Viewing Wildlife in The Smokies

The Great Smoky Mountains contain some of the most beautiful and unspoiled wilderness in the United States. If you want to view some of North America’s most fascinating plants and wildlife, there is no better place to visit. No matter when you come to the Smokies, you will find a great diversity of species. In this article, we’ll be exploring some of the animals you can find in the Smokies and the best times and locations to find them.

An Introduction to the Smokies

The Great Smoky Mountains, often referred to as the Smoky Mountains or simply as the Smokies, are located on the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. The area was given its name due to the fog that is often visible over the mountain range, creating a smoky appearance.

The bulk of the wilderness areas are found in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This park was opened in 1934 and attracts more than nine million visitors every year. It is, in fact, the most visited national park in the U.S. The Smokies, which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Site status, contain about 187,000 acres of old growth forest, making it the largest environment of its kind east of the Mississippi River.

The Smoky Mountains are also well known for being part of the famous Appalachian Trail, the vast hiking trail that extends as far south as Georgia and as far north as Maine. Hikers can find more than 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail running through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In fact, the Smokies contain the trail’s highest point at Clingmans Dome in Tennessee, which is 6625 feet.

Best Places to View Wildlife in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Although the Smokies contain an amazing diversity of wildlife, visitors sometimes need to travel to find the best viewing areas. The main reason for this is that the park consists largely of extremely dense forests. In many sections, you may be surrounded by all kinds of animals but they may be hidden from view. There are, however, open areas where you have better vantage points.

Roaring Fork - Roaring Fork Motor Trail is one of the most scenic driving routes through the park. It’s a six mile loop road that should be driven through slowly. This is both for safety and so that you don’t miss anything. It gets its name from the fast flowing mountain stream called Roaring Fork that is visible from the road.

If you are driving on the Roaring Fork Motor Trail, you may want to take the time to stop at the Noah Ogle farmstead, which has a stream side tubmill and a scenic waterfall nearby. When hiking or driving in this area, there is a good chance of seeing bears, deer, a variety of birds and other wildlife. The stream, of course, contains a diversity of fish. Fishing is permitted in most of the park’s streams, but you will need a permit or fishing license from North Carolina or Tennessee.

Cades Cove - This is a wide valley with majestic views of the Smokies. It is a good place for seeing wildlife, especially white-tailed deer. Other animals that are commonly seen here include ground hogs, turkeys, coyotes and black bears. Cades Cove has a visitor center where you can find restrooms and information about self-guided hikes. You can drive through the area on an eleven mile loop road. During the summer, this road can get quite congested.

Cataloochee Valley - This is another area that is good for wildlife viewing, as well as some historic buildings from the 19th century. This spot, surrounded by peaks rising as high as 6000 feet, was an early settlement where more than 1,000 settlers once lived. Among other animals, elk are quite common in Cataloochee Valley.

Bears and Safety

The Smoky Mountains contain a large population of black bears. While these are beautiful and fascinating creatures, they can also be dangerous. That’s why it’s important for visitors to the Smokies to be aware of basic precautions regarding bears.

• If you see a bear, keep your distance. Avoid doing anything to alarm the animal, such as running or making loud sounds. Back away or change your direction at a slow pace.
• If you are camping out in the park, be careful not to leave food out, as this may attract bears.
• If a bear behaves aggressively towards you, yell at it or do whatever you can to scare it off. You can throw rocks or other objects at the bear. Once again, only do this if the bear seems about     to attack. In most cases, you can simply walk away and the bear will not follow.

Birds in the Smokies

In addition to all of the fascinating land animals, the Smokies contain many species of birds. Whether you are an avid bird watcher or simply curious to see what’s flying overhead, you are likely to see some of the following:

• Hawks and Eagles - Including broad-winged hawks, golden eagles and red-shouldered hawks.
• Turkeys - Especially wild turkeys and ruffed grouse.
• Owls
• Woodpeckers
• Wrens
• Thrushes
• Wood Warblers
• Finches
• Sparrows

The above is only a small sampling of the many types of birds that can be seen in the Smokies. People occasionally see rare birds as well, such as bald eagles, sandhill cranes, long-eared owls and mourning warblers.

The Smokies: A Year Round Destination

There is really no bad time to visit the Smoky Mountains. The national park is open 365 days per year. For viewing wildlife and for the most comfortable weather, the majority of visitors come during summer. On the other hand, coming off season allows you to avoid the crowds and to see different kinds of wildlife. The Great Smoky Mountains are a national treasure containing an abundance of wildlife. Whether you drive through the park, camp out or hike some of the magnificent trails, you are sure to have some memorable experiences.