Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Quiz
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
  • 1. What is the primary composition of the Ocoee Supergroup in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Granite and limestone
B) Tectonic plates
C) Metamorphosed sandstones, phyllites, schists, and slate
D) Marine sediments and igneous rock
  • 2. Which type of rocks are the oldest in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Ocoee Supergroup rocks
B) Marine sediments
C) Cambrian sedimentary rocks
D) Precambrian gneiss and schists
  • 3. What geological event created the Appalachian range?
A) The expansion of the primordial ocean
B) The collision of the North American and African tectonic plates during the Ordovician period
C) The accumulation of eroding land mass onto the continental shelf
D) The advance of subarctic glaciers
  • 4. Which area in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known for its limestone coves?
A) The bottom of the foothills to the northwest
B) Upper Tuckasegee River
C) Cades Cove
D) Raven Fork valley
  • 5. What type of vegetation occupied the valleys and slopes below approximately 4,950 feet during the last Ice Age?
A) Spruce-fir forests
B) Tundra vegetation
C) Deciduous forests
D) Grasslands
  • 6. What geological feature was created by persistent freezing and thawing during the last Ice Age?
A) Large blockfields at the base of large mountain slopes
B) Sedimentary rock layers
C) Tectonic plate boundaries
D) Marine sediments
  • 7. What type of rocks primarily make up the valley floor in Cades Cove?
A) Granite
B) Metamorphic gneiss
C) Younger rocks made out of limestone
D) Older rocks made out of sandstone
  • 8. During which era did the rapid erosion expose older Ocoee Supergroup formations?
A) The Mesozoic era
B) The Cenozoic era
C) The Precambrian era
D) The Paleozoic era
  • 9. What was the primary effect of subarctic glaciers advancing southward across North America around 20,000 years ago?
A) The deposition of marine sediments
B) Colder mean annual temperatures and an increase in precipitation throughout the range
C) The formation of the Appalachian range
D) The creation of limestone coves
  • 10. Which rock types are dominant at sites such as Raven Fork valley and upper Tuckasegee River?
A) Ocoee Supergroup rocks
B) Marine sediments
C) Metamorphic gneiss, granite, and schist
D) Cambrian sedimentary rocks
  • 11. What geological process led to the formation of the Ocoee Supergroup?
A) The collision of tectonic plates
B) The accumulation of eroding land mass onto the continental shelf
C) The deposition of marine sediments
D) The advance of glaciers
  • 12. Which river runs along the southwestern border of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) The Pigeon River
B) The Little River
C) The Oconaluftee River
D) The Little Tennessee River
  • 13. What is the tallest single-drop waterfall in the park?
A) Rainbow Falls
B) Abrams Falls
C) Grotto Falls
D) Laurel Falls
  • 14. Which dam does not impound the Little Tennessee River along the park's boundary?
A) Chilhowee Dam
B) Calderwood Dam
C) Cheoah Dam
D) Fontana Dam
  • 15. Which creek is located near Oconaluftee in the park?
A) Hazel Creek
B) Raven Fork
C) Cosby Creek
D) Eagle Creek
  • 16. How many miles of streams are estimated to be within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) 2,900 miles
B) 5,000 miles
C) 3,500 miles
D) 4,700 kilometers
  • 17. Which waterfall is located at the base of Mt. Guyot?
A) Laurel Falls
B) Rainbow Falls
C) Grotto Falls
D) Ramsey Cascades
  • 18. Which of the following is not a major stream in the park?
A) Oconaluftee River
B) Eagle Creek
C) Raven Fork
D) Hazel Creek
  • 19. What is the height of Ramsey Cascades waterfall?
A) 110 feet
B) 80 feet
C) 90 feet
D) 100 feet
  • 20. Which historic district is not listed in the park?
A) Roaring Fork Historic District
B) Elkmont Historic District
C) Cades Cove Historic District
D) Mingus Mill Historic District
  • 21. Which river separates the Great Smoky Mountains from the Bald Mountains?
A) The Little River
B) The Little Tennessee River
C) The Pigeon River
D) The Oconaluftee River
  • 22. Which creek is near Cosby in the park?
A) Eagle Creek
B) Raven Fork
C) Cosby Creek
D) Hazel Creek
  • 23. How many prominent waterfalls are located within the park?
