The Great Smoky Mountains are home to some of the most beautiful scenery and wildlife in the United States. This rugged yet magnificent mountain range straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. With over 800 miles of hiking trails, abundant waterfalls, and breathtaking vistas, this national park provides endless opportunities for exploration and adventure.
Beyond the natural splendor, the Great Smokies also have a rich cultural history. For centuries, Native American tribes like the Cherokee inhabited these misty mountains and hollows. Later, European settlers carved out homesteads and built log cabins in the valleys. The descendants of these early pioneers still live in the region today and carry on many of the old traditions and folkways.
To truly appreciate the Great Smoky Mountains, you have to experience the mysteries and stories that swirl through the misty haze. Riddles and word puzzles can help open your eyes to the different dimensions of these ancient mountains. Here are 81 riddles about the Great Smokies to challenge your mind and spark your curiosity!
Geography Riddles
1. What two states do the Great Smoky Mountains span?
Answer: North Carolina and Tennessee
2. How many miles of trails are there in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Answer: Over 800 miles
3. What river forms part of the border between the two states in the park?
Answer: The Little Tennessee River
4. Name the tallest mountain in the Great Smokies.
Answer: Clingmans Dome at 6,643 feet
5. What busy tourist city lies just outside the national park border?
Answer: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
History Riddles
6. For thousands of years, which Native American tribe inhabited the Smokies?
Answer: The Cherokee
7. What did early European settlers call the narrow valleys nestled between the mountains?
Answer: Hollows
8. Loggers came to the Smokies in the late 1800s in search of what resource?
Answer: Virgin timber
9. What President made the Smokies a national park in 1934?
Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt
10. What famous Appalachian craftsman was born in the Smokies in 1879?
Answer: John Moses Browning, firearms inventor
Nature Riddles
11. With over 1,500 species, what type of flowering plant is abundant in the Smokies?
Answer: Trees
12. What is the name of the famous phenomenon that occurs in the Smokies when mountain fog appears bluish?
Answer: Blue smoke
13. Which bear species can you find roaming the Smokies?
Answer: Black bears
14. At over 5 miles long, what is the name of the Smokies’ deepest gorge?
Answer: Gatlinburg Gorge
15. What shrub produces beautiful blooms and gives the mountains their “smoky” name?
Answer: Mountain laurel
Wildlife Riddles
16. With a wingspan over 6 feet, what is the Smokies’ largest bird of prey?
Answer: Bald eagle
17. What colorful woodpecker drills holes in dead trees looking for insects?
Answer: Pileated woodpecker
18. What types of fish swim in the cold mountain streams of the Smokies?
Answer: Trout
19. With white stripes on its back, what skunk-like mammal roams the Smokies?
Answer: Striped skunk
20. What small rodent is named for its bushy tail and love of water?
Answer: Muskrat
Culture Riddles
21. What traditional Appalachian musical genre was developed in the Smokies?
Answer: Bluegrass music
22. What unique dialect is still spoken by some Smoky Mountain residents?
Answer: Southern Appalachian English
23. For what decorative purpose are quilts traditionally made by mountain women?
Answer: Bed coverings
24. What savory sausage made from pork is a popular Smoky Mountain food?
Answer: Country sausage
25. Cornmeal mush and fried apples is a traditional breakfast dish called what?
Answer: Apple pan dowdy
Places Riddles
26. What busy tourist town near Cherokee hosts nightly outdoor drama shows?
Answer: Cherokee, North Carolina
27. Deep in the Smokies, you can explore the preserved pioneer buildings at what historic mountain settlement?
Answer: Cades Cove
28. Transplanted from Switzerland in the 1920s, what unusual village lies inside the national park?
Answer: Elkmont
29. Home to over 200 waterfalls, what scenic North Carolina destination lies just outside the park?
Answer: Brevard
30. Located near Cherokee, what memorial commemorates the suffering of the Cherokee people on the Trail of Tears?
Answer: The Trail of Tears Drama
Hiking Riddles
31. Which strenuous trail takes hikers past historic homesteads to the tallest mountain?
Answer: Alum Cave Trail
32. What scenic waterfall is located at the end of Trillium Gap Trail?
Answer: Grotto Falls
33. Hikers on the Appalachian Trail walk across the states on the crest of what mountain range?
Answer: The Smoky Mountains
34. Leading to towering Clingmans Dome, the highest paved road in the Smokies is called what?
Answer: Clingmans Dome Road
35. Which short trail near Sugarlands Visitor Center is paved and wheelchair accessible?
Answer: Old Sugarlands Trail
Plants & Trees Riddles
36. What fragrant tree gives the Smoky Mountains their name when it blooms in summer?
Answer: Mountain laurel
