100 Places to See In Your Lifetime-Heaven On Earth-#12-Great Smoky Mountains-North Carolina/Tennessee " Snaking through North Carolina and Tennessee, these ancient hills have bequeathed some of the country's finest locales, including a 72-mile segment of the Appalachian Trail and of course, the national park. The forestland is one fifth virgin growth-red maple, hickory, beech-and blessed throughout with pristine streams and a rich underground."