Tennessee is known for its beautiful mountain ranges like the Great Smoky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. These ancient formations are rich in history, culture and biodiversity. The unique terrain, peaks and valleys have inspired many riddles over the years. Below are 43 riddles about the mountains of Tennessee along with the answers. Read on to challenge your mind and learn more about the natural wonders of Tennessee!
General Tennessee mountain riddles
Riddles 1-10
Riddle 1: What Tennessee mountain range contains Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the state? (Answer: Great Smoky Mountains)
Riddle 2: What towering Tennessee peak inspires hikers with its namesake trees along the ascent? (Answer: Spruce Mountain)
Riddle 3: Over which Tennessee mountains does the Appalachian Trail pass through? (Answer: Appalachian Mountains)
Riddle 4: What Tennessee mountain’s name refers to an early settler family in the region? (Answer: Roan Mountain)
Riddle 5: On which Tennessee mountain might you find salamanders in underground streams? (Answer: Cumberland Mountain)
Riddle 6: What Tennessee mountain range stretches from Virginia through the Volunteer State? (Answer: Appalachian Mountains)
Riddle 7: Through which Tennessee mountains does US Route 129 wind and twist? (Answer: Great Smoky Mountains)
Riddle 8: What Tennessee mountains inspired the novel Christy? (Answer: Great Smoky Mountains)
Riddle 9: Over which Tennessee peak does a chairlift take visitors to enjoy the views? (Answer: Ober Gatlinburg)
Riddle 10: On which Tennessee mountain might old-growth trees dating over 300 years still stand? (Answer: Roan Mountain)
Waterfalls and rivers riddles
Riddles 11-15
Riddle 11: What is Tennessee’s tallest waterfall found in the Great Smoky Mountains? (Answer: Ramsey Cascades)
Riddle 12: From which Tennessee mountain does the Ocoee River flow, famous for whitewater rafting routes? (Answer: Ocoee Bald)
Riddle 13: Which towering Tennessee falls tumbles over 100 feet from the top of Lookout Mountain? (Answer: Ruby Falls)
Riddle 14: What is the name of the river that drains the Great Smoky Mountains and flows through Knoxville? (Answer: Tennessee River)
Riddle 15: Which river carves through the Cumberland Plateau after rising in Grundy County? (Answer: Sequatchie River)
Geology riddles
Riddles 16-23
Riddle 16: What type of ancient peaks make up the Appalachian Mountains in Tennessee? (Answer: Folded mountains)
Riddle 17: Over one billion years old, which is the oldest Tennessee mountain range? (Answer: Appalachian Mountains)
Riddle 18: What geological process formed the valleys and ridges of the Appalachian Mountains? (Answer: Erosion)
Riddle 19: The Cumberland Plateau section of which Tennessee mountains shows evident coal mining history? (Answer: Appalachian Mountains)
Riddle 20: What created the Great Smoky Mountains’ wide biodiversity of plants and animals? (Answer: Isolation)
Riddle 21: How were the rolling Highland Rim plateaus of Tennessee formed? (Answer: Erosion of a raised seabed)
Riddle 22: What natural disaster created Reelfoot Lake by damming the Forked Deer River? (Answer: 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes)
Riddle 23: Which Native American tribe’s name for the Smoky Mountains described blue smoke hanging over the peaks? (Answer: Cherokee)
Animal riddles
Riddles 24-28
Riddle 24: Which Tennessee mountains host the greatest diversity of salamander species in the world? (Answer: Great Smoky Mountains)
Riddle 25: Over which Tennessee peaks do tens of thousands of bats emerge nightly from caves to feed? (Answer: Great Smoky Mountains)
Riddle 26: What is the name of the small Appalachian cottontail rabbit found only in the Tennessee’s Cumberland Mountains? (Answer: Appalachian cottontail)
Riddle 27: Which Tennessee mountains are home to black bears, bobcats and the elusive cougar? (Answer: Great Smoky Mountains)
Riddle 28: What Tennessee mountains host over 200 bird species like wild turkeys and peregrine falcons? (Answer: Cumberland Mountains)
Plants riddles
Riddles 29-33
Riddle 29: With what kinds of fragrant trees are the Great Smoky Mountains blanketed? (Answer: Pine, spruce and fir)
Riddle 30: What leafy Tennessee mountain is named for the umbrella-shaped canopy of its namesake trees? (Answer: Big Ugly Mountain)
Riddle 31: Which pine found clinging to Tennessee’s highest mountain slopes has bundles of needle-like leaves? (Answer: Table Mountain pine)
Riddle 32: Over 3000 plant species, including many rare types, grow on which Tennessee mountains? (Answer: Great Smoky Mountains)
Riddle 33: What Tennessee mountains host purple rhododendron displays reaching up to 30 feet high? (Answer: Great Smoky Mountains)
History riddles
Riddles 34-38
Riddle 34: Which Native American tribes like the Cherokee originally inhabited East Tennessee mountains? (Answer: Five Civilized Tribes)
Riddle 35: What group passed illegally through the Cumberland Mountains on the Trail of Tears? (Answer: Cherokee)
Riddle 36: Mount Le Conte on the Tennessee Smokies is named for which explorer? (Answer: Joseph Le Conte)
Riddle 37: Grassy ridges created by livestock grazing gave which Tennessee mountains their name? (Answer: Bald Mountains or Balds)
Riddle 38: Which Tennessee mountains mark part of the border with which neighboring state? (Answer: North Carolina & the Great Smoky Mountains)
Visitor riddles
Riddles 39-43
Riddle 39: Over 11 million people visit which Tennessee mountains yearly? (Answer: Great Smoky Mountains)
Riddle 40: What Tennessee mountains offer scenic drives like the Roan Mountain State Park Road? (Answer: Roan Mountain)
Riddle 41: Which Tennessee mountain range contains segments of the famous Appalachian Trail? (Answer: Great Smoky Mountains)
Riddle 42: Tourism around which Tennessee mountains grew in the early 1900s due to pollution in cities? (Answer: Great Smoky Mountains)
Riddle 43: What Tennessee mountains are split between two different national forests? (Answer: Unicoi Mountains)
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this collection of 43 riddles about the mountains of Tennessee. From winding trails to tumbling waterfalls, lush forests to looming peaks, the Volunteer State offers incredible mountain landscapes brimming with mysteries to uncover. Challenge your brain, spend time outdoors unplugged from technology, or simply appreciate the majestic beauty protected in parks across Tennessee. The mountains are calling – so grab your hiking boots and join the adventure!
