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Home » North Carolina » Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Great Smoky Mountains rise along the Tennessee–North Carolina border. Established in 1926, the national park preserves its world-renowned beauty and diverse ecosystem.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited in the United States because of its accessibility. A major north-south highway, US 441, runs through the park, giving travelers an opportunity to experience the wonders on their journeys.

Basic Information

Entrance Fee: No entrance fee, but parking tags are required for all vehicles parking for longer than 15 minutes.
Size: 816.280 square miles (522,419 acres) with six entrances.
Operating Schedule: The park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. However, some secondary roads, campgrounds, and other visitor facilities close in winter.

Cliff Tower House in Mesa Verde, a national park founded by women.
Posted inHistory

The story of two National Parks founded by women

Avatar photo by Will De Man March 14, 2025March 17, 2025

Who founded the national parks? The average American would probably say Theodore Roosevelt. Someone with a little deeper knowledge might point to John Muir. While these men were both national figures in the conversation movement, the majority of national parks were championed by local movements. In almost every case, one individual rose above the rest […]

Photos of Ann Houghton provided by the NPS.
Posted inPolice & Fire

Missing hiker found dead at Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Heather Bergeson by Heather Bergeson February 3, 2025February 3, 2025
Josh Shapiro, Trails Forever supervisor, cuts the ribbon for Ramsey Cascades Trail. NPS
Posted inHiking

Park-favorite Ramsey Cascades Trail reopens to hikers after three years of restoration

Heather Bergeson by Heather Bergeson November 21, 2024November 21, 2024
The Old Guide's Cemetery in Mammoth Cave National Park. The first cave explorer and several tuberculosis patients are buried just a short hike from the visitor's center.
Posted inTravel

Tales from National Parks to add some scare to spooky season

Heather Bergeson by Heather Bergeson October 30, 2024October 31, 2024
A fallen tree has detroyed a portion of the boardwalk in Congaree National Park.
Posted inPolice & Fire

Recovery and closures in the national parks after Hurricane Helene

Heather Bergeson by Heather Bergeson October 1, 2024October 1, 2024
Aerial view from a helicopter of Flint Gap Fire in Great Smoky Mountains on September 12, 2024.
Posted inPolice & Fire

Wildfire in Great Smoky Mountains now 95% contained.

Heather Bergeson by Heather Bergeson September 25, 2024

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For the first time in more than four decades, visitors to Great Basin National Park can explore rarely seen sections of the park’s iconic Lehman Caves on a new ranger-led adventure. When the Dragon Bravo Fire began on July 4, the NPS decided to manage it as a controlled burn in a defined perimeter. Over the weekend, three visitors at Glacier National Park fell into Avalanche Creek while posing for a photo. One managed to grab a branch; two were swept downstream. National parks across the country are preparing for one of the busiest weekends of the year as visitors flood iconic landscapes to celebrate Independence Day. The puppy cam is live in Denali National Park! It might not reach a hundred ninety-nine degrees, but temps in the Grand Canyon are often in the triple digits throughout the summer.
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