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A concept conceived in and around the Smokies, the wilderness movement and its definitions of “Wilderness”, served to change ideas about wild land management in the entire United States. When masterminds of land conservation, Harvey Broome, Robert Sterling Yard, Bob Marshall and Appalachian Trail creator Benton MacKaye visited the Southern Appalachians, they saw a land worth preserving, but imperiled by encroaching development.

They dreamed of preserving these places just as they were natural, untouched by technology that even in the early 30s was a growing threat. It was with this mission that the Wilderness Society was created in 1935.

Working under the auspices that these wilderness areas should be protected by federal legislation as to avoid the politics associated with allowing protection by individuals or groups, Howard Zanhiser, then Executive Secretary of the Wilderness Society with the help of local advocate and writer Harvey Broome, pens the Wilderness Act in 1956.

In the same year the National Park Service begins a decade – long project known as “Mission 66” that will build visitor centers, restrooms, campgrounds and roads in ever increasing numbers in parks all over the country. Although “Mission 66” did make parks more accessible to visitors, many facets of the project threatened the ideals embraced by wilderness advocates, especially road building.

With “Mission 66” came a proposition that would serve to resolve a long standing struggle between the NPS and residents of Swain county, NC, that in 1943 were promised a road to be built in the Smokies, that would serve to replace one that was flooded by the construction of Fontana Dam. The Lakeview Drive project, whose funding quickly ran out during post war construction, was to start in Bryson City and run along the lakeshore to Fontana Dam, creating a new entrance to the park on the NC side.

Without sufficient funding this project was halted several times, but in the 60s during Mission 66 a new project was suggested that would provide an alternative to the Lakeview Drive. It is during this time that suggestions for the building of a second trans-mountain road will surface, with a designated route from Bryson City, NC over the mountain to Townsend, TN.

In 1964 however, with the passage of the Wilderness Act, this route will go directly through the middle of what is considered for one of the parks largest proposed Wilderness areas. So, in 1966 a hike hosted by members of the Wilderness Society, the Save our Smokies hike is held to garner support for wilderness instead of a new road, by taking hundreds of hikers and Smokies enthusiasts on a hike along the crest of the Smokies from Clingmans Dome into the proposed Wilderness area.

The 16 mile hike from Clingmans Dome to Elkmont helped to diffuse plans to build the second road over the mountain, and to this day provides some of the most beautiful high elevation views in the park, and enters one of the many areas in the park managed as de facto Wilderness.