Earth Edition

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA

Straddling the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, Great Smoky
Mountains National Park is home to an astounding abundance of plant and animal life
and is a good place to go to get away from humans. The 800 square miles of the park
are inhabited by an estimated:

1500 species of flowering plants

130 species of trees

50 species of ferns

330 species of mosses and liverworts

230 species of lichens

1800 species of fungi

50 species of mammals

200 species of birds

80 species of reptiles and amphibians

70 species of fish

25 species of salamanders.

More people visit the Smoky Mountains each year than any other National Park
in the US, yet few ever venture farther than one half mile from their car. The
seasoned hiker will take to the trails, and in so doing, experience a small fraction
of the marvellous diversity of fauna and flora that reside in Smoky Mountains. The
well-travelled Appalachian Trail follows the crest of the range for some 60 miles,
through hardwood forests, across open grassy summits, and through dark spruce-fir
forests. The spectacular vistas along this trail make it a popular destination for
hikers of all kinds. Those seeking more solitude can easily escape the crowds by
hiking for an hour or two on one of the less popular trails.

By day the high country can offer up spectacular views of distant mountain
ranges, or envelop one in cool, dense clouds, directing one's attention to the
plants and animals along the trail. The weather can give you a nasty sunburn, soak
you to the bone with cold mists and torrential rains, bombard you with lightning and
hail, or all of the above.

By night you must carry a permit and all camping is by permit only. The merely
adventurous traveller will choose primitive trails and back-country campsites, while
the truly brave will spend their nights in the shelters along the Appalachian Trail.
The fitful nights and strenuous hikes are likely to leave any visitors tired and
sore, but with a new sense of perspective, and appreciation for their old
mattress.

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