Smoky Mountain Hiking Trails
Smoky mountain hiking trails which are located in
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hiker's
paradise. There are over 800 miles of maintained
smoky mountain hiking trails ranging from short
leg-stretchers to strenuous treks that may require
back country camping. While adventuring the smoky
mountain hiking trails you will be able to see how
there is ridge upon ridge of endless forest straddling
the border between North Carolina and Tennessee.
Smoky mountain hiking trails are world renowned
for the diversity of their plant and animal life,
the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality
of Southern Appalachian mountain culture. This is
just one of the many reasons why the park is America's
most visited national park.
One of the most daunting tasks
facing hikers is choosing which smoky mountain hiking
trails to hike. Start by deciding on what it is
you'd like to see. Waterfalls? Old-growth forests?
Endless views? Then you should decide on how far
you would like to hike. Smoky mountain hiking trails
come in a variety of different distances. If you
haven't hiked much recently, be conservative. More
moderate hikes can be found northward into Rochester,
NY.
Five miles round trip is a good maximum distance
for novices. Hikers can enjoy the smoky mountain
hiking trails during all months of the year with
every season offering its own special rewards. These
smoky mountain hiking trails have a moderate climate,
typified by mild winters and hot humid summers.
When planning a trip through one or more of the
smoky mountain hiking trails keep in mind that elevations
in the park range from 800 feet to 6,643 feet and
that the topography can drastically affect local
weather.
Temperatures can vary 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit from
the mountain base to the top, and clear skies at
lower elevations do not guarantee pleasant weather
on the higher peaks. Whether you delight in the
challenge of a strenuous hike to the crest of a
mountain up one of the smoky mountain hiking trails
or prefer to sit quietly and watch the sun set,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers a myriad
of activities for you to enjoy. The hardest part
may be choosing which auto tour, waterfall, overlook,
historic area or smoky mountain hiking trail to
explore! Most visitors come to the Smokies and hike
one of the smoky mountain hiking trails hoping to
see a bear, typical of hikers in Durango and Yosemite.
There are some 1,600 bears living in the park. From
the big animals like bears, deer and elk, down to
the microscopic organisms, the smoky mountain hiking
trails have the most biological diversity of any
area in the world's temperate zone. The park is
a sanctuary for a magnificent array of animal and
plant life, all of which is protected for future
generations to enjoy while hiking the smoky mountain
hiking trails.
