The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to dozens of wildlife species. Some are pretty friendly; others prefer to stay out of sight, while others are dangerous and can pose a threat if not treated with proper respect. So, when you visit this amazing Park, keep a keen eye on its inhabitants – from a safe distance.
The Great Smoky Mountains are rich in biodiversity and scenic beauty. The landscape stretches over 522,000 acres across Tennessee and North Carolina.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park protects one of the largest undeveloped areas in the eastern United States, making the area one of the crown jewels of the ecosystem, east of the Mississippi River. The Park includes wildlife, waterfalls, highland pastures, fresh mountain streams, high mountains, and extensive forests.
Because of its magnificence and proximity to the surrounding cities, the Park ranks as a top tourist destination in East Tennessee, making it a critical economic resource.
In this article, we have lined up some of the most common animals in the Smoky Mountains in no particular order.
So here we go.
Tip: Federal park rules require visitors to stay at least 50 yards from bears and elk, and farther from any animal if your presence changes its behavior.
Mammals in the Smoky Mountains
1. Black Bears
Roughly 1,900 black bears live in the Smoky Mountains National Park. Giant bears can weigh more than 600 pounds and are not easy to find, while the females weigh around 100 pounds, and the males weigh at approx. 250 pounds.
The bears are mainly vegetarian; they like to eat plants – squawroot, insects, wild berries, and nuts are their favorite. They seem harmless at first glance, but are some of the most dangerous animals living in the smoky mountains when provoked.
If you spot one while hiking in the Park, stay away or back away slowly and calmly to avoid a wild chase. If the bear comes toward you, do not run; stand your ground, make yourself look large, yell, and throw non-food objects only if the bear keeps approaching.
Black bears in the Smokies den during winter and are much less active, so it’s hard to find any around this time. The best time to encounter bears is in the spring and summer. You can watch them in Cades Cove or Cataloochee in the Smoky Mountains in the meadows near forests.
Bears come out of their dens and can eat anything during this time. Humans are discouraged from feeding them because it reduces their lifespan significantly. Feeding bears, or approaching within 50 yards of them, is illegal in the Smoky Mountains.
2. Elk
The largest animal in the Great Smoky Mountains, the elk, can weigh up to 700 pounds with a height of 5 Ft. at shoulder length. Elk were eliminated from the area long before the ’80s and ’90s, but they were reintroduced to the Park in 2001. You can often spot them at Cataloochee roaming on the grasses as they graze in the open meadows.
The best time to see elk is at dawn or dusk, after a long night of rest and bright and early when they roam about looking for fresh wet pastures in the open fields. Head out to the Park in the early summer to witness mothers give birth to adorable calves and September-October for the annual mating season when bulls circle cows into herds. While mostly docile and calm animals, elk may charge at potential threats, including humans, so it’s best to observe them from at least 50 yards away.
3. White-tailed Deer
White-tailed deer are common in the Smoky Mountains Park. They dwell in the woods and meadows, where they browse on grass and other forest foliage.
Male deer, or bucks, grow antlers every spring; used to fight other deer for mating rights by fall. At the onset of winter, deer drop their antlers and develop fresh ones.
Fawns are born in spring and are adorned with spots to help camouflage them from predators in their early months of life. You can find white-tailed deer in Cades Cove and Cataloochee or when hiking on the forest trails.
Wild Cats in the Smoky Mountains
4. Bobcats
Bobcats are solitary, reclusive felines that live in the Smokies. They typically weigh 10 to 40 pounds and can be about 3 Ft. long. Bobcats have spotted coats, short ears, and stubby tails. These cats hunt rabbits, rodents, birds, and occasionally deer fawns as prey.
Bobcats are solitary animals and prefer to establish their territories and use scents to mark them against prowlers. Females give birth in late winter and can sire up to six kittens, which they raise for 6-8 months at most.
If you’re visiting the Great Smoky Mountains, don’t be afraid of these wild cats because they generally avoid people, but do not like to be intimidated, so don’t get too close. They are timid, nocturnal cats; you most likely won’t see them at all during the day.
Wild Canines in the Smoky Mountains
5. Red and Gray Foxes
The Red Fox and the Gray Fox live in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Both species are elusive and most active around dawn, dusk, or night. Red foxes usually weigh about 8-15 lbs., while gray foxes are usually about 7-13 lbs. as adults.
The Red Fox resembles a small domestic dog in size, except for the white-tipped tail and black limbs, weighing up to 15 pounds. It’s easy to spot one in the Smokies due to their colorful red hue and fluffy tail. The Red Fox is a solitary animal typically hunting alone. It feeds on small game but can also eat human food if it gets access to it.
The Gray Fox differs from the red ones with their black-tipped tail, unlike the red foxes with a white tail. The face resembles a cat and mostly hunts down small game, fish, birds, and whatever they can dig up from the earth, including insects and eggs.
The red and gray foxes are found near Cades Cove in Smokies Park.
