Great Smoky Mountains
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Great Smoky Mountains are a major mountain range in the southern part of the Appalachian Mountains, the second ridge line forming a north-south running mountain chain from the eastern seaboard and bordering the western side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Also called the Smoky Mountains or the Smokies, they straddle the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, and are entirely west of the Eastern Continental Divide.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the prominent feature of the mountains. It was established as a national park in the 1930s, and with over 9 million visits per year, it is the most-visited national park in the United States[1]. Much of the range is also protected as the Nantahala National Forest, Pisgah National Forest, and Cherokee National Forest outside of the park.
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[edit] Name
The name of the area comes from the natural haze that often hangs over it. As in the neighboring Blue Ridge Mountains to the east, hydrocarbons produced by trees and other local vegetation, as well as higher humidity produce a bluish cast to the sky, even over short distances. Visibility now is dramatically reduced by smog from both the Southeastern United States and the Midwest, and smog forecasts are prepared daily by the Environmental Protection Agency for both nearby Knoxville, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina.
[edit] Peaks
The highest point in the Smokies is Clingmans Dome (6,642 feet, 2,024 meters), which is located within the national park. A paved road leads to within 300 feet (90 m) of the summit, and from there visitors can walk a trail to the top. A handicap-accessible tower is located at the summit, and on clear days visitors can see five states (Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Kentucky). Clingmans Dome is also the highest point in Tennessee. The Smokies rise prominently above the surrounding low terrain. For example, Mount LeConte (6,593 feet, 2,010 meters) rises more than a mile above its base. Because of their prominence, the Smokies receive heavy annual amounts of precipitation. Annual precipitation amounts range from 50 to 80 inches (130-200 cm)[2], and snowfall in the winter can be heavy, especially on the higher slopes. For comparison, the surrounding terrain has annual precipitation of around 40 to 50 inches (100-130 cm).
Other prominent peaks include Thunderhead Mountain (5,527 feet, 1,684 meters), Silers Bald (5,607 feet, 1,709 meters), and Gregory Bald (4,949 feet, 1,508 meters), which adorn the crest west of Clingman's Dome. Mount Guyot (6,621 feet, 2018 meters), Mount Cammerer (4,928 feet, 1,502 meters), Mount Sterling (5,842 feet, 1781 meters), and Big Cataloochee (6,155 feet, 1,876 meters) dominate the eastern Smokies. Chimney Tops (4,800 feet, 1,463 meters), with its conical double-capstone, is one of the most recognizeable geological features in the range.
Shuckstack (4,020 feet, 1,225 meters) and Newton Bald (5176 feet, 1,573 meters) are key summits along the southern rim of the Smokies.
[edit] Flora and fauna
Biological diversity is the hallmark of Great Smoky Mountains. Over 10,000 species have been documented; scientists believe an additional 90,000 species may be present[3].
Many wildflowers grow in the mountains and valleys, including bee balm, Solomon's seal, Dutchman's breeches, various trilliums, the Dragon's Advocate and even hardy orchids.
Unfortunately, the ecosystem is not as healthy as it could be. Atmospheric pollution may be contributing to increased Red Spruce tree mortality at higher elevations and oak decline at lower elevations, while the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid attacks the hemlocks, and the balsam woolly adelgid attacks the firs. Pseudoscymnus tsugae has been introduced in an attempt to control the pests[4].
Other subalpine species more typical of Maine and even Canada are found at the highest elevations, above about 5,000 feet (1,500 m) AMSL. Some bird migration actually takes place vertically, with the "local" birds going up and down the mountains rather than north and south.
There are two native species of rhododendron in the area. The Catawba rhododendron has purple flowers in May and June, while the rosebay rhododendron has longer leaves and blooms white or a light pink in June and July. The orange- to sometimes red-flowered and deciduous flame azalea closely follows along with the Catawbas. The closely-related mountain laurel blooms in between the two, and all of the blooms progress from lower to higher elevations.
The reverse is true in autumn, when nearly-bare mountaintops covered in rime ice (frozen fog) can be separated from green valleys by very bright and varied leaf colors. The rhododendrons are broadleafs, whose leaves droop in order to shed wet and heavy snows that come through the region in winter.
[edit] Water
Several rivers rise from streams in the Smokies, including the Little Pigeon River, Oconaluftee River, Nantahala River and several others. The French Broad River actually originates in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and flows through Asheville, North Carolina, and across the northeastern end of the Smokies. A Norfolk Southern railway line runs along the river as well.
Flooding can and does occur after heavy rains. In 2004, the remnants of Hurricane Frances caused major flooding, landslides, and high winds, soon followed by Hurricane Ivan which made it even worse. Other post-hurricanes, including Hurricane Hugo in 1989, have caused similar damage in the Smokies.
[edit] Culture and tourism
The culture of the area is that of Appalachia, and previously the Cherokee people. Tourism is a huge draw to the area, particularly to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg in Tennessee, and Cherokee, North Carolina.
Rafting, either leisurely tubing or in full whitewater, is common all summer. Skiing is also done in winter, though for a short season, at places like Cataloochee and Ober Gatlinburg.
Country music legend Dolly Parton is from the Smokies, born and raised in Sevierville. She is associated with the Dollywood amusement park.
[edit] See also
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Appalachian Mountains
- Appalachian Trail
- Mount LeConte
- Gatlinburg, Tennessee
- Wildflowers of the Great Smoky Mountains
[edit] References
- National Park Service website
- Official Nonprofit Partner Event Calendars
- National Weather Service Southern Appalachian Precipitation study
- Cornell University study on invasive balsam woolly adelgid control
