National Park Lidar Elevation Models for Great Smoky Mountains

3-meter resolution Lidar Digital Elevation Models are the primary elevation data product distributed by the National Park Service. The dataset covers specific locations within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including Clingmans Dome, Cades Cove, and Bryson City.

Use Cases

• Analyze terrain elevation changes across specific park locations like Clingmans Dome NC and Gatlinburg TN using Digital Elevation Model data.
• Model hydrological flow and watershed boundaries in areas such as Cove Creek Gap NC based on the Digital Terrain Model.
• Assess landscape stability and erosion risks for sites like Calderwood TN and Blockhouse TN using elevation data.

Strengths

• Data is the primary elevation product produced by the National Park Service, indicating authoritative sourcing.
• Geographic coverage includes multiple distinct and named locations within the Great Smoky Mountains, such as Clingmans Dome NC and Cades Cove TN.

Limitations

• Specific technical details like spatial resolution, row count, column definitions, and data size are unknown.
• The dataset format includes legacy and compressed file types (ADF, RAR) which may require specialized software to access and process.

Provenance

Source

Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

Collection Method

Produced from Lidar data, method unknown.

Freshness

Last updated January 2026.

Geography

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, covering locations in Tennessee and North Carolina like Blount County Tennessee and Bryson City NC.