| The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is | | | | popular summer months. |
| located in southeastern Tennessee and borders | | | | The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is |
| North Carolina on its western side. The parked | | | | serviced by the towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge |
| was so named because of the perpetual haze | | | | and Townsend on the Tennessee side and by |
| that lingers over the valleys and peaks that make | | | | Maggie Valley and Cherokee on the North Carolina |
| up this part of the Appalachian Mountains. | | | | side. Each town offers a diverse mixture of |
| Smoky Mountain National Park covers more than | | | | activities, shopping, dining, lodging and of course, |
| half a million acres and is home to a large diversity | | | | great southern hospitality. |
| of wildlife and more than four thousand species of | | | | Smoky Mountain National Park is also home to |
| plants. Black bears can be seen on many of the | | | | Cades Cove, one of the most serene and |
| trails in the park and quite frequently in Cades | | | | picturesque locations in the eastern United States. |
| Cove and some campgrounds. Despite their | | | | Cades Cove is a must see if you are anywhere |
| rather cute appearance, they are not to be | | | | near the Smoky Mountains on your vacation. The |
| messed with. | | | | highlight of Cades Cove is the 11 mile loop that |
| Once a part of the Cherokee Indian homeland, | | | | encircles the valley. To catch a glimpse of some |
| the Smokies today are a hiker's paradise with | | | | of the Smokies wildlife, plan your trip around the |
| over 800 miles of trails within the borders of the | | | | loop road early in the morning or at dusk. |
| park. There are all classes of hiking trails for those | | | | You will be able step back in history and enjoy |
| that are just out for a nature walk to those that | | | | the pioneer spirit for a few hours or a full day |
| are serious hikers and climbers. You can even get | | | | when you visit Cades Cove. Don't miss it. |
| backcountry permits to hike some of the more | | | | There are an endless amount of activities to |
| obscure trails not open to the general public. | | | | enjoy while visiting the Smoky Mountain National |
| The park is the most visited National Park in the | | | | Park such as hiking as I mentioned earlier, biking, |
| entire United States with more than nine million | | | | camping, wildlife watching, tubing and white water |
| visitors each year. You will want to plan out your | | | | rafting and much more. |
| adventure through the park as traffic can get | | | | Come to the Smokies and experience the reason |
| quite congested in some of the more popular | | | | more than 9 million people vacation in this serene |
| areas of the park, especially during the more | | | | mountain paradise each and every year. |
