The most visited park, which receives more than 9 million tourists annually, is the Great Smokey Mountains. It is worth noting that a huge influx of people wishing to taste this corner of nature is strictly regulated by the authorities so that an excessive number of visitors does not harm the fragile ecosystem of the park. It is noteworthy that the park was officially opened by US President Roosevelt in 1940. The park is located in the eastern states of Tennessee and North Carolina and covers an area of more than 2 thousand square meters. km. More than 4 thousand plant species are collected here – typical representatives of the flora of the eastern part of North America.
Many of them are endemic and are found only in the Great Smokey Mountains. The rich vegetation provides a favorable habitat for many of the region’s fauna. There are about 65 species of mammals alone. The states of California and Alaska boast the largest number of national parks.