A) 75
B) More than 100
C) 50
D) 150
  • 24. Which of the following is an individual listing on the National Register of Historic Places in the park?
A) Smoky Mountain Hiking Club cabin
B) Mountain Farm Museum
C) Alex Cole Cabin
D) Mingus Mill
  • 25. Which creek is located near Gatlinburg in the park?
A) Roaring Fork
B) Cosby Creek
C) Eagle Creek
D) Raven Fork
  • 26. What is the height of Rainbow Falls?
A) 70 feet
B) 90 feet
C) 80 feet
D) 100 feet
  • 27. Which structure in Oconaluftee has been deemed eligible for listing but is not listed?
A) Mountain Farm Museum
B) Oconaluftee Baptist Church
C) Smoky Mountain Hiking Club cabin
D) Mingus Mill
  • 28. Which of the following waterfalls is not mentioned as popular in the park?
A) Grotto Falls
B) Laurel Falls
C) Abrams Falls
D) Hen Wallow Falls
  • 29. Which historic district includes buildings in the Cataloochee area?
A) Roaring Fork Historic District
B) Cades Cove Historic District
C) Elkmont Historic District
D) No specific district is mentioned for Cataloochee buildings
  • 30. Which creek has its source in the park and is one of the three prongs?
A) Oconaluftee River
B) Raven Fork
C) Little Pigeon River
D) Cosby Creek
  • 31. Which creek is located in the southwest of the park?
A) Cosby Creek
B) Hazel Creek
C) Raven Fork
D) Roaring Fork
  • 32. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is part of which mountain range?
A) The Blue Ridge Mountains
B) The Rocky Mountains
C) The Sierra Nevada
D) The Cascade Range
  • 33. What is the highest mountain in Tennessee located within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Kuwohi
B) Mount Le Conte
C) Mount Guyot
D) Clingmans Dome
  • 34. How many 'Southern Sixers' are located within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) 10
B) 6
C) 16
D) 12
  • 35. Which mountain is the second highest in the park?
A) Mount Le Conte
B) Clingmans Dome
C) Mount Guyot
D) Kuwohi
  • 36. Which valley is the largest and most prominent in the park?
A) Greenbrier
B) The Sugarlands
C) Ocanaluftee
D) Cades Cove
  • 37. Which mountain rises 5,301 feet (1,616 m) from its base to its summit?
A) Mount Le Conte
B) Kuwohi
C) Mount Guyot
D) Clingmans Dome
  • 38. Which mountains are located to the east of the Great Smoky Mountains?
A) The Bald Mountains
B) The Plott Balsams
C) The Unicoi Mountains
D) The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians
  • 39. When was the Great Smoky Mountains National Park officially dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt?
A) 1940
B) 1983
C) 1934
D) 1988
  • 40. Which major trail passes through the center of Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Natchez Trace
B) Continental Divide Trail
C) Pacific Crest Trail
D) Appalachian Trail
  • 41. What designation was given to the park by UNESCO in 1983?
A) International Biosphere Reserve
B) Global Geopark
C) Natural World Heritage Site
D) World Heritage Site
  • 42. How many acres does Great Smoky Mountains National Park cover?
A) 500,000 acres
B) 700,000 acres
C) 522,419 acres
D) 600,000 acres
  • 43. Which highway serves as the main entrance to the park from Gatlinburg, Tennessee?
A) U.S. Highway 19
B) Interstate 40
C) State Route 73
D) U.S. Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road)
  • 44. What type of forest is part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Boreal forest
B) Appalachian temperate rainforest
C) Desert forest
D) Tropical rainforest
  • 45. Which year did Great Smoky Mountains become the most visited national park in the United States?
A) 2019
B) 2020
C) 2025
D) 2023
  • 46. What is one of the main attractions located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Dollywood
B) Six Flags Over Texas
C) Universal Studios
D) Graceland
  • 47. What is the plant hardiness zone at Kuwohi Visitor Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) 7b
B) 5b
C) 4c
D) 6a
  • 48. What is the average annual extreme minimum temperature at Kuwohi Visitor Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) -10 °F (-23 °C)
B) 32 °F (0 °C)
C) -14.3 °F (-25.7 °C)
D) 20 °F (-6 °C)
  • 49. What natural phenomenon is responsible for large amounts of precipitation in the Smoky Mountains?
