Part 1 Welcome to the Great Smokies 4 The Appalachians at Their Best 7 Part 2 The Nature of Things in the Highlands 22 _By Napier Shelton_ A One-day Walk to Maine 25 The Trout’s World 39 The Evolution of Abundance 53 Bears, Boars and Acorns 67 The Tracks of Our Predecessors 79 Part 3 Guide and Adviser 98 Topical Reference 101 Going to the Great Smokies 101 Park Map 102 Visitor Centers 104 The Smokies by Car 107 Wildflowers and Fall Colors 110 Activities 112 Hiking and Backpacking 114 Accommodations 118 For Your Safety 120 Nearby Attractions 122 Books to Read 125 Index 126 1 Welcome to the Great Smokies [Illustration: _A rustic Cades Cove cabin preserves the spirit of pioneer life and times._] [Illustration: _Here in the East’s wettest corner, winter snows release moisture slowly into the ground until spring thaw swells streams to rush downslope. The ultimate destination? The Gulf of Mexico._] The Appalachians at Their Best At first glimpse there appear to be two Smokies: the mountains’ wild nature, and the folk life. The mind calls up both the sweeping mountain vistas whose peaks succeed peaks to the far horizon and the rustic cabins and barns set off with the split rail fences of 19th-century mountain life. The mountains are everywhere, punctuated by restored settlements, by Cades Cove, Mingus Mill, Cataloochee, and Little Greenbrier. But this is not the full story for there are many, many Great Smokies, a double fistful of which may be just for you. There are as many Great Smokies as there are people who come here intent on discovering their secrets: the folklorist’s and amateur historian’s Smokies; the trout angler’s Smokies; the Smokies of the backpacker, day-tripper, and trail walker; the botanist’s, ecologist’s, and birder’s Smokies; and the automobile tourist’s Smokies. Take your pick.