Lying on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, with approximately half the Park in each state, the Great Smoky Mountains contains 520,000 acres, or about 800 square miles. The wilderness includes the largest stand of uncut woods in the eastern U.S., approximately 150,000 acres of old-growth trees, including hemlock, oaks, poplar, beech, hickories, maples, pine, birch, spruce, and fir. Although the remainder of the park was once logged, second-growth forest has reclaimed most of the land so that today the Great Smoky Mountains offers some of the best outdoor recreation in the East. The trees of the Great Smoky Mountains give off terpenes, hydrocarbon molecules that break down in sunlight and then recombine into larger molecules which refract light and create a blue haze. White-tailed deer are frequent in the Smokies, especially in open areas.
Black bear are less frequent, but are still be seen on occasion while hiking the backcountry.
Do not confront bears, but also do not run. Back off slowly. Animals you're likely to see include squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, skunks, opossums, salamanders, and less likely, fox, raccoons, and re-introduced wolf and otter. Never feed wildlife, especially bears, which can lose their natural fear of humans and pose a threat to you and other visitors. Always be prepared for rain with proper gear.