6. Coyotes
Coyotes resemble Collie dogs; they have grayish-brown fur, lighter bellies, and a bushy tail. They like to howl at night. Coyotes grow to about 4 feet in length and weigh up to 50 pounds. They are immensely athletic, run at incredible speeds, and can quickly clear low fences.
Coyotes can be found in Cades Cove, and they hunt small prey while alone and can chase down larger animals while in packs. Coyotes are somewhat timid and afraid of humans at first glance, but can be dangerous if you cozy up to them. They can be dangerous around unattended small pets, so keep pets leashed and close anywhere pets are allowed.
Coyotes adapt quickly to new environments and prefer to hunt at night. They mostly hunt small mammals such as rabbits and rodents, but also eat birds, reptiles, amphibians, fruit, and carrion. You can spot them anywhere in the Smokies.
Snakes in the Smoky Mountains
Most of the snakes you will encounter on your trip to the Peaceful Side of the Smokies are peaceful and reclusive reptiles. There are 23 species of snakes in the Smokies, but only two of them are venomous.
7. Northern Copperhead
As the name suggests, the Northern Copperhead comes in copper, pink, and orange shades, with brown patches crossing the body. They grow up to 36 inches in length and have a thick body.
Generally, copperheads live on rocky, woody hillsides; they like to hide under leaf litter or large moist rocks in the Smoky Mountains. They feed on mice, small birds, snakes, frogs, and insects. The mating season is between spring and fall. Females give birth to litters averaging 1-10 young in late summer.
Copperheads are shy and tend to hide from open view. They are venomous snakes, so do not approach or attempt to kill if you see one. They strike to bite! But only when provoked. Although their bite is rarely fatal, it causes intense pain and requires medical attention.
8. Timber Rattlesnakes
This is a medium to large venomous snake that can be found in rocky, wooded areas, including higher elevations. It is relatively thick, with black or brown cross bands with chestnut, gray or yellow light backgrounds. Some Timber Rattlesnakes have a solid black hue and can grow up to 4.5 feet long.
A timber rattlesnake bite can be serious and requires immediate medical attention. Of the two venomous snake species in the Park, the Timber Rattler has the more potent venom. Still, they will also give off warning signals before striking, that infamous loud rattle that lets you know you are too close.
Wild Birds in the Smoky Mountains
9. Wild Turkeys
Wild turkeys are among the most noticeable birds in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, especially in open areas like Cades Cove and Cataloochee. They roam the fields and forest edges in small flocks, scratching for acorns, seeds, berries, insects, and other small foods.
Male wild turkeys, called toms or gobblers, are famous for their fan-shaped tails, iridescent feathers, and spring gobbles. In the fall and winter, visitors may see larger flocks moving together through the meadows.
Wild turkeys usually keep their distance from people, but like all wildlife in the Park, they should be observed without feeding or approaching them.
Other Common animals in the Smoky Mountains
10. Salamanders
The Great Smokies are referred to as the “Salamander Capital of the World” due to their abundance in the Southern Mountains. The red-cheeked salamander is lungless and “breathes” through its skin, and visitors are advised not to touch or try to pet one if they spot it.
The biggest salamander can grow to more than two feet long. Salamanders slither through wet areas, mostly hiding under logs and large stones near the Park’s creeks. Others wander in terrestrial environments, including eerie caves in the high mountain forest. They feed on moths, flies, spiders, beetles, and snails.
If you want to see Salamanders up close in the Smokies, visit the creek side hikes, or walk along damp forest tracks in the Park: use good binoculars to zoom in on these slippery creatures in perfect view. And remember. You can’t touch them since the oils, sunscreen, and lotion on human skin can interfere with their sensitive skin and breathing.
11. The North American River Otter
These creatures live around creeks and rivers in the Smoky Mountains Park. They live in social units – mostly a mother and her young ones until they mature. The adult male river otter also moves around in packs consisting of other males of up to 15 or more. These social groups make river otters playful.
River Otters are great swimmers, so you may see them splashing and sliding in the wallows near the river banks – it’s one way to find a group of otters.
River otters hunt small amphibians that live in and along the rivers. They also eat lizards, crayfish and fish.
Otters skillfully wade through the water at great speed using their tail in search of prey. Once they spot a catch, they grab it and roll over on their backs to eat while still in the water.
If you are hiking through the mountains, you may see The North American River Otters having a good romp along the river banks.
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Tips for Watching Wildlife in the Great Smokies
The best season to visit the Great Smokies Park is in the spring and at the onset of summer. You’re likely to see countless species in your vicinity, whether driving along the forest or hiking in the mountains.
The best time to spot wildlife is at dawn or dusk when they come out of hiding to drink from the creeks or look for prey.
You can also find animals roaming in the Park around the Cades Cove at dusk – the best time to view wildlife in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Animals around the Cades Cove include black bears, deer, coyotes and many more.
The Oconaluftee Visitor Center area and Cataloochee Valley are ideal destinations to see elk, specifically at dawn and at dusk.