The Smokies get their name from the haze. Water vapour and natural compounds released by the forest rise from the ridges and form a blue-grey mist that settles in the valleys, so that the mountains look like layers of smoke. They are among the oldest mountains on Earth, worn down for hundreds of millions of years, and rounded and green. This is the most visited national park in the country, and strangely, it charges no entry fee.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee live here, and their history in these mountains goes back thousands of years. The road to know is Newfound Gap Road, US 441, which crosses the main crest at 1,539 metres and runs between Cherokee and Gatlinburg. It climbs through a series of forest zones that resemble a drive from Georgia to Canada, from oak and hickory to spruce and fir. The curves are gentle and wide, the surface is mostly good, and the pace is slow and heavily trafficked in summer and October. A side spur leads to Clingmans Dome, at 2,025 metres the highest point in the park, with an observation tower.
Wildlife is rich. Black bears are abundant, and elk have been reintroduced at Cataloochee, with herds often seen in the fields at dusk. The park is known for its salamanders, with more species than almost anywhere else in the world, and in early summer, fireflies in one valley flash in synchrony. Fog and cloud are common, and rain can arrive suddenly at the higher elevations, with temperatures falling by ten degrees.
Cherokee and Bryson City on the south side and Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge to the north are the nearest services. A parking tag is required if you stop for more than fifteen minutes, so buy one before you go. In winter, the road may close for snow or ice, so check ahead before committing to the climb.