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Smokies Opening Park Facilities for 2017 Season

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced the 2017 spring opening schedule for park facilities. See the full opening schedule listed below: Roads – Secondary Roads are scheduled to open as follows: Forge Creek Road opened on March 10; Clingmans Dome Road will open on April 1; Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and Round Bottom/Straight Fork Road will open April 7; Rich Mountain Road and Little Greenbrier Road will open on April 14; and Balsam Mountain Road and Heintooga Ridge Road will open on May 26. Due to road damage and hazard trees, Parson Branch Road will remain closed in 2017. Cades Cove Loop Road will be closed for bicycle use only on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10:00 a.m. from May 10 through September 27. Campgrounds open on a staggered schedule that started on March 10. See the following schedule for exact dates. Camping fees range from $14 to $23 per site per night. The park’s developed campgrounds of Cataloochee, Elkmont, Cades Cove, Smokemont, and some sites at Cosby are on the reservation system through Recreaction.gov for at least a portion of their seasons. Recreation.gov provides visitors an opportunity to make reservations to many federally-managed recreation areas, including National Park Service areas, across the country. The system allows campers to reserve specific campsites and to make reservations 6 months in advance. Group campsites and picnic pavilions can be reserved up to 12 months in advance. Visitors can make reservations at the five campgrounds, all group campsites, horse camps, and picnic shelters by booking sites online at www.Recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. Advance reservations are required at Cataloochee Campground throughout the entire season. Reservations are recommended at Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont for the period from May 15 through October 31. During the rest of the open season, these three campgrounds are first-come, first-serve. At these three campgrounds, campers also have an opportunity to reserve a generator-free campsite. Cosby Campground, which has mostly first-come, first-serve campsites, has a limited number of reservable sites. Group Camping is available at the following seven campgrounds by reservation only through Recreation.gov: Big Creek, Cataloochee, Cosby, Deep Creek, Elkmont, Cades Cove, and Smokemont. See the following schedule for exact dates. The cost for group camps ranges from $26 to $65 per site per night. Horse Camps are available by reservation only through Recreation.gov at Anthony Creek, Big Creek, Round Bottom, Tow String and Cataloochee See the following schedule for exact dates. The horse campsite fees are $20 at all horse camps except for Big Creek where it is $25. CAMPGROUND SCHEDULE NC Campgrounds Fee Opening Date Group Sites Horse Camp ($20, $25) Balsam Mountain $14 May 26 N/A N/A Big Creek $14 Apr 14 Apr 14 Apr 14 Cataloochee $20 Apr 7 Apr 7 Apr 7 Deep Creek $17 Apr 14 Apr 14 N/A Round Bottom $20 N/A N/A Apr 7 *Smokemont $17, $20 Year-round May 15 N/A Tow String $20 N/A N/A Apr 7 TN Campgrounds Fee Opening Date Group Sites Horse Camp ($20, $25) Abrams Creek $14 May 26 N/A N/A Anthony Creek $20 N/A N/A 1-Apr *Cades Cove $17, $20, $23 Year-round Apr 14 N/A Cosby $14 Apr 14 Apr 14 N/A *Elkmont $17, $20, $23 Mar 10 Apr 28 N/A Look Rock Closed *Campsites are $20 per site during the reservation period May 15-October 31. At Elkmont, riverside campsites are $23 during reservation period. Picnic Areas at Cades Cove, Deep Creek, Greenbrier, and Metcalf Bottoms are open year round. Chimneys picnic area will open on March 11 and Collins Creek picnic area will open on April 7. Big Creek and Cosby picnic areas will open April 14. Heintooga picnic area will open on May 26. Look Rock picnic area will remain closed for the year. The park’s largest picnic pavilion at Twin Creeks opens on April 1 and reservations are required through Recreation.gov. Twin Creeks’ fees range from $35-$75 depending on the number of people. In addition, picnickers can reserve five other picnic pavilions on Recreation.gov. They are located at Collins Creek, Cosby, Deep Creek, Metcalf Bottoms, and Greenbrier picnic areas. The cost is $20, except at Greenbrier where it is $10. Operating Hours for Visitor Centers – Sugarlands Visitor Center (SVC), near Gatlinburg, TN; Cades Cove Visitor Center (CCVC), near Townsend, TN; and Oconaluftee Visitor Center (OVC) near Cherokee, NC are open daily, seven days a week. The Clingmans Dome Visitor Information Center is open daily, seven days a week from April 1 through November 30. See the following schedule for operating hours: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec CCVC 9:00- 4:30 9:00 5:30 9:00-6:30 9:00-7:00 9:00-7:30 9:00-7:30 9:00-7:30 9:00-7:00 9:00-6:30 9:00-6:30 9:00-5:30 9:00- 4:30 OVC 8:00-4:30 8:00-4:30 8:00-5:00 8:00-6:00 8:00-6:00 8:00-6:00 8:00-6:00 8:00-6:00 8:00-6:00 8:00-6:00 8:00-5:00 8:00-4:30 SVC 8:00-4:30 8:00-4:30 8:00-5:00 8:00-6:00 8:00-6:00 8:00-7:30 8:00-7:30 8:00-6:00 8:00-6:00 8:00-7:30 8:00-5:00 8:00-4:30 CDVC X X X 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:30 10:00-6:30 10:00-6:30 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 9:30-5:00 X Operating Hours for Backcountry Office – The Backcountry Office located at the Sugarlands Visitor Center, near Gatlinburg, TN, is open every day from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Backcountry reservations and permits can also be obtained online at www.smokiespermits.nps.gov or by calling 865-436-1297. Horseback Riding - The opening dates for the three horseback concessions located on the Tennessee side of the Park are: Sugarlands Riding Stable on March 3; and Cades Cove on March 4; and Smoky Mountain Riding Stable on March 10. In addition to horseback rides, Cades Cove Riding Stable will offer their customary carriage rides and hay rides which are wheelchair accessible. The Smokemont Riding Stable in North Carolina will open March 18 providing guided horseback rides along with horse-drawn wagon rides along the route of the historic Oconaluftee Turnpike. LeConte Lodge, accessible only by trail, will open on March 24. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 865-429-5704, fax 865-774-0045, or email at reservations@lecontelodge.com. One night at the lodge costs $145 per adult and $85 for children 4-12 (tax not included). Children 3 and under are free. The price includes two meals--dinner and breakfast. Day hikers and backpackers can purchase a prepared bag lunch and snacks/beverages at the lodge. Campground Concessions – The Cades Cove Campground Store will open March 1. The store provides groceries, camping supplies, firewood, ice, vending, limited food service, souvenirs, and bike rentals. The Cades Cove Store has multi-speed comfort bikes, single speed cruisers, and electric assist bikes for rent. The Elkmont Campground concession opens on March 10. The concession provides firewood, ice, limited camper convenience items, and vending of soft drinks, newspapers, and snacks. For more information on park events, please visit the park’s website at http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/calendar.htm. Photo: NPS/Warren Bielenberg

