Many tourists plan vacations to Smoky Mountains, TN, to escape the concrete jungles they live and work in. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracted more visitors than most other parks combined in 2019 and there are many reasons why this is so.
Nature unraveled
This abundantly biodiverse place is almost overflowing with wildlife, flora, and fungi of all kinds possible. On your visit, you can feast your eyes on mushrooms, wildflowers, lichens, elks, black bears, trout, and many others.
If for you, vacations near me means hiking and outdoor fun, you’ll love it here. The Smokies, as the Smoky Mountains are affectionately called, have over 800 miles of hiking trails which include rugged sections of the Appalachian Trail.
Talking of these trails, one thing to be noted here is that there is seemingly a trail for every skill level here. If you are traveling with family, you can find an easy trail that everyone can do without overtiring or feeling exhausted. On the other hand, there are several challenging ones too for the expert hiker. Some popular hikes are the Alum Cave Trails, Laurel Falls, Grotto Falls, and more.
While hiking, you will be treated to mesmerizing views of the majestic mountains, plunging waterfalls, and crystal clear streams.
A few of these gorgeous waterfalls are Ramsey Cascades, Rainbow Falls, and Abrams Falls. The last one is only 20 feet high but has quite a large volume of water which compensates for its height!
Sunny days mean looking at breathtakingly beautiful views of the rainbow formed over the falls. Also, during the winter, ice forms over the falls – making for many splendid views.
There are many campgrounds and picnic areas here too, for you to sit down and relax from the exertions before you bite into a delicious meal concocted out of your picnic basket.
An interesting aspect here is the remains of yesteryears, such as old cabins, cemeteries, mills, and barns. You’ll love to look at them and wonder how life was then.
A must-see here is the Cades Cove. This broad, green valley is one of the most popular places of these mountains and is visited by very large numbers of visitors every year.
It is famous for its viewing of wildlife and some of the animals you can see here are white-tailed deer, skunk, turkey, coyote, black bear, groundhog, and more.
You must also not miss out on Clingmans Dome, which is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There is an observation tower on its summit, which allows visitors to take in 360-degree views of the Smokies and surrounding areas.
