• Approximately 1,500 black bears live in the national park.

    Great Smoky Mountains

    National Park NC,TN

Heintooga Ridge Road Improvements

Cracks developing in Heintooga Ridge Road

Numerous cracks had developed in the pavement along Heintooga Ridge Road prior to repaving.

Heintooga Ridge Road is a 5.5 mile long, paved, scenic road which runs from the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Heintooga Overlook Picnic Area. During this project, Heintooga Ridge Road and all roadside pull-outs, overlooks, and trailhead parking areas along the road were repaved. The 45-site Balsam Mountain Campground was also repaved during this project.

 
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act logo

This project is being paid for with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Return to the main ARRA project page

Did You Know?

The park is named for the misty clouds that hang over the mountains.

The wispy, smoke-like fog that hangs over the Smoky Mountains comes from rain and evaporation from trees. On the high peaks of the Smokies, an average of 85 inches of rain falls each year, qualifying these upper elevation areas as temperate rain forests.