Editing Tennessee (section)

===Topography===
[[File:Mt. LeConte Clingmans Dome 05-31-20.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Photograph of Mount Le Conte in the Great Smoky Mountains, the tallest mountain in eastern North America, measured from base to summit|[[Mount Le Conte (Tennessee)|Mount Le Conte]] in the [[Great Smoky Mountains]] is the tallest mountain in eastern North America, measured from base to summit]]

The southwestern [[Blue Ridge Mountains]] lie within Tennessee's eastern edge, and are divided into several subranges, namely the [[Great Smoky Mountains]], [[Bald Mountains]], [[Unicoi Mountains]], [[Unaka Range|Unaka Mountains]], and [[Iron Mountains]]. These mountains, which average {{convert|5,000|ft|m}} above sea level in Tennessee, contain some of the highest elevations in eastern North America. The state's border with North Carolina roughly follows the highest peaks of this range, including Kuwohi. Most of the Blue Ridge area is protected by the [[Cherokee National Forest]], the [[Great Smoky Mountains National Park]], and several federal wilderness areas and state parks.<ref name="federal lands">{{cite web |title=Federal Lands and Indian Reservations - Tennessee |url=https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/united_states/fed_lands_2003/tennessee_2003.pdf |publisher=United States Department of the Interior |access-date=June 20, 2021 |location=Washington, D.C. |date=2003 |via=University of Texas Libraries}}</ref> The [[Appalachian Trail]] roughly follows the North Carolina state line before shifting westward into Tennessee.<ref>{{cite web |title=Appalachian Trail Map |url=https://www.nps.gov/appa/planyourvisit/upload/APPA%20Map.pdf |website=nps.gov |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=July 17, 2021 |location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref>

Stretching west from the Blue Ridge Mountains for about {{convert|55|mi|km}} are the [[Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians]], also known as the Tennessee Valley{{efn|This is not to be confused with the [[Tennessee Valley]], the drainage basin of the Tennessee River, which covers most of this region.}} or Great Valley of East Tennessee. This area consists of linear parallel ridges separated by valleys that trend northeast to southwest, the general direction of the entire Appalachian range.{{sfn|Moore|1994|p=64}} Most of these ridges are low, but some of the higher ones are commonly called mountains.{{sfn|Moore|1994|p=64}} Numerous tributaries join to form the Tennessee River in the Ridge and Valley region.<ref name=physiomap>{{cite map |title=Physiographic Map of Tennessee|year=1946|url=https://sites.tntech.edu/hwleimer/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2020/07/Physiographic-Map-of-Tennessee.pdf|scale = 1:3,000,000|publisher=Ginn and Company|location=<!--Needed-->|access-date=June 20, 2021|via=Tennessee Tech}}</ref>

[[File:Fall Creek Falls.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Photograph of Fall Creek Falls, the tallest waterfall in the eastern United States|[[Fall Creek Falls]], the tallest waterfall in the eastern United States, is located on the Cumberland Plateau]]
The [[Cumberland Plateau]] rises to the west of the Tennessee Valley, with an average elevation of {{convert|2,000|ft|m}}.<ref name=maertens>{{cite thesis |last=Maertens |first=Thomas Brock |date=June 10, 1980 |title=The Relationship of Maintenance Costs to Terrain and Climate on Interstate 40 in Tennessee |type=MSc |chapter= |publisher=The University of Tennessee |docket=ADA085221 |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA085221.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627180437/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA085221.pdf |url-status=live |archive-date=June 27, 2021 |access-date=June 27, 2021}}</ref> This landform is part of the larger [[Appalachian Plateau]] and consists mostly of flat-topped [[table (landform)|tablelands]].<ref name="npsgeo">{{cite web |title=Geology and History of the Cumberland Plateau |url=https://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/upload/webgeo.pdf |website=nps.gov |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=May 27, 2021}}</ref> The plateau's eastern edge is relatively distinct, but the western [[escarpment]] is irregular, containing several long, crooked stream valleys separated by rocky cliffs with numerous [[waterfall]]s.{{sfn|Moore|1994|pp=68–72}} The [[Cumberland Mountains]], with peaks above {{convert|3,500|ft|m}}, comprise the northeastern part of the Appalachian Plateau in Tennessee, and the southeastern part of the Cumberland Plateau is divided by the [[Sequatchie Valley]].{{sfn|Moore|1994|pp=68–72}} The [[Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park|Cumberland Trail]] traverses the eastern escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau and Cumberland Mountains.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail - 2020 |url=https://ctsst.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ae4ff34c7bc742e7a6c6e5b738f65c2c |website=arcgis |publisher=Cumberland Trails Conference |access-date=July 17, 2021 |date=2020}}</ref>

[[File:Reelfoot Lake.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Photograph of Reelfoot Lake in West Tennessee, formed by the 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes|[[Reelfoot Lake]] in West Tennessee was formed by the [[1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes]]]]
West of the Cumberland Plateau is the [[Highland Rim]], an elevated plain that surrounds the [[Nashville Basin]], a [[dome (geology)|geological dome]].{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=81–82}} Both of these physiographic provinces are part of the [[Interior Low Plateaus]] of the larger [[Interior Plains]]. The Highland Rim is Tennessee's largest geographic region, and is often split into eastern and western halves.{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=81–82, 103}} The Eastern Highland Rim is characterized by relatively level plains dotted by rolling hills, and the Western Highland Rim and western Nashville Basin are covered with uneven rounded knobs with steep [[ravine]]s separated by meandering streams.{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=83–85, 98-100}} The Nashville Basin has rich, fertile farmland,{{sfn|Safford|1869|p=97}} and porous limestone bedrock very close to the surface underlies both the Nashville Basin and Eastern Highland Rim.{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=83–85}} This results in [[karst]] that forms numerous caves, sinkholes, depressions, and underground streams.<ref name=mooredrumm>{{cite web |last1=Moore |first1=Harry |last2=Drumm |first2=Eric G. |title=Karst Geology in Tennessee |url=https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/W453-C.pdf |publisher=University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture |access-date=May 23, 2021 |location=Knoxville, TN |archive-date=May 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523090223/https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/W453-C.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>

West of the Highland Rim is the [[Tennessee Valley|Western Tennessee Valley]], which consists of about {{convert|10|mi|km}} in width of hilly land along the banks of the Tennessee River.{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=104–106}} West of this is the [[Gulf Coastal Plain]], a broad feature that begins at the [[Gulf of Mexico]] and extends northward into southern [[Illinois]].{{sfn|Safford|1869|p=110–111}} The plain begins in the east with low rolling hills and wide stream valleys, known as the West Tennessee Highlands, and gradually levels out to the west.{{sfn|Safford|1869|p=111}} It ends at steep [[loess]] bluffs overlooking the [[Mississippi embayment]], the westernmost physiographic division of Tennessee, which is part of the larger [[Mississippi Alluvial Plain]].{{sfn|Moore|1994|pp=82–84}} This flat {{convert|10 to 14|mi|km}} wide strip is commonly known as the Mississippi Bottoms, and contains lowlands, [[floodplain]]s, and [[swamp]]s.{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=112–113}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Overview of the State - Tennessee - 2021 |url=https://mchb.tvisdata.hrsa.gov/Narratives/Overview/37823985-1a99-49ae-8241-10022fca6e2b |website=hrsa.gov |publisher=[[Health Resources and Services Administration]] |access-date=June 20, 2021 |location=North Bethesda, Maryland |date=2021}}</ref>