The Great Smoky Mountains Offers Many Opportunities to Experience Nature

Wednesday June 23, 2010
Today, it is the most visited national park in the country with around 10 million visitors a year

TOWNSEND, Tenn. - After returning from a visit to the United States' western national parks, a wealthy and influential Knoxville couple, Mr. and Mrs. Willis P. Davis, decided they wanted to create a national park in the Smoky Mountains. In 1940, after 17 years of controversy, the Davis's dream came true and 500,000 acres of continuous ridges of forests between North Carolina and Tennessee became the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

During its first full year, the park attracted approximately one million visitors. Today, it is the most visited national park in the country with around 10 million visitors a year.

"There were many obstacles to overcome to create the park," said Herb Handly, executive vice president of tourism for the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau. "First and foremost was getting enough money to purchase the land. That was a stressed financial time in our country, and much of the land was being used by a logging company, which employed a lot of people."

North Carolina finally agreed to share a border to the park with Tennessee and appropriated $2 million in 1927, but only if Tennessee would do the same. Tennessee's legislature appropriated the $2 million the same year. Although both states had committed to the project, the funding simply was not enough. With some persuasion, the Rockefellers, a philanthropic family, agreed to make a donation of $5 million if the states and the park commission would match the amount. With this agreement in place, the fund raising effort was over, but the hardest task was yet to come. Landowners had to be persuaded to sell their property in the Smokies to create the park.

While part of the land was donated by individuals who saw the greater good, much of the land had to be purchased. The Little River Lumber Company and the Champion Fiber Company were the single largest property owners. The companies eventually negotiated the highest prices for their land. The Little River Lumber Company was allowed to continue logging the area for another seven years until 1932.

"When it was all said and done, the park was created for around $12 million," said Handly. "But if you tried to do this in today's dollars, the amount is immeasurable. We are truly blessed that people had the initiative and the foresight to begin the process when they did so today we have this wonderful national park for visitors from around the world to enjoy."

Today, visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park can enjoy more than 5,000 species of plant life and more than 200 different kinds of birds, fish and other animals who make the park their home. Recreational activities are abundant, and visitors can choose to hike, bike, horseback ride, fish or explore the park from their vehicle.

The park offers more than 850 miles of hiking trails, ranging from easy to difficult. Trips last from half hour walks to weeklong backpacking trips. Another way to enjoy the park is on bicycle. While there are no mountain bike trails in the park, bikes are permitted on most roads, and the 11- mile Cades Cove Loop Road is closed to motorized traffic until 10 a.m. on Wednesday and Saturday mornings beginning the second week in May and continuing partway through September to allow bicyclists a chance to enjoy the cove.

Horseback riding by the hour is also available on about 550 miles of the park's hiking trails from mid-March until late November. Others may prefer to tour the park in their automobile, and with the park's 270 miles of roads, most of which are paved, one can still experience the panoramic views of mountain streams, weathered historic buildings, forests and wildlife this way. One of the most heavily traveled roads is the 33-mile Newfound Gap Road, which ascends 3,000 feet and connects Cherokee, North Carolina and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Another favorite is the Little River Road that runs parallel to the Little River from Sugarlands Visitor Center to near Townsend. The road allows travelers to catch views of waterfalls and wildflowers on the backdrop of the Little River.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers about 2,115 miles of fishing streams. Most streams remain at or near their fish carrying capacity, and fishing is permitted year-round in the park in most streams. However, certain streams are closed to fishing to protect the endangered fish species.

Detailed information, including a complete list of regulations and a map of fishable water parks, is available at any visitor center or ranger station. A valid fishing license or permit from either Tennessee or North Carolina is required to fish throughout the park. No trout stamp is required, but special permits are required for fishing in Gatlinburg and Cherokee, North Carolina.

Another recreation activity within the park is camping. Visitors can choose from front-country camping, backcountry camping (also known as backpacking) and a limited amount of group camping areas. Ten campgrounds are located within the park, and the campsite elevations range from 1,125 feet at Abrams Creek to Balsam Mountain campground at 5,310 feet. Backcountry camping is only permitted for those who acquire a free backcountry permit, which is available at most ranger stations and visitor centers.

Picnicking is permitted year round in Cades Cove, Chimney Tops, Cosby, Deep Creek, Greenbriar and Metcalf Bottoms.

For more information on the national park please visit www.nps.gov/grsm/. For more information on the Townsend area, please contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-525-6834, (865) 448-6134, or visit the bureau online at www.smokymountains.org.

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