Great Smoky Mountains Backcountry

The Great Smoky Mountains represent the crown jewel of the Appalachian chain, where ancient peaks draped in old-growth forest rise above mist-filled valleys. Forest roads skirting the national park boundary access a world of biodiversity rivaling tropical rainforests, over 19,000 documented species with scientists estimating another 80,000 yet to be discovered. The network of forest roads through Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests connects historic mountain communities, abandoned homesteads, and viewpoints where the signature blue haze stretches to the horizon. Fall transforms these mountains into a painter's palette of amber, crimson, and gold.