In Western North Carolina, mountain building began about a billion years ago when extreme heat and pressure thrust rock shelves thousands of feet into the air. Near the end of the ice age, massive glaciers, some as thick as 10,000 feet, slowly moved southward, collecting plants and animals along the way. As the ice receded, streams and rivers flowed, allowing the flora and fauna to prosper while the razor-edged ridges were rounded to reveal the ecologically rich environment and characteristically smooth look of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Today, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most biologically diverse environment on earth, an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site. In addition, Western North Carolina was recently designated as the nation's 24th National Heritage Area.

Hundreds of miles of meandering streams and rushing rivers flow across the Smokies.