Benton

The small town of Benton, Tennessee is located near the state’s famous Great Smoky Mountains National Park which contains some of the most epic and wild scenery in the whole of the lengthy Appalachian chain. The mountains, named after the mists that rise from their forests and make the hills look as if they were smoldering, not only contain the most extensive old-growth forests in the eastern USA, supporting a varied eco-system including everything from the majestic bald eagle to salamanders and minute hummingbirds, also has an extensive network of hiking trails, including parts of the Appalachian Trail itself. For the less active, nearby Copperhill serves as a terminus for scenic railroad rides taking visitors to nearby locations such as Blue Ridge, Georgia and the Gee Creek Wilderness.