Appalachian Mountain Region

The Appalachian Mountains run along the eastern part of North America.  They stretch from Canada in the North to Georgia and Mississippi in the South.  The Appalachians have different names in different places.  For example, the Green Mountains, Alleghenies and Great Smoky Mountains are all part of the Appalachians. 

The Appalachians are lower and less rugged than the Rockies.  Still, early European settlers had a hard time crossing these heavily forested mountains.  The climate of the Appalachians is varied, with mild summers, cold winters.  There is also a large amount of rainfall in this area. 

Natural resources include forests, coal and iron.  Economic activities include lumber, mining and farming. Many tourists hike along the mountain trails from towns such as Harpers Ferry, Virginia and Portland, Maine.