Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park  is a national park in Tennessee and North Carolina in the United States. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The park is along the Great Smoky Mountains, which are part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is connected to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia by the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is the most visited national park in the United States.GSMNP main page - National Park Service

There are many elevations in the park. The lowest place is Abrams Creek at .  The highest point is Kuwohi at . Sixteen mountains in the park reach higher than 6,000 feet (1829 m).

Park officials say there are more than 200 species of birds, 66 species of mammals, 50 species of fish, 39 species of reptiles, and 43 species of amphibians, including many lungless salamanders. The park has about 1,500 black bear  In 2001 elk were brought to the park.

Over 100 species of trees grow in the park. The lower forests are mostly deciduous leafy trees. At higher altitudes, there are more coniferous trees. The park has over 1,400 flowering plant species and over 4,000 species of non-flowering plants.

There are 850 miles (1,368 km) of trails and unpaved roads in the park for hiking. The park also offers backpacking and camping.

References

Category:World Heritage Sites in the United States
Category:National parks in the United States
Category:Geography of Tennessee
Category:Geography of North Carolina
Category:Appalachian Mountains