Tag Archives: Great Smoky Mountains

Park officials say a man drowned in the Oconaluftee River in Great Smoky Mountains National Park while trying to rescue a younger family member. Park Rangers responded to a drowning in progress call just before 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2020 behind the Mountain Farm Museum in Cherokee, N.C. Witnesses said that 32-year-old Bulmaro Morales, of Dudley, N.C., heroically ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that some campgrounds, visitor centers, and additional roads will be accessible to visitors as part of the current phase in the park’s plan to restore public access across the park. Beginning on Monday, June 8, the following areas will be accessible:  Cades Cove and Smokemont CampgroundsAnthony Creek Horse CampSugarlands, Oconaluftee, Cades Cove, and ...

Cyclists and pedestrians will be able to enjoy Cades Cove Loop Road without competing with motor vehicle traffic on Vehicle-Free Wednesdays through September. Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced the implementation of vehicle-free access along the Cades Cove Loop Road each Wednesday, from June 17 through September 30, 2020 as part of a pilot study to improve the visitor ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers responded to a medical emergency involving a bicyclist on the Foothills Parkway who suffered a cardiac arrest. According to a release, park rangers responded to a medical emergency involving a bicyclist on the Foothills Parkway at 11:16 a.m. on Sunday, May 17, 2020. The bicyclist identified as 59-year-old Michael Barker, of Seymour, was riding ...

Park officials were joined by Second Lady Karen Pence and Deputy Secretary of the Interior Katherine MacGregor at Clingmans Dome to talk about the mental health benefits of being outdoors and announced the next phase in the park’s plan to restore public access to more roads and picnic areas.  Mrs. Pence is the Lead Ambassador for PREVENTS, an interagency task ...

The popular Synchronous Firefly Viewing at Elkmont in Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and inability to safely hold the event while maintaining social distancing. Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have canceled the synchronous firefly viewing event in a continuing effort to support federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials invite the public to experience SmokiEEEs @ Home during National Park Week. This new website at https://smokieees.org/ features videos and activities that connect students of all ages to the park from their homes by highlighting the three ‘E’s in SmokiEEEs: Explore, Entertain, and Escape. “During this time of uncertainty when the park is closed ...

The Tennessee Army National Guard used a hoist to rescue the pilot of a small plane that crashed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Friday morning. Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers responded to a report of a small plane crash approximately 6 miles west of Clingmans Dome at approximately 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 10, 2020. The single ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that all park areas, except the Foothills Parkway and Spur, will remain closed until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All access to the park, including trails and roads, were originally closed on March 24 through April 6, in alignment with efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 across the region. The ...

Great Smoky National Park is closing all public access to slow spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, after experiencing a surge of visitors that defied previous park efforts to reduce congestion and crowds within the park to comply with health official’s guidance for social distancing. Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that all park areas, except the Foothills Parkway and ...