A) El Niño
B) La Niña
C) Monsoon winds
D) Orographic lift
  • 50. Which area was significantly affected by mountain waves during the 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires?
A) Gatlinburg
B) Asheville
C) Knoxville
D) Chattanooga
  • 51. What was the status of Great Smoky Mountains National Park according to a 2004 report by the National Parks Conservation Association?
A) One of the least polluted national parks
B) Unpolluted
C) Moderately polluted
D) The most polluted national park
  • 52. What is a contributing factor to flash flooding in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Drought conditions
B) Strong winds
C) Earthquakes
D) Heavy rain after orographic lift
  • 53. What is the elevation of Newfound Gap above mean sea level?
A) 7,000 ft (2,134 m)
B) 6,500 ft (1,981 m)
C) 3,000 ft (914 m)
D) 5,048 ft (1,539 m)
  • 54. What is a common weather phenomenon that can lead to tornadoes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Strong thunderstorms
B) Cold fronts
C) Heatwaves
D) Light drizzle
  • 55. What percentage of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is covered by forests?
A) About 50 percent.
B) Nearly 75 percent.
C) Less than 10 percent.
D) Approximately 95 percent.
  • 56. Which type of trees dominate the lower region forests in the park?
A) Cactus and desert shrubs.
B) Coniferous trees like pine and spruce.
C) Deciduous leafy trees.
D) Bamboo and tropical plants.
  • 57. What is significant about the old-growth forest in the park?
A) It includes many trees that predate European settlement.
B) It consists entirely of non-native species.
C) It covers less than 5 percent of the park.
D) It was planted by early settlers.
  • 58. Which of the following is not a type of bald found in the park?
A) Desert balds.
B) Grassy balds.
C) Heath balds.
D) Mixed oak-pine forests.
  • 59. How many species of native trees are found in the park?
A) 500 species.
B) 101 species.
C) 50 species.
D) 200 species.
  • 60. How many species of non-vascular plants are found in the park?
A) More than 1,000 species.
B) Exactly 300 species.
C) Less than 100 species.
D) Over 490 species.
  • 61. What is the dominant tree species found in both cove and northern hardwood forests?
A) Mountain maple (Acer spicatum)
B) Cucumber magnolia (Magnolia acuminata)
C) Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis)
D) Silverbells (Halesia carolina)
  • 62. Which species is not typically found in the understory of cove hardwood forests?
A) Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
B) Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
C) Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
D) Coneflower
  • 63. Which species is found in the understory of northern hardwood forests but not mentioned for cove hardwood forests?
A) Rugels ragwort
B) Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
C) Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
D) Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)
  • 64. Which tree species is common to both cove and northern hardwood forests but not dominant in either?
A) Silverbells (Halesia carolina)
B) American beech (Fagus grandifolia)
C) White basswood (Tilia heterophylla)
D) Yellow buckeye (Aesculus flava)
  • 65. Which species is not mentioned as part of the cove hardwood forest understory?
A) Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
B) Bloodroot
C) Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
D) Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
  • 66. What is the primary reason other tree types fail to encroach into beech gaps?
A) High winds
B) Soil acidity
C) Lack of sunlight
D) Unknown
  • 67. What is the Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest also known as?
A) deciduous forest
B) alpine tundra
C) "boreal" or "Canadian" forest
D) temperate rainforest
  • 68. Which species is now dominant in the spruce-fir forest range?
A) white pine
B) Fraser fir
C) hemlock
D) red spruce
  • 69. Which plant is NOT part of the dense broad-leaved understory in the Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest?
A) mountain ash
B) catawba rhododendron
C) hobblebush
D) thornless blackberry
  • 70. What type of plants dominate the herbaceous and litter layers in the spruce-fir forest?
A) Shade-tolerant plants such as ferns.
B) Aquatic plants.
C) Grasses and sedges.
D) Sun-loving flowering plants.
  • 71. Which tree species is commonly found in the Montane alluvial forests?
A) Maple
B) Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
C) Pine
D) Cedar
  • 72. Which species of rhododendron blooms with purple flowers in May and June?
A) Mountain laurel
B) Rosebay rhododendron
C) Catawba rhododendron
D) Flame azalea
  • 73. Which wildflower blooms in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from June to July?
