These majestic mountains have long inspired poets and artist, with their breath-taking peaks and valleys. Local crafts people often utilize nature's bounty in the Smokies to produce some of the most outstanding crafts in the country.
|
A favorite of wildlife enthusiast, the black bears here in the Smokies, range from 200 to 400 pounds in weight, with fur in shades of black, blond, and cinnamon. Approximately 500-700 bears live in our park.Bears are occasionally seen in the cities certain times of the year, and sometimes seen by vacationer's when staying in one of the many log cabin and chalet rentals in our area. |
The Smokies' diversity of flowering plants and deciduous trees, create breath-taking seasons of spring, summer and fall. The iridescent-turquoise colored Great Smoky fritillary, is just one of almost 100 species of butterflies in the park.
|
In these mountains, you will find the honey mushrooms, so called for their honey colored cap. The rootlike filaments called mycelia, which supports the cap of the mushroom, gives off a green phosphorescence that glows at night.The mycelia grows into rotting logs and tree stumps, often making the wood itself appear to glow. These glowing mushrooms were named "fox fire" by the mountain folks. |