Journey through the diverse ecosystems and plant life that make the Great Smoky Mountains one of the most biologically rich places on Earth.
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A Thousand Flowers in the Mist
This series, Forest of the Blue Mist, explores the ecosystems and plant life of Great Smoky Mountains National Park — one of the most botanically rich places in all of…
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1
Ice Age Refugees in Southern Mountains
During the last Ice Age, glaciers never actually reached the Great Smoky Mountains, but the cold they brought did something remarkable.
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2
Ancient Forests Spanning Eastern Peaks
About a quarter of the Great Smoky Mountains is covered in old-growth forest, making it one of the largest tracts of ancient woodland remaining in eastern North America.
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3
Wildflower Bloom That Never Quite Stops
Most parks have a wildflower season. The Smokies have a wildflower calendar that runs nearly twelve months straight.
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4
The Hidden Kingdom Beneath Your Feet
More than five thousand species of fungi have been documented in the Great Smoky Mountains, and researchers estimate the true number could be double that.
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5
A Forest That Rewrites Itself Quarterly
Over a single year, the same hillside in the Smokies can shift through more than a dozen distinct color palettes.
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