The Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountains, are located in Tennessee and North Carolina. Thomas L. Clingman and Arnold Guyot are credited with first exploring the region in the nineteenth century. The national park was formed in 1930. The mountains are known for the bluish haze that gives them their name, as well as for their bald-topped peaks and extensive forests. Clingmans Dome, named for the person who first explored it, is the range's highest point at 6,644 feet (2,025 m).