It's hardly a secret that most folks pining after mountains in the Volunteer State will set their sights on the iconic Great Smokies — they form the backbone of the most-visited national park in the United States, after all. Upper Cumberland. According to the official Upper Cumberland 2025 Visitors' Guide, the area comprises 14 counties, 18 communities, and a whole string of enticing state parks, as well as part of the sprawling Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. The good news is that the two big cities of Nashville and Knoxville are almost as good as each other for launching outings to Upper Cumberland. The biggest airport in the vicinity — and the state as a whole, in fact — is the Nashville International Airport (BNA), located a little over an hour's drive to the west.