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Fall Foliage 2014 Show Has Begun!

September 2, 2014

Fall foliage 2014 color changes have been noticed by experts already this year in the mountains in the highest elevations. Colors of red have already been noted in some red maples and sugar maple trees at the highest elevations in the mountains. This may be due to the cooler and sunny weather of the past month of August. Normal peak fall foliage in the Great Smoky Mountains are typically in mid-October. Get more information here about Great Smoky Mountains Fall Foliage.

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Happy Birthday National Park Service!

September 1, 2014

Recently the Great Smoky Mountains National Park celebrated the 98th birthday of the National Park Service. President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation on August 25, 1916 that created the National Park Service. At the time there were 37 national parks. In 2016 the National Park Service will celebrate big for the 100th birthday. The National Park Service mission on the website states “The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural  resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates  with partners to extend the benefits of natural…
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Boy Scout Honor Medal For 12 year Old for Saving Child

August 26, 2014

A Boy Scout will get the Boy Scout Honor Medal for saving a child in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Emery Benson, a 12 year old Boy Scout saved a child’s life last year when a 7 year old fell into Mouse Creek Falls and was quickly carried down stream by the fast moving water. Emery Benson was the only person close enough to the 7 year old to help. Benson jumped in, grabbed the younger child and swam to a rock where they climbed out. This past summer, Emery completed his life-saving merit badge and is officially trained…
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Fall Foliage 2014 Forecast by WNC Biologist Kathy Mathews

August 21, 2014

The fall foliage 2014 forecast for the mountains of North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains is out.  Biologist Kathy Mathews of Western North Carolina reports a wet spring and summer in the mountains this year may mean duller colors this fall for the annual fall foliage show. But tulip poplar trees like it wetter than average  so their colors of yellow and golden may last longer this year. The pretty red colors this year may be less than normal due to the wet spring and summer. But if September is dry the red colors of the sourwood, red maple and…
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Popular Chimney Tops Trail Improvements Nearly Completed

August 12, 2014

Chimney Tops Trail is one of the most popular trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it is also one of the steepest and rockiest trails in the park. Crews have been working on the trail since 2012. Now crews that started working at the trailhead in 2012 have made it almost to the top. The trail work and  improvements should be completed by the middle of October. The trail was badly eroded in areas and when it rained the trail had water drainage problems that posed problems for hikers. The Chimney Tops Trail improvement project is the second Trails Forever…
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Smokey The Bear Turns 70!

August 8, 2014 0 Comments

Happy Birthday Saturday August 9th to Smokey the Bear! Smokey Bear turns 70. Smokey Bear has been used to help prevent forest fires since 1944.  His slogan “Remember, only you can prevent wildfires” is known to millions of children, campers and people. Did you know that most wildfires are started by people? Wish Happy Birthday to  Smokey Bear!!!!

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Indiana Man Suffers Head Injuries in Fall at The Sinks Swimming Hole in Great Smoky Mountains

August 5, 2014

A man sustained head injuries after he fell climbing on rocks at The Sinks swimming hole in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park yesterday August 4, 2014. The 21 year old man is from Indiana and is Michael Taylor Noblitt. He fell from a 10 foot bank and hit a rock below at the smimming hole located off Little River Road. He was taken from the site of the accident by ambulance to a nearby area used as an emergency landing zone, then he was transported by Lifestar to the UT Medical Center in Knoxville. He was reportedly alert and…
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Hiker Rescued in Great Smoky Mountains National Park After Falling

July 30, 2014

A hiker rescued from a popular trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is recovering. The man was hiking on Mt. LeConte (near Gatlinburg, TN) and suffered a fall and a back injury while hiking on Alum Cave Trail on Sunday. Park Rangers reached the man about 2 hours after his fall, but due to severe storms Sunday night they were unable to remove him from the site. After putting up a tent and a tarp to protect the injured hiker the rescue resumed the next morning on Monday and he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. The 61 year…
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park Still the Most Visited National Park in US

July 26, 2014

The latest economic benefit report by the National Park Service on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park show that over 9 million visitors came to the national park in the year 2013. The visitors spent $734,086,600 in towns and communities located near the park.This is just slightly below the 2012 figures. These lower figures are a result of the 16 day government shutdown that closed the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to visitors back in October of 2013. October is a very busy month in the Great Smoky Mountains with the  beautiful fall foliage show that takes place each year….
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