Here comes the Elk Bike Patrol! With a $1,000 grant from the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority to Friends of the Smokies, the Elk Bugle Corps has a more visible presence in the Cataloochee Valley of Great Smoky Mountains National Park this year. The TDA grant funds the new Elk Bike Patrol, providing safety uniform
High ginseng demand and soaring prices have sent thieves tramping through the vast Great Smoky Mountains National Park to strip the landscape. “We’re barely putting a dent in it,” said District Ranger Joe Pond, an enforcement officer who has chased ginseng poachers through the forest. “For every one we catch, at least 10 more get
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson announced on Tuesday, Aug. 13 that Patricia M. Wissinger has been selected as the next Deputy Superintendent. She replaces Kevin Fitzgerald, who retired earlier this year. Wissinger is currently the superintendent of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in Atlanta, one of the busiest recreation areas in the
The National Park Service said the Great Smoky Mountains National Park had nearly 886,000 visitors in May — the most ever in any May. The number was up by 10.5 percent, or more than 86,000 people, from May 2012. Year-to-date visitation is down by 5.5 percent from the five-year average, however. For the first five
The Smoky Mountain Visitors Center in Townsend, TN will be hosting free exhibits in March featuring the work of Appalachian Artisans. The exhibits will be open from 8 am to 5 pm. From March 1-16, quilts created by the Foothills Quilters Guild of Maryville will be on display. The quilts will be representative of the traditional
A just-released National Park Service report for 2011 states that the roughly 9 million visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park spent $818 million in communities near the park. In addition, the spending also supported 11,732 jobs. “Visitors from across the U.S. come to Great Smoky Mountains National Park to experience the unique natural
Biologists in the Smokies have confirmed a wide-spreading fungus as the likely cause of recent bizarre behavior in park bats. A survey of all 16 caves and two mine complexes within the Smokies earlier this month revealed the presence of the insidious white-nosed syndrome, said Jay Carr, park biological science technician. >> Read Complete Behavior
Gather your friends, family or co-workers and create a team for a Great Smoky Mountains Scavenger Hunt! The hunt ranges over most of the park, using roads and official trails to access particular areas. >> Read Complete Article
The National Park Service is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for vandalizing stone walls at the Sinks in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Sinks is a roadside waterfall that attracts visitors throughout the year who want to view the 15-foot cascade. >> Read
