Tennessee ranked sixth for national park lovers. Here's why Great Smoky Mountains should make it No. 1
Most people are more than a little bit competitive − and list-makers take full advantage, ranking everything you can think of, from most under-rated vacation town to best cheeseburger to most popular chocolate bar.
And, of course, we want to be No. 1. So the reporters and editors here at Knox News took it badly when online tour marketplace Viator ranked Tennessee the sixth best state for national park lovers.
No. 6? Listen, folks, in the immortal words of Ricky Bobby, if you ain't first, you're last.
We took on the claim that ranked Maine the ultimate U.S. state for national park sites and offer up our reasons why Tennessee is, in fact, No. 1.
Why Viator ranked Tennessee No. 6
Viator's "experts" applied a points-based index system that analyzed the number of national park sites, number of national park sites by area, average annual visitors to each national park site and average Tripadvisor rating.
The number of national park sites and the number of visitors were taken from nps.gov data. The total number of visitors per state was divided by the number of parks to give an estimated average number of visitors per park per state.
Upon closer examination, Viator's methodology seems flawed − to our undoubtedly biased eyes, anyway. Maine was ranked No. 1 in part because while their state parks received a relatively paltry 4 million visitors, they only had to divide that number by four parks. So while Tennessee recorded 10.7 million annual visitors, Viator divided that by 13 to find the state's national parks received an average of just 822,921 visitors per park site annually.
Never mind the numbers, here's why Tennessee should be No. 1
There is only one answer: Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The National Park Service says it best: "World-renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America's most visited national park."
Repeat after me: America's most visited national park. Nearly 13 million people visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2022, the highest visitation of any of the 59 national parks. The second most heavily visited national park is not even close: the Grand Canyon received 4.7 million visits.
10 reasons the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is so special
Synchronous fireflies. All fireflies are magical. But in the Great Smoky Mountains, they get even more magical by synchronizing their flashes. There are only a few firefly species in North America known to synchronize their flashing light patterns, and the park is home to one of those species. The annual display near Elkmont campground is so popular, the park holds a lottery for viewing.
Cades Cove loop. Cades Cove is an 11-mile, one-way loop road through a broad valley surrounded by mountains and offers some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing in the park. From May to September, the loop is car-free on Wednesdays.
Waterfalls. The Great Smoky Mountains abound with the two ingredients eessential for waterfalls: ample rainfall and an elevation gradient. While Grotto, Laurel, Abrams and Rainbow falls are particularly popular, the guide produced by the park association features more than 40 waterfalls you can visit.
Clingmans Dome. At 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the highest point in Tennessee. The observation tower on the summit offers spectacular 360-degree views of the Smokies and beyond for visitors willing to climb the steep half-mile walk to the tower at the top.
Bears. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States where black bears can live in wild, natural surroundings. Bears inhabit all elevations of the park; biologists estimate that roughly 1,900 bears live there.
Backcountry trails. The park service website says there are 850 miles of backcountry trails, and approximately 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail run through the park. There are more than 100 backcountry campsites, including shelters.
Horseback riding. Guided horseback rides are available at four concession horseback riding stables in the park from mid-March through late November, or you bring your own horse and stay at a drive-in horse camps for ready access to backcountry horse trails. Cades Cove also offers hayrides and carriage rides.
Leaf-peeping. The fall colors in the Smokies are glorious, and leaf-peepers know to head to the park for the best shows, including driving Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. The fall color usually reaches its peak at mid and lower elevations between mid-October and early November.
Ecological diversity. Great Smoky Mountains is the most biodiverse park in the National Park system, with more than 19,000 species documented in the park. For example, the Smokies are known as the "Salamander Capital of the World" with 30 species including the hellbender, which sometimes reach 29 inches.
History. There are 342 structures being maintained in the park to help preserve Southern Appalachian heritage. In Cades Cove, for example, you can see three churches, a working gristmill, barns, log houses, and many other faithfully restored 18th- and 19th-century structures.
Liz Kellar is a Tennessee Connect reporter. Email liz.kellar@knoxnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee ranked 6th for national park lovers. Why it's really No. 1
