The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is actually the official most visited US park in the entire country. It spans the states of Tennessee and North Carolina. Indeed, it also encompasses sections of the awesome Appalachian Mountains where your rovin’ writer, his parents, and a select group hiked miles of trails.
Marvel at tumbling waterfalls, crystal-clear mountain streams, and Clingman’s Dome too. Go camping, cycling, fishing, and horseback riding. If you love autumnal colors, visit in the fall when the park is bursting with orange, red, and yellow.
You’ll find Shenandoah National Park roughly 70 miles out of Washington, D.C. If you’re not feeling athletic, take a US road trip through the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains on the popular 105-mile-long Skyline Drive. Feeling energetic?
Go hike a section of the Appalachian Trail, visit the Rose River or go see the South River Falls. Indeed, if you like waterfalls, visit in the spring. Ah, but if you are a leaf-peeper, stop there in the fall when the hills come alive with color. Finally, if you like to camp in the mountains, visit in the summer.