Tag Archives: Great Smoky Mountains

The City of Gatlinburg will be testing the Outdoor Warning Siren system promptly at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018 for the City of Gatlinburg and the immediate adjacent Sevier County areas. This test will activate all 14 outdoor warning sirens including the 9 new sirens recently installed with Phase 2 and the 5 sirens installed with Phase 1. ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers are recruiting volunteers to adopt a monitoring plot in areas throughout the park. In an effort to track nature’s calendar, or phenology, volunteers will collect information as part of an important research project tracking seasonal biological data such as plant flowering dates and the presence of migratory birds. Previous experience is not necessary but ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host a Holiday Homecoming at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017. Park staff and volunteers will provide hands-on traditional crafts and activities from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Children and adults will have the opportunity to learn about and experience some of the traditions surrounding an Appalachian Christmas. The visitor center will be ...

The National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB) is seeking witnesses who may have information regarding a recent human-caused fire that caused damage to historical Elkmont cabins. US Park Rangers responded to an initial report of the fire in the Elkmont Historic District at about 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. The damaged cabins are located in the area ...

Great Smoky Mountains Association’s newest musical release “Big Bend Killing: The Appalachian Ballad Tradition” earned a Grammy nomination this week for Best Album Notes as written by Ted Olson, professor of Appalachian Studies and Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies at East Tennessee State University. “Big Bend Killing: The Appalachian Ballad Tradition” is Great Smoky Mountains Association’s fourth album of ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that the Clingmans Dome Observation Tower has been reopened to the public. The rehabilitation work has been suspended for the winter and is expected to resume this Spring. The remaining work is expected to take approximately two weeks and will necessitate another short-term closure to complete. Visitors can enjoy views from the tower ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park invites visitors to join a park ranger for a guided hike on Friday, November 24 or a service opportunity on Saturday, November 25, 2017. Hikes will be offered near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center and Elkmont Campground, providing an outstanding opportunity for people of all ages to #OptOutside and enjoy the park. Rangers and park volunteers ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials hosted a celebration for the bridging of the Foothills Parkway’s ‘Missing Link’ earlier this month. Lane Construction Company of Charlotte, N.C. recently completed a seven-year project to design and build five bridges at a cost of $48.5 million. This marks the first time that vehicles can travel the entire 16-mile section of the Foothills ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced temporary, single-lane closures along the southbound lanes of the Spur (US 441), the Gatlinburg Bypass, and Cherokee Orchard Road through Friday, Nov. 17, 2017 for the removal of trees along the roadways. In addition, roadside brushing work will take place during the same time period along the Foothills Parkway East between Cosby and ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials remind park visitors that access to Cades Cove will be delayed on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017 until 10:30 a.m. for the Cades Cove Loop Lope. The event has been planned to minimize disturbance to visitors for this once-a-year opportunity for pre-registered participants to run a choice of a 10-mile or 3.1-mile loop course. The ...