mountains is comparable to a trip from Tennessee to Canada. Plants and
animals common in the country's Northeast have found suitable ecological niches in the park's higher elevations, while southern species find homes in the balmier lower reaches.
During the most recent ice age,
the northeast-to-southwest orientation of the Appalachian mountains
allowed species to migrate southward along the slopes rather than
finding the mountains to be a barrier. As climate warms, many northern
species are now retreating upward along the slopes and withdrawing
northward, while southern species are expanding.
The park is almost 95 percent forested, and almost 36 percent of it, 187,000 acres (76,000 ha), is estimated by the Park Service to be old growth forest with many trees that predate European settlement of the area. It is one of the largest blocks of deciduous, temperate, old growth forest in North America.
Colorful autumn leaves in October 2008
The variety of elevations, the abundant rainfall, and the presence of old growth forests give the park an unusual richness of biota. About 19,000 species
of organisms are known to live in the park, and estimates as high as an
additional 100,000 undocumented species may also be present.
Park officials count more than 200 species of birds, 50 species
of fish, 39 species of reptiles, and 43 species of amphibians, including
many lungless salamanders. The park has a noteworthy black bear population, numbering about 1,500. An experimental re-introduction of elk (wapiti) into the park began in 2001. Elk are most abundant in the Cataloochee area in the southeastern section of the park.
It is also home to species of mammals such as the raccoon, bobcat, two species of fox, river otter, woodchuck, beaver, two species of squirrel, opossum, coyote, white-tailed deer, chipmunk, two species of skunk, and various species of bats.
Over 100 species of trees grow in the park. The lower region forests are dominated by deciduous leafy trees. At higher altitudes, deciduous forests give way to coniferous trees like Fraser fir. In addition, the park has over 1,400 flowering plant species and over 4,000 species of non-flowering plants.
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has two climate types: humid subtropical (Cfa) and temperate oceanic (Cfb). The plant hardiness zone at Clingmans Dome Visitor Center is 5b with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of -14.3 °F (-25.7 °C).
The humid, subtropical air mass typically in place over the Smoky
Mountains produces large amounts of precipitation. Annual precipitation
amounts range from 50–80 in (1,300–2,000 mm), with heavy winter snowfall in the higher elevations. Flash flooding often occurs after heavy rain.
The average temperature difference between the mountains, such as Newfound Gap at 5,048 ft (1,539 m) above MSL,
and the valleys at about 1,600 ft (488 m), is between 10–13 °F
(5.6–7.2 °C) for highs, and between 3–6 °F (1.7–3.3 °C) for lows. The
difference between high temperatures is similar to the moist adiabatic lapse rate of 3.3 °F (1.8 °C) per 1,000 ft (300 m), while the smaller difference between low temperatures is the result of frequent temperature inversions developing in the morning, most often in autumn.
Strong damaging winds of 80–100 mph (130–160 km/h) or higher
occur a few times each year around the Smoky Mountains, mainly during
the cool season from October to April, as a result of a phenomenon known
as mountain waves.
Mountain waves are strongest in a narrow area along the foothills, and
can create extensive areas of fallen trees and roof damage, especially
around Cades Cove and Cove Mountain. Strong winds created by mountain waves were a contributing factor in the devastating Gatlinburg fire on November 28, 2016 during the 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires.
Attractions and activities
The Alum Cave Bluffs trail to the summit of Mount LeConte provides numerous views of the Great Smoky Mountains.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a major tourist
attraction in the region. Over 11.3 million recreational visitors
(tourists) and an additional 11 million non-recreational visitors
traveled to, or through, the park in 2016.
The recreational figure represents nearly twice as many tourists as the
Grand Canyon, which received nearly 6 million visitors the same year.
Surrounding towns, notably Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Townsend, Tennessee, and Cherokee, Sylva, Maggie Valley, and Bryson City, North Carolina receive a significant portion of their income from tourism associated with the park.
The two main visitors' centers inside the park are Sugarlands Visitors' Center near the Gatlinburg entrance to the park and Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, North Carolina at the eastern entrance to the park. These ranger stations provide exhibits on wildlife, geology, and the history of the park. They also sell books, maps, and souvenirs.
U.S. Highway 441
(known in the park as Newfound Gap Road) bisects the park, providing
automobile access to many trailheads and overlooks, most notably that of
Newfound Gap.
At an elevation of 5,048 feet (1,539 m), it is the lowest gap in the
mountains and is situated near the center of the park, on the
Tennessee/North Carolina state line, halfway between the border towns of
Gatlinburg and Cherokee. It was here that in 1940, from the Rockefeller
Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt dedicated the national park. On
clear days Newfound Gap offers arguably the most spectacular scenes
accessible via highway in the park.
The park has a number of historical attractions. The most well-preserved of these (and most popular) is Cades Cove, a valley with a number of preserved historic buildings including log cabins, barns, and churches.
Cades Cove is the single most frequented destination in the national
park. Self-guided automobile and bicycle tours offer the many sightseers
a glimpse into the way of life of old-time southern Appalachia. Other historical areas within the park include Roaring Fork, Cataloochee, Elkmont, and the Mountain Farm Museum and Mingus Mill on the Oconaluftee River.
