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Hiking Guides and Information for the Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge and Appalachian Trail
Blue Ridge Parkway, Ashville, NC - The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469 mile recreational motor road that protects the cultural and natural features of the Blue Ridge while connecting Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. Designed as a "scenic drive", the Parkway provides both stunning scenery and close-up looks at the natural and cultural history of the mountains. Great Smoky Mountains National Park The national park, in the states of North Carolina and Tennessee, encompasses 800 square miles of which 95 percent are forested. World renowned for the diversity of its plant and animal resources, the beauty of its ancient mountains, the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, and the depth and integrity of the wilderness sanctuary within its boundaries, it is one of the largest protected areas in the east.
TrailPlace.Com is an interactive website for Appalachian Trail Thru-hikers. The Appalachian Trail, is the premier hiking trail in the US, a continental-scale wilderness pathway set aside for recreational foot travel only. Sugarlands Visitor Center The Sugarlands Visitor Center is two miles south of Gatlinburg, TN on Newfound Gap Road (US Route 441). It is open daily from 8:00am - 4:30pm except for Christmas Day. Hours are extended during busy seasons. The visitor center facilities include native flower gardens, a museum, an eleven minute audio-visual program, bookstore, park information, and live programming. In spring, summer, and fall Ranger-led programs provide a special look at the Great Smokies. | ||||||||||||