Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park protects the majority of the Great Smoky Mountains, a subrange of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains. The range runs roughly east to west, nestled between the Bald Mountains to the east, the Plott Balsams to the south, and the Unicoi Mountains to the west. The park also protects a small portion of foothills, which separate the range from the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians to the north. From west to east, the range gradually widens, with most of the highest mountains located in the eastern half. Elevations in the park range from about 875 feet (267 m) to 6,643 feet (2,025 m) at the summit of Clingmans Dome.

Clingmans Dome is the highest mountain in Tennessee and the third-highest mountain east of the Mississippi River. The park contains 16 of the " Southern Sixers "; mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina that reach elevations higher than 6,000 feet (1,800 m). The second highest mountain in the park is Mount Guyot, at an elevation of 6,621 feet (2,018 m). Mount Le Conte, at an elevation of 6,593 feet (2,010 m), rises 5,301 feet (1,616 m) from its base to its summit, making it the tallest mountain in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains.

Nestled between the mountains are a number of deep valleys, some of which are known as coves. The largest and most prominent is Cades Cove, a broad, flat plain situated between the main range and some of the foothills. Other major valleys include The Sugarlands, Greenbrier, Ocanaluftee, Cataloochee, Elkmont, Tremont, and Deep Creek. These valleys are among the most accessible areas of the park, and are often used as reference points for major areas within the park.
keywords:existence