Nature and Wildlife in Tennessee

At Short Springs Natural Area, you can see some of the best spring wildflowers in the state. Slopes are covered in bluebells, larkspur, trout lilies, thickets of mountain laurel and more. In the east, North Cumberland’s Campbell County is home to the Hatfield Knob Elk Viewing Tower, where visitors can marvel at the majestic elk that have roamed since the 1860s. 

Heading east of the state, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park grants a lucky few the chance to camp under the stars and witness one of nature’s most prolific displays, the synchronised flash patterns of fireflies during their mating rituals. These fireflies illuminate the forest in a rhythmic glow, creating unforgettable spectacles. Visitors can also spot bears in the wild in the Smokies and visit the  Eagle Mountain Sanctuary in Dollywood where they can see the largest exhibit of non-releasable Bald Eagles in the United States.