The Great Smoky Mountains are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States.
From mid-November to February, it is generally moderate, but weather extremes can occur, especially with the increase in elevation. It is not unusual to have warm temperatures in the low elevations and snow in the higher areas. About half the days in the winter have high temperatures of 50 degrees or more. Highs occasionally even reach the 70s. Most nights have lows at or below freezing, but lows of -20°F are possible at high elevations.
The Smokies got their name from the Cherokee people. They called it “Shaconage” which means “place of the blue smoke.” The name comes from the blue mist that floats above the peaks of the mountains.
European settlers moved to the mountains in the late 1700s. Life for them was very hard. These early settlers moved onto land that belonged to the Cherokee people. They cut down trees to build their homes. They cleared the land to feed their animals and plant crops. They also hunted for food. Sometimes conflict between the two groups led to fighting.