You can contemplate that remote past while huffing your way up to the top of a 6000ft peak overlooking the seemingly endless expanse of undulating ridges that stretch off into the distance. Formed more than 200 million years ago, these ancient peaks were once much higher – perhaps as high as the Himalayas – but have been worn down by the ages. The Smokies are part of the vast Appalachian chain, among the oldest mountains on the planet. You can walk bridges built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression and wander through abandoned resort villages that boomed during the lumber days. You can get glimpses of the lives these homesteaders lived while exploring photogenic open-air museums sprinkled all around the park. The park has preserved many of these vestiges of the past, which make up one of the largest collections of log structures in the nation. In small mountain communities around the Smokies, early settlers built log cabins, one-room schoolhouses, stream-fed gristmills and single-steeple churches amid the fertile forest valleys. This mesmerizing backdrop is also a World Heritage Site, harboring more biodiversity than any other national park in America. ![]() In winter, snow-covered fields and ice-fringed cascades transform the Smokies into a serene, cold-weather retreat. Autumn brings its own fiery rewards with quilted hues of orange, burgundy and saffron blanketing the mountain slopes. Rich blooms of springtime wildflowers come in all colors and sizes, while flame azaleas light up the high-elevation meadows in summer. The sun-dappled forests of the Great Smoky Mountains are a four-season wonderland. ![]() Get back to nature among mist-shrouded peaks, shimmering waterfalls and lush forests in the great American wilderness.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |