Tag Archives: Great Smoky Mountains

Robert B. Patterson, executive director of the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center announced Tuesday that Cristy Richards joined the staff as Special Events and Rental Director as of Monday, June 8, 2015. “We are very excited to have Cristy Richards join us,” said Bob Patterson. “Cristy has an extensive background and proven track record in special events management. We believe ...

Park rangers have found a mother and son who became lost and spent the night in the park Sunday. Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers found two missing hikers, a woman and her son from Fond Du Lac, Wis., who had been reported being lost in the park on Sunday, June 7, 2015. Christy Barns, 40, and her son, Casey, ...

Park officials announced today that a body, believed to be that of a missing hiker, has been found in the park. Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers have discovered a body matching the description of missing hiker Jenny Bennett in the Lester Prong area of Greenbrier, above campsite 31 on Monday, June 8, 2015. According to a post on the ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have closed several trails and backcountry campsites in the Hazel Creek section of the park due to a bear incident occurring at approximately 10:30 p.m. on June 6, 2015. A 16-year old male from Ohio was pulled from his hammock by a bear and injured at backcountry campsite 84, which is 4.5 miles from ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced the completion of an enhancement and restoration project of a 4,613-foot section of Chilogatee Branch and four of its tributaries totaling 744 feet within the park. The streams had been degraded by clearing of riparian forest, channel relocations, and unrestricted livestock access prior to the property’s inclusion in the park. The project was ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers were presented with 15 high-performance search and rescue jackets by donors to support field rangers in inclement weather. Rangers respond to approximately 100 search and rescue incidents annually, many of which occur during hazardous weather conditions in the backcounty. Local community members in Sevier County led efforts to raise funds for the park’s search ...

A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at the office, so cast your line and try your luck on Free Fishing Day in Tennessee. Tennessee’s annual Free Fishing Day is Saturday, June 6, 2015 when anyone may fish free without a license in the state’s public waters. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency provides the free day ...

The Gatlinburg Recreation Department celebrates the start of Free Fishing Week by hosting its annual Children’s Trout Rodeo on the morning of Saturday, June 6, 2015 at Herbert Holt Park. The 23rd annual tournament is free to all anglers age 16 and under. The Children’s Trout Rodeo is co-sponsored by the Gatlinburg Sportsman’s Club, Gatlinburg Elks Lodge #1925, Wal-Mart, and ...

Great Smoky Mountain National Park announced Tuesday that it had temporarily closed Clingmans Dome Road in the park to facilitate cleanup of a rockslide. At 8:21 a.m. on May 26, 2015, park officials received information that a rockslide had occurred on Clingmans Dome Road. Rangers closed the road soon after assessing the situation and the facility management road crew began ...

Park officials have reopened the Mt. Le Conte Backcountry Shelter and Cliff Tops trails after capturing and euthanizing an aggressive bear. Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced Thursday, May 21, 2015 that it had reopened park areas closed earlier in the week due to bear activity, but stated that bear warnings remain in place for the Mt. Le Conte Backcountry ...