37. With purple blooms in spring, what is the official state wildflower of Tennessee?
Answer: Purple passionflower
38. What types of cone-bearing trees with green needles cover much of the Smoky Mountains?
Answer: Spruce and fir trees
39. In autumn, the leaves on sourwood trees turn what vivid color?
Answer: Scarlet red
40. What fern with lacy triangular leaves thrives in the shady Smoky Mountain forests?
Answer: Christmas fern
Rivers & Lakes Riddles
41. Formed by the Fontana Dam, what large lake borders the southwestern edge of the park?
Answer: Lake Fontana
42. Flowing north, what major river bisects the park in Tennessee?
Answer: Little River
43. Dammed in the 1920s, what historic valley is now under the waters of Fontana Lake?
Answer: Hazel Creek
44. What winding creek flows through Cades Cove and was once home to numerous watermills?
Answer: Mill Creek
45. Originating in the Smokies, what major river flows south through Knoxville?
Answer: Tennessee River
Weather Riddles
46. What wintry weather phenomenon can coat the upper slopes of Clingmans Dome?
Answer: Snow and ice
47. In late summer, what types of storms often build over the Smokies?
Answer: Thunderstorms
48. When warm moist wind flows uphill, it cools and forms what misty phenomenon?
Answer: Fog
49. On hot days, sudden downbursts of rain over one spot are called what?
Answer: Cloud bursts
50. When fog mixes with smoke, it creates a bluish haze called what?
Answer: Blue smoke
Landmarks Riddles
51. Who is the Cherokee leader memorialized with a statue in downtown Cherokee, NC?
Answer: Junaluska
52. Rising over 200 feet tall, what waterfall is one of the Smokies’ most iconic sights?
Answer: Mingo Falls
53. Located near Sugarlands Visitor Center, what historic structure was once a logging company office?
Answer: Sugarlands Cabin
54. Who is the famous early explorer, now immortalized with a memorial plaque at Indian Gap?
Answer: Hernando de Soto
55. Before roads, what unique form of transportation helped visitors tour Cades Cove?
Answer: Horse-drawn carriages
Transportation Riddles
56. Winding through the park, what historic pass is traversed by Newfound Gap Road?
Answer: Newfound Gap
57. Used by loggers and settlers, what types of boats transported goods along mountain rivers?
Answer: Flatboats and rafts
58. Still operating in Cades Cove, what document allows the public to drive through the historic area?
Answer: Cades Cove Protection Act
59. Speed limits and congestion make driving slow – what alternative lets you see more of the Smokies?
Answer: Hiking
60. Built in the 1930s, the scenic trails traced what old form of transportation?
Answer: Rail lines
Camping Riddles
61. Open year-round, what is the name of the Smokies’ most popular family campground?
Answer: Elkmont Campground
62. What type of Shelter allows backpackers to sleep protected from elements?
Answer: Lean-to shelters
63. Permits are required for all backcountry stays outside of what designated areas?
Answer: Campgrounds and shelters
64. What should backpackers hang between trees at night to keep bears from stealing it?
Answer: Food and toiletries
65. Due to bears, what strongly scented products are banned from backcountry campsites?
Answer: Foods, soaps and deodorants
Safety Riddles
66. If lost on a trail, what three things can help rescuers find your location?
Answer: Flashlight, whistle and warm clothes
67. To avoid hypothermia, always pack extra what for Smokies hiking?
Answer: Clothing layers
68. What emergency phone booths can be found along many Smokies trails?
Answer: Emergency Call Boxes
69. To prevent falls, hikers should wear sturdy boots with what type of tread?
Answer: Deep or aggressive tread
70. What colorful flower marks trails where toxic plants like poison ivy grow nearby?
Answer: White blazes
Park Rules Riddles
71. Except on roads, what are cyclists required to yield to at all times?
Answer: Pedestrians
72. What noisy devices are banned from trails to maintain the natural quiet?
Answer: Speakers and music players
73. To protect wildlife, what human food can never be fed to animals in the Smokies?
Answer: Any human food
74. Where must leashed pets be kept – roads only or also trails and campsites?
Answer: Roads only
75. What age is required to buy alcohol inside the national park borders?
Answer: 21 years old
Ranger Programs Riddles
76. Led by park rangers, what nightly event recounts Cherokee legends and history?
Answer: Evening campfire programs
77. Providing glimpses of black bears, what spring event draws crowds in Cades Cove?
Answer: The Spring Bear Jamboree
78. Demonstrating tools and crafts, what pioneer homes can you visit in Cades Cove?
Answer: The Parton and Tyson Cabins
79. What OUTDOORS skills do rangers teach kids at most visitor centers?
Answer: Fishing, hiking and camping
80. Always staying on marked trails protects what historic items found throughout the park?
Answer: Native American artifacts
Conclusion
81. What lesson should these riddles teach you about the Great Smoky Mountains?
Answer: That the Smokies have a deep human history and ecology worth exploring and protecting.
