Great Smoky Mountains National Park

NC TN

11.3 Million visitors
in 2017
12 Total listed species
$922.9M Visitor spending in 2017

Protected species include:

Indiana Bat
Listed since 1967
Spreading Avens
Listed since 1990
Spruce-Fir Moss Spider
Listed since 1995

World-renowned for its biodiversity, the beauty of its ancient mountains and its Southern Appalachian mountain culture,

Great Smoky Mountains is one of the country’s most popular national park sites. Seasonal offerings include colorful wildflowers in spring, spectacular foliage in fall and plentiful wildlife year-round.

Over 19,000 species have been documented in Great Smoky Mountains National Park,

and that is only a fraction of the species scientists believe may live there. Efforts to understand the park’s biodiversity have led to the discovery of around 1,000 species never seen anywhere in the world before.

What is the role of the Endangered Species Act?

National parks would not be complete without the animals and plants that call them home. The Endangered Species Act is the most important tool to make sure species vital to the parks are protected for the long term.

Learn more about the Endangered Species Act