The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has adopted a new plan for managing the elk’s population, according to an article in the Knoxville News. The plan is a follow-up to a reintroduction project that started in 2001, when the park released 25 elk. This was followed by 27 more elk in 2002. Over an eight-year [...]
Appalachian Trail Question Roundup
October 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The following blog post was written by two friends of mine, John and Elizabeth Hasenmyer, who finished hiking the Appalachian Trail in August. It was a long-term dream for them that they’d been working for … well, it seems like forever. We were so happy for them. Elizabeth (trail name: Muggle) was my college roommate, [...]
Hint of Color Blossoms Across the Smokies
September 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Do you have your fall trip to the Smokies scheduled? Prime leaf viewing days will be here before we know it. According to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Fall Color Report for 2011 (as of Wednesday): There is just a hint of color in the earliest changing trees at this time. A few sourwoods, [...]
10 Things to Take on a Hike with Kids
August 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Our kids love a good hike. But we are, sadly, usually very under-prepared. We think, “Oh, it’s just 5 miles. No problem. We’ll grab a bottle of water.” What we forget is that 5 miles in the mountains is much, much different than 5 miles in Indiana. Don’t make the same mistakes we’ve made! Through [...]
Sevier County Tourism Numbers Down
August 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
According to WBIR of Knoxville, tourism numbers are down for many attractions in Sevier county, along with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Spokespeople for the Great Smokies announced recently that it is down by about 500,000 visitors compared to last year. Dollywood and Splash Country are reportedly both down by at least 5 %, [...]
Swimming in the Smokies
August 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Summer is drawing to an end. But despite the fact that kids are starting to be back in school, we still have at least a good month of summer weather. Plenty of time to visit that ole swimming hole… People often ask us: So, can you swim in the mountain streams in the Smokies? Well, [...]
31 Tips for the Smoky Mountain Area
August 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Ahhh … the first day of school. I just put my kids on the bus. This is the first year that’s “kids” instead of kid. My baby just went to kindergarten. Yes, I cried but only after they left. He was smiling. So, I spent the whole morning “reminding” him of things. Do you know [...]
Backcountry Fee Proposed in the Smokies
August 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Everyone’s talking about it. Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials are debating whether to start charging backcountry users for overnight stays at shelters. And it is cause for a lot of debate. Paying to stay in a national park shelter — this would be a first for Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. Though the park has required [...]
Place of 1,000 Drips
July 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment
WBIR recently ran a great story about the “Place of 1,000 Drips” off the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. So, what is it? While driving along the trail, travelers can strop at any one of 15 designated historic sites. The final stop is at an 80-foot rock bluff called “The Place of 1,000 Drips.” WBIR [...]
Animal Spotlight: Peregrine Falcon
July 13, 2011 By 1 Comment
The Smoky Mountains are best known for the black bears that roam the mountainsides. But there are other varieties of wildlife worth noting, too. One of them is the Peregrine Falcon. It’s a beautiful, majestic-looking bird. Here’s a quick list of facts about the Falcon. Read it, and impress your friends with your knowledge during [...]
