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The Backcountry Rescue Squad at America’s Busiest National Park

January 12, 2026

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the busiest in the United States, spans 522,427 acres along the North Carolina-Tennessee border. With over 12 million annual visitors, the park features challenging terrain and limited cell service, making it easy for hikers to become lost in its dense vegetation.

The Backcountry Rescue Squad at America’s Busiest National Park

Credit: In the Great Smoky Mountains, an auxiliary team of élite outdoorsmen answers the call when park-goers’ hikes, climbs, and rafting adventures go wrong.ByPaige WilliamsJanuary 12, 2026

Key Highlights

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the busiest national park in the U. S.
The park covers 522,427 acres, comparable to the size of Rhode Island.
It has 848 miles of trails and numerous waterfalls.
Visitors face challenging terrain with dense ground cover, making navigation difficult.
The park receives over 12 million visitors each year.

Magazine / U.S. Journal

Sources

The Backcountry Rescue Squad at America’s Busiest National Park

This quick summary is automatically generated using AI based on reports from multiple news sources. The content has not been reviewed or verified by humans. For complete details, accuracy, and context, please refer to the original published articles.

The Backcountry Rescue Squad at America’s Busiest National Park

Key Highlights

Sources

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