Great Smoky Mountain National Park Visitor Centers Close
GSMNP visitor centers close to slow Corona virus.
Park Recruits Trail Volunteers
GSMNP recruits hiking trail volunteers.
Park Recruits Trail Volunteers. Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses over 500,000 square miles and boasts 848 miles of maintained hiking trails. Volunteers are being recruited to “adopt a trail.” Participants will be asked to hike a single designated trail a minimum of four times a year and submit a report on their findings.
Volunteers needed for Great Smoky Mountain ‘Adopt-a-Plot’ Program
Smoky Mountain “adopt a plot” program needs volunteers!
Volunteers needed for Great Smoky Mountain ‘Adopt-a-Plot’ Program. National park rangers are seeking volunteers to monitor designated plots throughout the park. Participants will track phenology, or nature’s calendar. No experience is required but individuals with an interest in science and nature should thrive. Volunteers will collect important research data such as plant flowering dates and tree canopy foliage changes.
Join the fun and be a Smoky Mountain volunteer!
Volunteers will participate in a 3-hour training workshop that covers topics like tree identification techniques, stages of tree change throughout the year, fruit and flower identification, and phenology data collection protocols. Volunteers are required to attend one of the training sessions held at either Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, NC on Saturday, February 29 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or at Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, TN on Saturday, March 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
5 Awesome Winter Things To Do In The Smoky Mountains
5 awesome winter things to do in the Smoky Mountains
5 Awesome Winter Things To Do In The Smoky Mountains! We love winter in the Smoky Mountains. The crowds thin out and the traffic slows down. Clear days are plentiful and the views of the mountains are often clear as a bell. Here are 5 of our favorite winter things to do in the Smoky Mountains.
Winter in the Smoky Mountains is a beautiful time to visit!
Take a hike! Even the busiest trails slow down in winter time! The Chimneys are a short drive from Sugarlands Visitor Center and offer fantastic views of Tennessee. This trail is quite steep but always a HeySmokies favorite! Do you enjoy a peaceful waterfall? Have you ever hiked to one that is frozen solid? You can do it in the Smoky Mountains! One of our favorites is Grotto Falls off of the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail in Gatlinburg.
Skiing at Ober Gatlinburg is always a thrill!
Ober Gatlinburg is the spot for all kinds of winter fun! The intermediate ranked slopes of ski mountain are perfect for skiing and snowboarding. If you need practice the “bunny” slope is the perfect spot for beginners. A more extreme experience awaits the adventurous on the freestyle terrain area. Jumping and flipping are all part of the fun for the daring. Tubing and ice skating round out the day with something for everyone.
Gatlinburg Arts And Crafts Community
Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community offers craftsmanship like you have never seen before! Over 120 artisans and master craftsmen create art daily through various mediums. No matter what your taste you can find it here! Various sculpters, photographers, woodworkers, quilters, potters and more produce masterpieces each day!
Pigeon Forge Winterfest is fun for the entire family!
Great Smoky Mountain Annual Festival Of Christmas Past
Smoky Mouuntain Festival of Christmas Past will be fun for the entire family!
Great Smoky Mountain Annual Festival Of Christmas Past Saturday, December 14, 2019. The event will be held at Sugarlands Visitor Center beginning at 9:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
This event is family friendly so make plans to bring your entire bunch. Many activities are planned including mountain skills demonstrations, Christmas caroling, shape note singing, live traditional mountain music, and a fascinating living history walking tour. Park staff and visitors have developed a unique, immersive experience allowing you to make a journey through different holiday traditions from the last century. These traditions will be displayed in exhibits of hand made decorations, Christmas toys and more! Hot apple cider will be available to take the chill off your bones so come thirsty!
“This year we wanted to connect our visitors to Christmas through the decades with the creative vision and talent of our staff, volunteers, and local decorators Barry Phillips and Tracie Story,” said North District Resource Education Supervisor Stephanie Sutton. “The Festival of Christmas Past allows us to pause and remember some of these valuable holiday traditions.”