A) Bee balm
B) Dutchman's breeches
C) Rosebay rhododendron
D) Solomon's seal
  • 74. Which species of bat is endangered and found within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Little brown bat
B) Eastern pipistrelle
C) Big brown bat
D) Indiana bat
  • 75. Which animal is most abundant in the Cataloochee area of the park?
A) Raccoon
B) White-tailed deer
C) Elk
D) American black bear
  • 76. Which state animal is plentiful in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Bobcats
B) Raccoons
C) Elk
D) White-tailed deer
  • 77. Which mammal is the only marsupial found in North America and present in the park?
A) Tree kangaroo
B) Kangaroo rat
C) Virginia opossum
D) Bandicoot
  • 78. How many bird species are known to use the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as a breeding ground?
A) Less than 50
B) About 90
C) Nearly 120
D) Over 200
  • 79. Which bird species is found throughout the lower elevations and cove hardwood forests?
A) Red-eyed vireo
B) Raven
C) Bald eagle
D) Peregrine falcon
  • 80. Which bird species are more typical of cooler climates in the park?
A) Ruby-throated hummingbird
B) Wild turkey
C) Tufted titmouse
D) Black-capped chickadee
  • 81. Which bird species have been sighted at all elevations in the park?
A) Wood thrush
B) Red-tailed hawks
C) Northern parula
D) Ruby-throated hummingbird
  • 82. Which owl species are found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Snowy owl
B) Barred owl
C) Great horned owl
D) Barn owl
  • 83. Which unique salamander is found only in the Smokies?
A) Blackbelly salamander
B) Shovelnose salamander
C) Red-cheeked salamander
D) Eastern red-spotted newt
  • 84. How many snake species from the family Colubridae are found in the park?
A) 15
B) 21
C) 30
D) 10
  • 85. Which venomous snakes are found at all elevations in the Smokies?
A) Timber rattlesnake
B) Black rat snake
C) Copperhead
D) Corn snake
  • 86. Which trout species is native to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Brown trout
B) Brook trout
C) Atlantic salmon
D) Rainbow trout
  • 87. Which insect is known for its synchronized flashing light displays in mid-June?
A) Monarch butterfly
B) Honeybee
C) Photinus carolinus firefly
D) Dragonfly
  • 88. Which of these is not an insect group found abundantly in the park?
A) Spiders
B) Butterflies
C) Bees
D) Moths
  • 89. How many trail shelters are located along the Appalachian Trail within the park?
A) 10
B) 8
C) 12
D) 15
  • 90. What does the Mt. LeConte Shelter accommodate?
A) 24 people per night
B) 12 people per night
C) 50 people per night
D) 5 people per night
  • 91. What is the most popular activity after hiking and simple sightseeing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A) Water tubing
B) Fishing, especially fly fishing
C) Horseback riding
D) Bicycling
  • 92. How long had Native Americans likely been hunting in the Great Smoky Mountains before European contact?
A) 8,000 years
B) 10,000 years
C) 14,000 years
D) 5,000 years
  • 93. What was the Cherokee name for the Great Smoky Mountains?
A) Shaconage
B) Atagahi
C) Tsitsuyi
D) Kuwohi
  • 94. Which Cherokee village was located at the confluence of Abrams Creek and the Little Tennessee?
A) Kittowa
B) Oconaluftee
C) Chilhowee
D) Tallassee
  • 95. Which Cherokee town is considered their oldest according to legend?
A) Tallassee
B) Tanasi
C) Chota
D) Kittowa
  • 96. Who were the European settlers primarily in conflict with upon arriving in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee?
A) The French
B) The Cherokee
C) The Spanish
D) The British
  • 97. Which general burned the Middle towns including Kittuwa during the American Revolution?
A) General George Washington
B) General John Sevier
C) General Andrew Jackson
D) General Griffith Rutherford
  • 98. By what year had the Cherokee ceded control of the Smokies to the U.S. government?
A) 1776
B) 1838
C) 1821
D) 1805
  • 99. Who helped some Cherokees retain their land on the Qualla Boundary?
A) John Sevier
B) Griffith Rutherford
C) Andrew Jackson
D) William Holland Thomas
  • 100. In which decade did permanent settlers begin arriving in the Smokies?
A) 1770s
B) 1850s
C) 1790s
D) 1810s
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