大烟山国家公园，田纳西州，美国 Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA (© Mint Images/Getty Images)

大烟山国家公园，田纳西州，美国 Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA (© Mint Images/Getty Images)

岁月雕琢，风景始成 Aged to scenic perfection

大烟山国家公园迎来了92周年生日！

这些山随着时间慢慢形成——1934年6月15日，它们得到了保护。这一天，大烟山国家公园在田纳西州和北卡罗来纳州成立。公园面积超过522,000英亩，名字来源于漂浮在山脊上的天然烟雾。作为阿巴拉契亚山脉的一部分，这些山峰已有超过三亿年的历史。

美洲原住民在这些山里狩猎已有大约14,000年。考古学家在动物迁徙路线沿线发现了古旧时代的投射点，而林地时期的遗址则展示了约2,000年前的陶器和早期农业实践。

公园被称为“世界蝾螈之都”，是一个生物多样性热点，栖息着大约30种蝾螈、黑熊、麋鹿、200多种鸟类以及成千上万种植物。这里的森林随海拔高度变化，支持着多样的生态系统。Kuwohi是最高点，可以欣赏到开阔的景色。同时，Cades Cove和Cataloochee Valley保存了反映公园建立前当地生活的建筑。

Great Smoky Mountains National Park turns 92!

These mountains were shaped over time—and June 15, 1934, helped protect them. That's when the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established in Tennessee and North Carolina. Covering over 522,000 acres, the park takes its name from the natural smoky haze drifting over its ridgelines. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, these peaks are over 300 million years old.

Native Americans have hunted in these mountains for around 14,000 years. Archaeologists have found Archaic-period projectile points along animal migration routes, while Woodland-period sites reveal 2,000-year-old ceramics and early farming practices.

Recognized as the Salamander Capital of the World, the park is a biodiversity hotspot, home to around 30 salamander species, black bears, elk, over 200 bird species, and thousands of plant varieties. Its forests shift with elevation, supporting a wide range of ecosystems. Kuwohi is the highest point, offering sweeping views. Meanwhile, Cades Cove and Cataloochee Valley contain preserved buildings that reflect life in the region before the park's creation.