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced the 2017 spring opening schedule for park facilities. Roads – Secondary Roads are scheduled to open as follows: Forge Creek Road opened on March 10; Clingmans Dome Road will open on April 1; Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and Round Bottom/Straight Fork Road will open April 7; Rich Mountain Road and Little Greenbrier ...

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Cherokee Distributing, MillerCoors Donate to 12 Local Fire Departments

Cherokee Distributing, MillerCoors Donate to 12 Local Fire Departments

In the wake of the devastation caused by the wildfires in East Tennessee, Cherokee Distributing Company and MillerCoors teamed up in an attempt to provide relief to those affected by this tragedy. The two companies are pleased to announce a joint donation of $12,000 to the fire departments who bravely fought the wildfires in Blount and Sevier counties. Each of ...

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Tennessee Idol Singing Competition to Help Build Tiny Homes for Veterans

Tennessee Idol Singing Competition to Help Build Tiny Homes for Veterans

The statewide amateur singing competition Tennessee Idol is kicking off across the state and proceeds from the events will fund the building of tiny homes for disabled veterans. Brighton Road Entertainment is proud to be the sponsor of the first annual Tennessee Idol, a singing competition that will be held in each of the 95 counties in Tennessee. Winners from each ...

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Smokies Seeks Volunteers to Tell History of Mingus Mill

Smokies Seeks Volunteers to Tell History of Mingus Mill

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is enrolling volunteers to offer visitors historic orientation and information at Mingus Mill. The Mill, is located one half mile north of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee North Carolina. This opportunity provides volunteers the skills to assist Great Smoky Mountain Association in educating visitors about the general role of milling in the Smokies and ...

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Smokies Maps Show Scenic Vistas, Historic Places, Cemeteries, Waterfalls, Wedding Sites

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park is hosting an online “March Mapness” awareness campaign to share newly developed, digital products and maps with the public. Throughout the month, the park will use social media platforms to showcase how visitors can easily access free data and maps. New interactive maps include point locations for scenic overlooks, historic buildings, cemeteries, waterfalls, and wedding ...

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Red Bank Baptist Church joins SMARM Hot Meals for Hungry Hearts Program

Red Bank Baptist Church joins SMARM Hot Meals for Hungry Hearts Program

Red Bank Baptist Church became the fifth in the county to join Hot Meals for Hungry Hearts, a program through Smoky Mountain Area Rescue Ministries. The churches prepare and serve meals to anyone who needs or wants one. Members of Red Bank Baptist Church came together in the fellowship hall for the first event on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, excited ...

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Sevier County 4-H Posters to Compete in State Contest

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Sevier County 4-H Poster Winners for 2016-2017 have been named from over 2,150 4-H posters entered in this years contest. Winners were named in four award categories. Awards are sponsored by the Sevierville Sunrise Rotary Club and the Glenda M Johnson Sevier County 4-H Endowment Fund. The top eleven winners will receive $25: Kendall Grosser,Boyds Creek; Eliza Sergent, Catlettsburg; Kai ...

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Race to Benefit Wounded Warriors in East Tennessee

Race to Benefit Wounded Warriors in East Tennessee

The Warrior 10 Miler and 5K returns to Sevierville this year with four new race events and will benefit Wounded Warriors. Dr. Josh Chambers and Endurance Sports Management is proud to present the 2017 Warrior 10 Miler and 5K on Saturday March 11, 2017. New for this year is a Military 10 miler, Military 5K, Kids Warrior 1 Mile race ...

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