The mountain region of North Carolina occupies about 10 percent of the state. It is part of the southern portion of the Appalachian Mountain province, which extends from New England in the north to Alabama in the south. In the southern part of the Appalachian system, the easternmost mountain ridge is called the Blue Ridge. The Blue Ridge province attains its greatest width, height, and ruggedness in the area along the North Carolina-Tennessee border. In places the boundary between these two states follows the crest of the mountain ridges. The region is divided into a number of smaller mountain ranges. The easternmost range is specifically called the Blue Ridge, while along the western margin lie several ranges, including the Unaka Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains. Several ranges, such as the Black Mountains and the Plott Balsam Mountains, connect the easternmost and westernmost ranges, enclosing lower-lying basins and valleys. The Asheville Basin, in the French Broad Valley, is the most significant.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the prominent feature of the mountains. It was established as a national park in the 1930s, and with over 9 million visits per year, it is the most-visited national park in the United States. Much of the range is also protected as the Nantahala National Forest, Pisgah National Forest, and Cherokee National Forest outside of the park.

The name of the area comes from the natural haze that often hangs over it. As in the neighboring Blue Ridge Mountains to the east, hydrocarbons produced by trees and other local vegetation — as well as higher humidity — produce a bluish cast to the sky, even over short distances. Visibility now is dramatically reduced by smog from both the Southeastern United States and the Midwest, and smog forecasts are prepared daily by the Environmental Protection Agency for both nearby Knoxville, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina.

The general elevation within the mountains varies from 2,000 to 4,000 ft, with valleys considerably lower. Many peaks are considerably higher; 50 exceed 6,000 ft. Mount Mitchell in the Black Mountains, 6,684 ft high, is the highest point not only in the state but also in the entire eastern United States east of the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Most of the major peaks of the Great Smokies are situated along a 75 mile crest stretching roughly from the Little Tennessee River in the west to the Pigeon River in the east. Notable exceptions are Mount Le Conte, located in the central Smokies, and the high peaks of the Balsam Mountain crest, which intersects the crest of the Smokies at Tricorner Knob.

The highest point in the Smokies is Clingmans Dome 6,643 feet, which is located within the national park. A paved road leads to within 300 vertical feet (90 m) of the summit, and from there visitors can walk a paved trail to the top. A handicap-accessible tower is located at the summit, and on clear days visitors can see five states (Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Kentucky). Clingmans Dome is also the highest point in Tennessee.

The Smokies rise prominently above the surrounding low terrain. For example, Mount Le Conte 6,593 feet rises more than a mile above its base. Because of their prominence, the Smokies receive heavy annual amounts of precipitation. Annual precipitation amounts range from 50 to 80 inches, and snowfall in the winter can be heavy, especially on the higher slopes. For comparison, the surrounding terrain has annual precipitation of around 40 to 50 inches.

Rafting, either leisurely river tubing or in full whitewater, is common all summer. Downhill skiing is also done in winter, though for a short season, at places like Cataloochee and Ober Gatlinburg.

North Carolina Real Estate