A range of the Appalachian Mountains on the North Carolina-Tennessee border rising to 2,026.1 m (6,643 ft) at Clingmans Dome. The mountains, named for the smokelike haze that often envelops them, are noted for their luxuriant vegetation. a range of mountains along the border between the US states of North Carolina and Tennessee. West range of the Appalachian Mountains in the U.S. It extends along the North Carolina-Tennessee boundary and blends into the Blue Ridge to the east. The highest part lies within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and includes Clingmans Dome, which at 6,643 ft (2,025 m) is the highest peak. Covered by forests, it was originally the domain of the Cherokee, and the area includes the Cherokee Indian Reservation and parts of the Pisgah and Cherokee national forests. The mountains form a popular resort area that includes part of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway
National preserve, eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, U.S. It is 20 mi (32 km) wide and extends southwest for 54 mi (87 km) from the Pigeon River to the Little Tennessee River. Established in 1934 to preserve the U.S.'s last remaining sizable area of southern primeval hardwood forest, it covers 520,269 acres (210,553 hectares) and contains some of the highest peaks in the Appalachian Mountains. Summits are crowned with dense forest, while lower elevations have mountain laurel, rhododendron, and azaleas. The region's first settlers established themselves in the valleys, and some of their homes are preserved in the park. It was designated a World Heritage site in 1983