Where Mountains Breathe

NPS

The story behind the name: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Stretching from Alabama to Canada, the Appalachian Mountain Range is one of North America’s most iconic natural features. Nestled along the border of Tennessee and North Carolina lies a particularly special section of this range: Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Established 1934, the national park is a living testament to the beauty and ecological richness, with terrain rising from just over 800 feet to more than 6,600 feet and ecosystems spanning from biodiverse cove hardwood forests to isolated mountaintops with species found nowhere else.

The name “Great Smoky Mountains” carries echoes of time and tradition; its origins rooted with the Cherokee People. Long before European settlers arrived, the Cherokee called this land Shaconage (Sha-Kon-O-Hey) which translates in English to “blue” or “place of the blue smoke.” Today, visitors still witness a bluish-gray haze, like a foggy breath of exhalation, rising from the trees. This “smoke” is not from fire, but rather, created by the biodiverse forest that covers these hills.

The signature blue haze that often blankets the Smokies is the result of several natural processes. Rainfall is one of them. As part of one of the largest temperate rainforests in North America, the park receives abundant rainfall year-round, supporting its lush ecosystems. Warm, moist air from the Gulf of America is forced upward by the mountains, where it cools and forms clouds. Once the clouds have grown too heavy to hold the condensed water, rainfall occurs.

About 95% of the park is forested, creating a dense unbroken canopy of plant life. During photosynthesis, these plants release not only oxygen but also water vapor, contributing to the region’s high humidity. More importantly, they emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—natural chemicals that are the primary reason for the famous blue haze. When VOCs are exposed to sunlight and moisture in the air, they undergo reactions that form fine particles. These particles scatter sunlight, especially the shorter blue wavelengths, producing the bluish haze that gives these mountains their name. Rhododendrons and hemlocks, both common in the park, are especially high emitters of VOCs and play a major role in this phenomenon. This haze not only enhances the park’s visual beauty but also helps regulate temperature and moisture within the forest, supporting the parks unique biodiversity.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park continues to inspire millions, year after year, with its timeless beauty. So, the next time you see that soft blue haze curling around the ridges, remember: it’s more than “smoke;” it’s the breath of a living mountain range.