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Great Smoky Mountains National Park - North Carolina and Tennessee

With over 13 million visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2023 alone, it is believed to be the most visited national park in the United States. It straddles both Tennessee and North Carolina and has proven to be extremely popular thanks to its hiking, camping, mountaineering, fishing, and birdwatching opportunities, not to mention the famous Appalachian Trail within the park itself. While there are over 800 miles of trails to enjoy, many have suffered fatal injuries in the park, mostly due to motorcycle accidents and drownings.

Shutterstock/N.Smyth

In 2016, however, the national park experienced an unusually high number of forest fires, which resulted in 14 fatalities. Despite the high foot traffic, inexperienced hikers and campers need to approach this park with caution.