Severe drought arrives in the mountains

Much of the western region is now in drought, with severe drought entering the state for the first time since…
Read More

Comment

 

Smokies proposes new Foothills Parkway section

Through Nov. 18, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is accepting comments on a proposal to add 9 new miles…
Read More

Comment

 

Mount Pisgah platform under construction

Crews are now working to reconstruct the viewing platform atop Mount Pisgah in the Pisgah National Forest, a project that…
Read More

Comment

 

Visit the Waynesville Watershed

A 4-mile hike exploring the Waynesville Watershed will embark at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7.
Read More

Comment

 

Panther Top Tower open for fall leaf views

The Panther Top Tower in the Nantahala National Forest near Murphy will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct.…
Read More

Comment

Explore Haywood
 

Explore Haywood

Spend November exploring some of the region’s most beautiful hikes with a slate of excursions offered through Haywood County Recreation…
Read More

Comment

 

Hike among hemlocks

Experience the hemlock trees growing at the historic Cradle of Forestry in America during a hike starting at 10 a.m.…
Read More

Comment

Join Blue Ridge Rising
 

Join Blue Ridge Rising

Help shape a strategic action plan for the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor during the Blue Ridge Rising Two-State Summit Dec.…
Read More

Comment

 

Research to test for contamination near Canton mill property

A research project aiming to understand contamination levels outside the fence line of the now-shuttered Canton paper mill is likely to…
Read More

Comment

French Broad River gets the spotlight
 

French Broad River gets the spotlight

Learn about the historic threats facing the French Broad River and an ongoing effort to secure the designation of Wild…
Read More

Comment

 

Clearing the creek: Dam removal project frees Beaverdam watershed

Beaverdam Creek is easy to miss. Tree-lined banks shield the small, shallow stream from view as it runs toward the…
Read More

Comment

 

Snow falls in the mountains

The first snow of the season has fallen in the Southern Appalachians.
Read More

Comment

 

Excitement high about Pisgah View State Park

About 185 people attended a Sept. 26 public input session to chart the future of Pisgah View State Park, and…
Read More

Comment

 

Drought conditions grow

Drought is strengthening in southwestern North Carolina, with 14 counties now in moderate drought and an additional 58 labeled abnormally…
Read More

Comment

 

Celebrate native plants

The seventh annual North Carolina Native Plants Week is underway, running Oct. 16-22, and Audubon North Carolina is encouraging people…
Read More

Comment

 

Friends of Panthertown plans open house

Friends of Panthertown will celebrate the grand opening of its first ever official headquarters and office space during a drop-in…
Read More

Comment

Help available for failing septic systems
 

Help available for failing septic systems

Funding is available to help homeowners fix failing septic systems, preventing both financial and environmental hardship.
Read More

Comment

 

Keeping watch: Mt. Cammerer fire tower restoration marks Friends of the Smokies’ 30th birthday

Gary Wade grew up in Pittman Center, Tennessee, just 7 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park trailhead leading…
Read More

Comment

 

Red wolf recovery plan complete

A final recovery plan for the red wolf, a document from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that will guide…
Read More

Comment

 

Invasive apple snails found in N.C.

A new invasive species has been found in North Carolina.
Read More

Comment

 

Drought arrives in the mountains

Drought has re-entered the western region, with the most recent drought conditions map labeling Transylvania and Henderson counties as experiencing…
Read More

Comment

 

Fish the Smokies

A free youth fishing clinic will coincide with an Old Time Music Jam 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct.…
Read More

Comment

 

Tie your own flies

Learn the art of Southern Appalachian fly tying with an eight-week course taught by local expert Tommy Thomas.
Read More

Comment

 

Winter Lights tickets now on sale

Tickets are now on sale for Winter Lights, an open-air walk-through light show of more than 1 million lights running…
Read More

Comment

 

Protecting the headwaters: Additional 1,250 acres conserved in Maggie watershed

In 2015, not a single acre of conserved land dotted the landscape between the Blue Ridge Parkway surrounding Soco Gap…
Read More

Comment

 

