Latest news stories from around the Great Smoky Mountains.
Pigeon Forge, Tn., hosts one of its most popular events this month, one that celebrates the timeless tradition of quilting. A Mountain Quiltfest with annual attendance of more than 20,000 visitors, celebrates its 19th year, March 13-16. Quilters and crafters from across the U.S. gather to enjoy a quilt show and the opportunity to choose from
Friends of the Smokies will host its first hike of the year March 19 at Deep Creek in Bryson City. To celebrate the Friends’ 20th anniversary, each hike this year honors an achievement or cause that Friends of the Smokies has supported in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park since the group was founded in
The Great Smoky Mountains resort city of Pigeon Forge set a record in 2012 for gross receipts – $905,878,531. That was a gain of $75 million. Mayor David Wear announced the total at a meeting of the Pigeon Forge Hospitality Association that serves as the annual “State of the City” address. >> Read Complete Article
If you’ve ever read the classic narrative, “Our Southern Highlanders” by Horace Kephart then you probably know what tooth-jumping is. You should also be thankful that you never had to experience it first hand, although in some cases it may have been the less painful option. In many areas of the Appalachians good medical and
Located off the Cades Cove Loop Road, Abrams Falls is one of the most popular waterfall destinations in the Great Smoky Mountains. The falls were supposedly named for Old Abraham, a Cherokee chief who once lived near the cove in the Chilhowee area. Although it isn’t particularly impressive in its height (20 ft.), the sheer
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
Located in the Big Creek section of the Great Smoky Mountains, Mouse Creek Falls is a gorgeous cascade at the mouth of Mouse Creek. Big Creek is located on the North Carolina side of the Smoky Mountains and to reach it you’ll need to Exit I-40 at Waterville Road (#451). Turn left after crossing the
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
Below is a 13 minute long program dedicated to the history of the Cataloochee Settlement in the Great Smoky Mountains. Featuring narration and historical photographs it tells the story of the early settlers of Cataloochee Valley and some of their descendants. Cataloochee, NC was once the largest settlement in the Great Smoky Mountains. Many of
