The Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee is constantly overshadowed by the Rockies to the west and Appalachia to the east. It’s forgotten by the Badlands, cast to the side when folks think of Big Sur or the Catskills. Our history books may try to forget about this stunning Tennessee stretch of natural wonder, but the people of the United States have spoken. Let’s take a quick visit…

10. The whole park is a math problem, you know.
Alistair Nicol - Flickr
There are 520,000 total acres in the national park, with 244,000 acres in Tennessee and 276,000 in North Carolina. That's more than 800 square miles!
9. Can you guess how many folks visit the park on an annual basis?
Greg Holtfreter - Flickr
It's between nine and ten million visitors, making east Tennessee home to the most visited national park in the United States.
8. Care to fish?
Phil Horton - Flickr
There are more than 2,115 miles of waterways throughout the mountains.
7. We have to say - 1934 was a good year for Tennessee.
Tim Lumley - Flickr
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park was established that year, and it is the largest national park this side of the Rockies.
6. There are more than 850 miles of hiking trails in the park.
Tim Lumpley - Flickr
You can hike for many, many years before you've looped every trail in the book. This is a state you can invest in, for sure.

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5. The mountains in the park have aged quite well.
Mark - Flickr
They're figured to be 200 million years old, at least. Some say the mountains may stretch all the way back to 300 million.
4. 1,600 black bears call these woods home.
Jeff Stvan - Flickr
A designated International Biosphere Reserve, there are also 140 species of trees and 4,000 plan species.
3. Visit Mount LeConte if you hate the heat.
AlisonB216 - Flickr
There has never been a temperature over 80 degrees recorded in the area - which is AMAZING.
2. Did you know that the Appalachian Trail runs through the smokies?
daveynin - Flickr
Yep, a whole 70 miles of it winds through the eastern side of Tennessee.
1. We can't get enough of Abrams Falls.
Ken Rowland - Flickr
The moderate hiking trail to the falls comes in at 6.55 miles and a countless number of stunning views along the way.

This gorgeous place pretty much gives you every reason not to move, but every Tennessean that does crack our state lines inevitably thinks the same handful of things.

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