Tennessee
Smelling the flowers doesn't require slowing down your trek (though you might want to) through the explosion of wildflowers that cover the Great Smoky Mountains each year.
It's not the smallest peak in the Smokies, but spend a night on its summit (no tent required), and you'll agree it's the finest.
From secret spots to the perfect campsites, this insider's guide has the goods on the Smokies.
A unique route linking historic homesteads yields an exciting Smokies adventure for hikers and history buffs alike.
See glowing plankton, mushrooms, and bugs on these brilliant adventures.
Accessible national forests like the George Washington and Jefferson surround national park gems like Great Smoky and Shenandoah in a southern terrain that varies dramatically from Florida's Everglades to West Virginia's wilderness.
According to folklore, the soft light emitted by bioluminescent organisms is magical. In reality, the eerie glow results from a chemical reaction–but it still looks enchanting on a moonless or cloudy night. Here's where to glimpse these living light bulbs.
Discover the best hike in every state, as voted by BACKPACKER readers. Plus: your essential gear, most desirable tentmate, worst-ever adventure movie, and our picks for the best reader-submitted photos.
Drowning in beauty
Nine ways to get your cascade fix from Tennessee to Montana.
Trek the best spring blooms from the Ozarks to the Olympics with these two, three, and four day treks.
Check out the steepest trail, the best swimming hole, and the wildest vista in America's most popular national park.
There's a science to why we love waterfalls: When water crashes earthward, it releases negatively charged ions that--you can't make this stuff up--some researchers think can reduce anxiety. Spring is when cascades' spigots open full bore, so head off on these three beguiling treks for a dose of nature's backcountry Rx.
Whether you are after fishing holes or skinny-dipping, Backpacker tracked down the best campsites in the country
Get ready to feel puny--and profoundly grateful--on three hikes through ancient forests.
16 wild ways to find backcountry solitude and big-time scenery. All this, and you can bring the ice chest, too.
Push yourself on any of these challenging hikes
A downright goofy dome marks this highpoint.
Mellow temperatures, low water and autumn colors make for a perfect time in the Smokies
A thousand-foot-deep gorge is the centerpiece of this tri-state park.
Can a place that sees 9 million visitors a year really have any surprises? You bet. We found three hikes full of unexpected history, scenery, and solitude.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Tennessee.
If you're a backpacking purist, Tennessee's new Cumberland Trail was made for you.
Hike from Kentucky to Tennessee along an inland peninsula.
Waterfalls and swimming holes aplenty.
Once an impassable, swampy "ghost river," now a paddler's dream.
Forthwith, interesting tidbits about Great Smoky's largest forest dwellers.
There are scads of bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park -- so don't forget these tips.
In winter, the glasslike menagerie of icicles in the Cumberland Plateau will send a chill down your spine.
Here's your insider's guide to The Great Smokies, probably the epitome of a true backpacker's national park.
In a park full of natural wonder, the route to Maddron Bald hits the high points.
Why choose between breezy peaks and cool streams when you can have both at Big Frog Wilderness?
Great Smoky's Gregory Bald features an amazing crown of wild azaleas.
Big South Fork provides Utah-quality arches in Tennessee.