Hiking
There are 850 miles (1,370 km) of trails and unpaved roads in the
park for hiking, including seventy miles of the Appalachian Trail. Mount Le Conte
is one of the most frequented destinations in the park. Its elevation
is 6,593 feet (2,010 m) — the third highest summit in the park and,
measured from its base to its highest peak, the tallest mountain east of
the Mississippi River. Alum Cave Trail
is the most heavily used of the five paths en route to the summit. It
provides many scenic overlooks and unique natural attractions such as
Alum Cave Bluffs and Arch Rock. Hikers may spend a night at the LeConte
Lodge, located near the summit, which provides cabins and rooms for
rent (except during the winter season). Accessible solely by trail, it
is the only private lodging available inside the park.
The Chimney Tops was a popular destination for hikers until access was closed due to wildfire damage in 2016.
Another popular hiking trail led to the pinnacle of the Chimney Tops,
so named because of its unique dual-humped peaktops. This short but
strenuous trek rewarded nature enthusiasts with a spectacular panorama
of the surrounding mountain peaks. It was the flashpoint for the 2016
wildfires and therefore sustained extensive damage, evident still today
in clearly visible burn scars. The peak has been closed to tourists ever
since.
Both the Laurel Falls and Clingman's Dome trails offer relatively
easy, short, paved paths to their respective destinations. The Laurel Falls Trail leads to a powerful 80-foot (24 m) waterfall,
and the Clingman's Dome Trail takes visitors on an uphill climb to a
fifty-foot observation deck, which on a clear day offers views for many
miles over the Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia mountains.
In addition to day hiking, the national park offers opportunities for backpacking and camping.
Camping is allowed only in designated camping areas and shelters. Most
of the park's trail shelters are located along the Appalachian Trail or a
short distance away on side trails. In addition to the Appalachian
Trail shelters used mostly for extended backpacking trips there are
three shelters in the park that are not located on the Appalachian
Trail.
- The Mt. LeConte Shelter is located a short distance east of LeConte Lodge on The Boulevard Trail. It can accommodate 12 people per night, and is the only backcountry site in the entire park that has a permanent ban on campfires.
- The Kephart Shelter is located at the terminus of the Kephart Prong Trail which begins upstream of the Collins Creek Picnic Area. The shelter, situated along a tributary of the Oconaluftee River can accommodate 14 people.
- Laurel Gap Shelter is one of the more remote shelters in the park. Situated in a Beech forest swag between Balsam High Top and Big Cataloochee Mountain, the Laurel Gap Shelter can accommodate up to 14 people per night. This shelter is a popular base camp for peakbaggers exploring the heart of the Smokies wilderness.
Designated backcountry campsites are scattered throughout the park. A
permit, available at ranger stations and via the Park website, is
required for all backcountry camping. Additionally, reservations are
required for all of the shelters and backcountry campsites. A maximum
stay of one night, in the case of shelters, or three nights, in the case
of campsites, may limit the traveler's itinerary.
Other activities
After hiking and simple sightseeing, fishing (especially fly fishing)
is the most popular activity in the national park. The park's waters
have long had a reputation for healthy trout activity as well as
challenging fishing terrain. Brook trout are native to the waters, while
both brown and rainbow were introduced to the area. Partially due to
the fact of recent droughts killing off the native fish, there are
strict regulations regarding how fishing may be conducted. Horseback riding (offered by the national park and on limited trails), bicycling (available for rent in Cades Cove) and water tubing are all also practiced within the park.
Cades Cove panorama
Historic areas within the national park
The Becky Cable house in the Cades Cove Historic District was built in 1879.
The park service maintains four historic districts and one
archaeological district within park boundaries, as well as nine
individual listings on the National Register of Historic Places.
Notable structures not listed include the Mountain Farm Museum buildings
at Oconaluftee and buildings in the Cataloochee area. The Mingus Mill
(in Oconaluftee) and Smoky Mountain Hiking Club cabin in Greenbrier have
been deemed eligible for listing.
Historic districts
- Cades Cove Historic District
- Elkmont Historic District
- Oconaluftee Archaeological District
- Noah Ogle Place
- Roaring Fork Historic District
Individual listings
The John Ownby Cabin in The Sugarlands valley was built in 1860.
- Alex Cole Cabin
- Clingmans Dome Observation Tower
- Hall Cabin (in Hazel Creek area)
- John Messer Barn
- John Ownby Cabin
- Oconaluftee Baptist Church (also called Smokemont Baptist Church)
- Tyson McCarter Place
- Mayna Treanor Avent Studio
- Little Greenbrier School
- Walker Sisters Place
Electric vehicles
The National Park Service (NPS) announced in late 2001 that it would use electric vehicles (EVs) provided by the Tennessee Valley Authority
(TVA) for a research project in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
to evaluate the vehicles' performance in mountainous terrain. The NPS
said the EVs will be on loan from TVA for two years and will be used by
park service staff at Cades Cove and the Great Smoky Mountains Institute
at Tremont to determine the benefits provided by these vehicles versus
standard gasoline-fueled vehicles.
Air pollution
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is considered the most polluted national park according to a 2004 report by the National Parks Conservation Association.
From 1999 to 2003, the park recorded approximately 150 unhealthy air
days, the equivalent of about one month of unhealthy air days per year. In 2013, Colorado State University reported that, due to the passing of the United States Clean Air Act in 1970 and the subsequent implementation of the Acid Rain Program there was a "significant improvement" to the air quality in the Great Smoky Mountains from 1990 to 2010.
