Quick Stats
Creation Date
June 15, 1934
Time Zone
Eastern (GMT-4 Daylight, GMT-5 Standard)
Lowest Elevation
840 feet at Abrams Creek
Highest Elevation
6,643 feet at Clingman's Dome
Lowest Average Temp
25°F in January
Record Low Temp
-18°F in 1985
Highest Average Temp
85°F in July
Record High Temp
106°F in 1936
Park Creation Timeline
1934
The park is officially established on June 15, 1934, although it was authorized back in 1926. The government did not want to spend much money on it, so it took time for private citizens, notably John D. Rockefeller Jr, who contributed $5 million to the government's $2 million. People from Tennessee and North Carolina helped assemble the land needed.
1976
International Biosphere Reserve status is given to the park by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
1983
The park is named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
1988
The park becomes a part of the larger Southern Appalachian Biosphere Reserve.
Animals and Plants
The most common large mammals are white-tailed deer and black bears. The bears are the parks signature species, and they occur in greater concentration here than anywhere else in North America. Elk were recently reintroduced here, and are mainly concentrated in Cataloochee Cove. Dozens of smaller species abound.
Reptiles include 6 species of turtle, many lizards and snakes, of which only 2 are venomous, the copperhead and timber rattlesnake. Both are very uncommonly seen. The park is known as the Salamander Capital of the World, with an astounding 30 species.
240 species of birds have been observed. 60 species are permanent residents. Nearly 120 species breed in the park, including 52 species from the neo-tropics. The massive variety of all life forms in the park would require an entire dedicated site to do justice to.
Plants are the defining point of the park. Variations in elevation, rainfall, temperature, and geology provide ideal habitat for over 1,600 species of flowering plants, including 100 native tree species and over 100 native shrub species. Another 450 species of non-flowering plants occupy the park as well. The color change of the foliage in October is world-famous, and draws more visitors to the park in one month than all but a handful of parks receive annually.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Info at (865) 436-1200
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