There are many different species of moss in the Smokies
This photo was taken in Great Smoky Mountains National Park of a moss and fern covered forest floor. There are many different species of moss in the Smokies. Pictured here might be prairie peatmoss, stairstep moss, five-ranked bogmoss, Hartford fern, and Ontario Rhodobryum moss. The consistent fogginess and moisture of the Great Smoky Mountains help these types of plants to thrive.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most visited national parks in the United States of America. The park encompasses 522,247 acres that are nearly evenly split between Tennessee and North Carolina. The Appalachian Trail bisects the park as it winds its way from Georgia to Maine. This photo was taken while hiking up Mount Sterling in the far eastern portion of the park in Tennessee.
Mount Sterling resides in the heavily wooded Cataloochee and Balsam Mountain area. This area of the park is home to one of the two elk herds of the park. This area has two campgrounds and the Oconaluftee visitor center. The Cataloochee Valley was first settled in the 1830s. At its peak more than 1,200 people lived there. You can still visit a two-room school there, called Beech Grove, that was built in 1901.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most biodiverse park of all the national parks. There are more than 19,000 species that have been identified in the park. Scientists estimate that an additional 80,000 to 100,000 species exist within the park’s boundaries. Within these amazing number of species are more than 1,500 species of flowering plants! 25% of the park is old-growth forest, and more than 95% of the park’s acreage is covered in forest.
More than 1,500 species of flowering plants
Did you know?
- There are 43 species of amphibians in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
- The Smokies receive an average of 55 to 85 inches of rain per year, with the most rain falling on the peaks.
- The highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains is 6,643 feet.
- The antlers of an elk can weigh up to forty pounds.
- There is a population of fireflies that live within Great Smoky Mountains National Park that will synchronize their bioluminescence in a vibrant display of lights each year.
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