You will be interested in the Cherokee Indians on the Cherokee Reservation, which is immediately south of the park. Although the Government has instituted here a comprehensive system of education and modern methods of living, ancient ceremonies and sports are preserved as tribal customs.
THOMPSON PHOTO
Rhododendron along the trail to Mount Le Conte.
Forests
Crowning the highest peaks with spruce and fir and carpeting the mountainsides with a wealth of deciduous trees is an unbroken forest cover, which cannot be matched in eastern America. In all of Europe there are not as many species of native trees as are to be found in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A number of these, such as Canada hemlock, silverbell, red spruce, yellow buckeye, and mountain-ash grow to record size, while others become giants of their kind. Approximately 40 percent of the more than half-million acres which comprise the park are in the original forested condition. A total of 130 native tree species are known to grow in this area.
Other Plant Life
Few, if any, areas in the eastern United States possess so great a variety of plants. Altogether, the tree, shrub, and herb varieties total more than 1,300. Botanists have also listed over 1,800 species of fungi, 330 mosses and liverworts, and 230 lichens. The earliest flowers occasionally appear by the close of February in lowland areas, while the witchhazel, latest to bloom, may hold its blossoms into December. Late April finds the spring flowers, including the abundant dogwood, at their blossoming peak; May is best for the mountain laurel; middle June usually finds both the flame azalea and rose-purple rhododendron at their finest; middle July is likely to be the peak of the great white rhododendron’s flowering. Autumn colors are excellent throughout October, with the height of coloration near the end of the month.
A Wildlife Sanctuary
Here, as in all national parks, wildlife is given complete protection. No hunting or trapping is permitted. Since establishment of the park, the black bear population has increased considerably, and such animals as the white-tailed deer, red and gray foxes, raccoon, bobcat, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, and others find sanctuary in these mountains. More than 52 species of fur-bearing animals, some 200 birds, 36 reptiles, 37 amphibians, and 80 fishes are known to live here.