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North Carolina Park Is One Of The Top Free Attractions In The United States

Author Melanie Day

I’m always looking for free things to do. Because well let’s face it pretty much all of my hobbies involve spending money in one way or another. And one of my favorite things to do is simply spend money. But with prices rising on seemingly everything, I and most likely you, am looking to save money anywhere I can. So when I stumbled on a list of the 10 Best Free Attractions Across the US, well I had to give it a quick read. And what I found was that one North Carolina Park was actually included on the list of the best free attractions! Great Smoky Mountains National Park which sits in both North Carolina and Tennessee was voted number 6 on this list.

The rankings come from USA Today as one of the categories of the publication’s 10 Best Campaigns. To determine these rankings, which span just about every category you can think of, USA Today receives nominees that are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. From there readers can vote once per category, per day.

So what makes Great Smoky Mountains National Park such a great place to visit? According to the park’s website, it is “a wonderous diversity of life”.  Another fun fact is that it is actually the US’s most visited National Park. I would have guessed Yellowstone! At Great Smoky Mountain National Park you’ll find a wide array of plant and animal life, ancient mountains, and nods to the Southern Appalachian mountain culture. Learn more and plan your visit with info from the National Park Service. Read the full USA today list including this North Carolina National Park and other free attractions here.

North Carolina State Park is One of the Most Dangerous in the U.S.

National parks are truly one of the most fascinating places to visit in the U.S. From sightseeing to hiking to just wanting a great picture when you’re flying over in your plane the sight is undeniable. National parks are some of the best natural wonders to view when you’re in the States. But, they are also some of the most dangerous spots to visit if you aren’t careful. That’s right, these parks can certainly be a place of danger.

Popular Mechanics gathered a list of the most dangerous national parks in the U.S. Unfortunately for us, a North Carolina state park made the list of the top 10. Between 2007 and 2018, there were over 2,700 deaths at national parks out of the millions of visitors. Although that may not be a large percentage, that’s still a lot of deaths happening in these national parks. Check out the top 6 most dangerous national parks below and see where North Carolina falls. Want to see the full list? Click here to check it out.

  • 1. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

    Coming in at No. 1 as the most dangerous national park is the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. Unfortunately, it is one of the most popular that many of us want to visit one day but we must be careful if we get there. The park covers a little over a million acres of land and is over 250 miles long. It attracts millions of visitors over the years and can be one of the most dangerous for tourists if they are not careful.

  • 2. Yosemite National Park, California

    Up next is the Yosemite National Park in California as the #2 most dangerous park. It is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains and covers over 1,000 square miles of land. You can view waterfalls, meadows, valleys, and more when visiting this national park. When visiting, be sure to follow all park rules, stay on the trails, and keep water with you while you will be trucking for quite some time when visiting.

  • 3. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

    Coming in at #3 is Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Another very popular one for you to visit whenever you’re in the area. The park covers a total of three states which makes it even more unique. It covers over 2 million acres of land across the three states and see so much nature and wildlife. Be aware that many wildlife is in the park area including bisons, wolves, bears, and more! Stay on the trail and don’t get too close to any wildlife you may see while on the trails.

  • 4. Zion National Park, Utah

    Coming in at #4 is a great park in Utah, Zion National Park. The park is known as being one of the most beautiful sights in the country and most visited by many tourists. Hiking through this national park can be unique and vary in danger depending on location.

  • 5. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

    Visit the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado to have some fun! This national park has over 100 peaks rising above 11,000 feet in elevation. The park also covers over 400 square miles for you to be able to experience. When visiting this national park, you can do a variety of activities such as rock climbing, fishing, camping, hiking, and more!

  • 6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina

    Coming in at #6 is North Carolina’s very own Great Smoky Mountains National Park. When visiting this national park, experience over 500,000 acres of land which has beautiful forest views, waterfalls, and more for you to see. Fishing is a very popular activity at this national park. One of the most important rules for this park is typical but known to cause issues, be sure to stay on the proper pathway and trail and do not venture off to find your own fun.

Melanie Day is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She has worked for Beasley since 2012 in a variety of behind-the-scenes roles in both digital and promotions. Melanie writes about a diverse range of topics some of her favorites include travel, restaurants, Taylor Swift, and college athletics. When not at work you'll find her at a country concert or NC State sporting event.

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