Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains are a major mountain system in eastern North America stretching roughly 2,000 miles (about 3,200 kilometers) from Newfoundland in Canada to central Alabama in the United States. The range is one of the oldest on Earth and includes many distinct provinces such as the Blue Ridge, Alleghenies, and Cumberland Plateau.

Hiking, backpacking, and scenic drives rank among the principal attractions; the Appalachian Trail is a continuous hiking route of about 2,190 miles that draws long-distance hikers and section hikers alike. National and state parks across the range - most notably the Great Smoky Mountains National Park - offer trail networks, waterfalls, and viewpoints, and the Blue Ridge Parkway provides celebrated scenic overlooks and fall color viewing.

The mountains formed through multiple Paleozoic orogenies over hundreds of millions of years and have since been extensively eroded, leaving a rolling, forested landscape interspersed with higher peaks. Human use has included timbering, coal mining, agriculture in the valleys, and the development of towns and transport corridors along accessible passes.

The system spans many U.S. states and parts of eastern Canada; its footprint reaches major population centers on the eastern seaboard, with outdoor access points commonly found near towns and park gateways.

• Long-distance hiking: The long-distance Appalachian Trail runs about 2,190 miles and crosses many of the range's most accessible ridges and summits.
• Highest peak: Mount Mitchell is the highest peak in the system at 2,037 meters and is a commonly cited high point for the U.S. eastern seaboard.

What to See #

• Appalachian Trail: A continuous footpath extending approximately 2,190 miles (about 3,524 kilometers) from Georgia to Maine that is a major long-distance hiking route across the range.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the Tennessee-North Carolina border and is the most visited national park in the United States, known for its biodiversity and old-growth forests.
• Blue Ridge Mountains: The Blue Ridge province, including well-known scenic stretches such as the Blue Ridge Parkway and numerous mountainous ridges and peaks, notable for fall foliage and tourism.