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Tag Archives: hiking

Free Seminars, Outdoor Excursions and Exhibits During Wilderness Wildlife Week

Free Seminars, Outdoor Excursions and Exhibits During Wilderness Wildlife Week

The 27th Annual Wilderness Wildlife Week begins Tuesday in Pigeon Forge, offering a variety of workshops, lectures, seminars, concerts, hikes and other activities designed to introduce or reacquaint participants of all ages with the great outdoors. Featuring more than 220 free sessions spanning five days, Pigeon Forge’s award-winning Wilderness Wildlife Week is set for May 9-13, 2017. The event is ...

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Public Asked to Report Sightings of Pygmy Rattlesnakes in Tennessee

Public Asked to Report Sightings of Pygmy Rattlesnakes in Tennessee

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is assisting wildlife biologists at Tennessee State University in research to determine the distribution of pygmy rattlesnakes in Tennessee. The pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius) is listed as a threatened species in Tennessee and the research will help in conservation efforts to preserve the species in the state. Native to Tennessee, pygmy rattlesnakes are predators that ...

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Smokies Reopens Ramsey Cascades Trail after Foot Log Repair

Smokies Reopens Ramsey Cascades Trail after Foot Log Repair

Ramsey Cascades Trail reopened on Thursday following the installation of a new foot log. The trail has been closed since August 2016 when the foot log was damaged by a fallen tree. The foot log spans a section of Ramsey Prong that is too swift and deep to allow hikers to safely rock-hop across river. The popular, four-mile trail is ...

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Great Smoky Mountains Association Gave More than $2M to Park in 2016

Great Smoky Mountains Association had its best year ever for both sales and membership income in 2016, allowing the association to contribute more than $2 million in support to Great Smoky Mountains National Park last year. “We continued our focus on retail sales, publications and customized product development, and membership development, throughout the year,” Executive Director Laurel Rematore said this week. “And just when we thought we’d end the year with no major events to mention – other than record-setting visitation – we experienced the late November wildfires that shut down the park for several days and destroyed nearly 2,500 structures in Gatlinburg.” Great Smoky Mountains Association immediately responded to the tragedy and successfully raised more than $200,000 from members and others to assist park employees, volunteers, and affiliates who had lost their homes, she continued. Despite the wildfires, some 11,312,785 people visited the Smokies in 2016, which was likely influenced by low fuel prices, an improving economy, and the “Find Your Park” multimedia campaign to mark the NPS Centennial. As operator of the park’s visitor center stores, Great Smoky Mountains Association also experienced a record-setting sales year. “Great Smoky Mountains Association continues to provide critical support that enables us to not only serve our visitors better, but also to provide unique opportunities in bringing the parks to people,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “In the spirit of the National Park Service Centennial, they helped us attract new audiences to all public lands in our region through the award-winning Airport Park exhibit and support of our Centennial Ambassadors.” The organization’s aid-to-park funding in 2016 was $2,005,787, capping another strong year of support. It's contributions to Great Smoky Mountains National Park fall into three broad categories: cash donations, which are provided for a host of educational, historical, interpretive, and scientific projects; in-kind services, which is primarily labor expense; and publications and digital media, which include development costs and free publications. In-kind services totaled $780,906 and included salaries for staff at eight park visitor centers and publications development costs, including free publications, such as Smokies Guide newspaper and pre-press costs for sales publications. Special projects funded by Great Smoky Mountains Association totaled $862,167 and included: • $18,251 – Bear collars, which allow researchers to track bears that may be obtaining human-related food. • $13,350 – Law enforcement interns who help park rangers encourage the public to enjoy the park safely. • $137,557 – Resource Management and Science interns who help rangers manage wildlife and fisheries, develop GIS maps, save hemlock trees, monitor air and water quality, and many other tasks. • $900 – Cades Cove Bicycle Patrol. This award-winning group helps keep bicyclists and wildlife safe in the park. • $50,400 – Cades Cove fence repair and maintenance. Repair of historic fencing to discourage vehicles from driving in Cades Cove fields. • $8,000 – Cades Cove viewshed field management. Mowing fields to maintain wildlife viewing and historic appearance of Cades Cove. • $5,000 – Alfred Reagan Tub Mill Repair. This historic, water-powered grist mill is now operational for the first time in decades. • $3,000 – Cataloochee field management. Mowing fields to maintain wildlife viewing and historic appearance of Cataloochee Valley. • $26,996 – Centennial Ambassador Program. Staff to communicate the park’s Centennial messages to the public and neighboring communities. • $1,000 – Centennial Hike 100 Smokies Challenge Pins. A special reward for hikers who accomplished the goal of hiking 100 miles in the park in 2016. Funding for the park’s interpretive operations totaled $204,881 and included special events, festivals, and interpretive demonstrations, including the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, Music of the Mountains, Mountain Life Festival, sorghum molasses making, and library supplies and materials. A specific breakdown includes: • $50,996 - Backcountry Information staff • $43,307 - Library staff • $33,427 - Living history demonstrators • $13,019- Library operations • $28,573 - Parks as Classrooms Coordinator • $35,560 - Special events and demonstrations Last year’s $2 million donation brings Great Smoky Mountains Association’s total contribution to the national park during its 64-year history to $37,618,810. A non-profit organization, Great Smoky Mountains Association derives its support primarily from sales of ranger-approved educational products and membership dues. Those who wish to enrich their Smokies experience are encouraged to “Get Rooted in the Smokies” through membership. For more information about GSMA, visit www.SmokiesInformation.org or call toll-free 888.898.9102. Photo: Great Smoky Mountains Association/Facebook

Great Smoky Mountains Association had its best year ever for both sales and membership income in 2016, allowing the association to contribute more than $2 million in support to Great Smoky Mountains National Park last year. “We continued our focus on retail sales, publications and customized product development, and membership development, throughout the year,” Executive Director Laurel Rematore said this ...

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Smokies Limits Access in Whiteoak Sink Area to Protect Bats, Hikers

Smokies Limits Access in Whiteoak Sink Area to Protect Bats, Hikers

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials will reopen the Whiteoak Sink area with limited access effective April 1 through May 15, 2017 to limit human disturbance in critical bat habitat and help hikers avoid interactions with bats. Park biologists will continue monitoring bat populations near the site as they emerge from winter hibernacula to collect population, ecological, and behavioral data ...

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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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Smokies Invites Public Comment on Cades Cove Solar Project

Smokies Invites Public Comment on Cades Cove Solar Project

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials invite the public to comment on a proposed sustainable energy project through March 20, 2017. The National Park Service is proposing a solar power system to support the electrical power needs of the Cable Mill area in Cades Cove. This project would reduce usage of traditional fossil fuels and provide opportunities for park visitors ...

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

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

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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Park Begins Elkmont Historic District Work

Park Begins Elkmont Historic District Work

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that work is underway in the Elkmont Historic District to preserve four structures and to remove 29 others as specified in the 2009 Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) among the National Park Service, Tennessee State Historic Office, and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. In 2017, park crews will preserve the Levi Trentham Cabin, Mayo ...

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Smokies Seeks Clingmans Dome Volunteers

Smokies Seeks Clingmans Dome Volunteers

Great Smoky Mountain National Park is recruiting volunteers to staff the Information Center at Clingmans Dome, from April 1 through Nov. 30, 2017. Volunteers will work at the seasonal information center that includes a bookstore/sales area managed by Great Smoky Mountains Association (GSMA). Volunteers will assist in educating visitors about the park and provide recreational and trip planning information and ...

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