Forest plan documentary debuts online

A feature documentary exploring the release of the Pisgah-Nantahala Forest Plan, “The River Runs On,” is now available digitally.
Read More

Comment

State budget funds 25 miles of new trail in Old Fort
 

State budget funds 25 miles of new trail in Old Fort

The recently adopted 2023-2025 state budget includes $2.5 million for trail construction in the Pisgah National Forest surrounding Old Fort.…
Read More

Comment

Fontana Lake wildfire contained in the Smokies
 

Fontana Lake wildfire contained in the Smokies

An island campsite in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is closed following a wildfire reported around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday,…
Read More

Comment

Outdoor businesses invited to join accelerator program
 

Outdoor businesses invited to join accelerator program

Applications are open through Thursday, Oct. 12, for participants in the fifth cohort of the Waypoint Accelerator, which is the…
Read More

Comment

 

Ripple effects and recreation: Outdoor Economy Conference tackles range of complex issues

More than 600 people from across the nation converged in Cherokee last week for the fifth annual Outdoor Economy Conference,…
Read More

Comment

 

Haywood native to share science from the world’s highest summits

Hear the spectacular story of a Haywood County native’s expeditions to the world’s highest mountain peaks at 7 p.m. Friday,…
Read More

Comment

 

Zebra mussels found in N.C.

The zebra mussel, a harmful invasive aquatic species, has been confirmed in the wild for the first time in North…
Read More

Comment

 

Canton native places in National Senior Games

Canton native Betty Y. Henderson earned a bronze medal at the National Senior Games held this summer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Read More

Comment

 

Woman dies in Blue Ridge Parkway fall

A South Carolina woman fell to her death from a steep cliff along the Blue Ridge Parkway Saturday, Sept. 23.
Read More

Comment

 

Delayed Harvest waters to close for trout harvest

Delayed Harvest Trout Waters regulations will go into effect in Western North Carolina on Sunday, Oct. 1.
Read More

Comment

 

Time to register for youth basketball

Registration for youth basketball with the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department is open through Saturday, Sept. 30.
Read More

Comment

 

Go to raft guide school

Learn how to raft guide with a three-day clinic Friday, Oct. 6, through Sunday, Oct. 8, at the Nantahala Outdoor…
Read More

Comment

 

It’s almost fair time in Haywood

The Haywood County Fair will take over the Smoky Mountain Event Center — formerly known as the Haywood County Fairgrounds…
Read More

Comment

 

Notes from a plant nerd: Mountain-mint, a great pick for a pollinator garden

No matter where you are in the world, if you encounter a plant that has a square stem and opposite…
Read More

Comment

 

‘It all ties together’: Waynesville couple inducted into Livestock Hall of Fame

Buddy and Janice Cochran are used to seeing things through. 
Read More

Comment

 

Celebrate monarchs at the arboretum

Monarch Butterfly Day will be filled with fun, informative activities for both kids and adults 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.…
Read More

Comment

 

Color season expected to be earlier, less intense

Western Carolina University’s resident fall color expert is predicting that the start of leaf season will come earlier than usual…
Read More

Comment

 

Mountain Life Festival returns to the Smokies

Following a three-year absence, the Mountain Life Festival will return 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at the…
Read More

Comment

 

Clean up Fontana

Help “rewild” Fontana Lake campsites during a volunteer workday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at Tsali Boat…
Read More

Comment

Red spruce greenhouse to break ground this fall
 

Red spruce greenhouse to break ground this fall

A $100,000 grant from the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority has put a $2 million project to build a red…
Read More

Comment

Haywood native named new test farm superintendent
 

Haywood native named new test farm superintendent

Haywood County native Kyle Miller has moved into the top leadership position at the Mountain Research Station in Waynesville, after…
Read More

Comment

 

Word from the Smokies: Fall glamping eco-adventure supports biodiversity nonprofit

By Hayley Benton Contributing Writer As the lush green hues of summer fade, yielding to the crisp crimson colors of…
Read More

Comment

 

Coming Soon: The broad-winged hawk migration

As we prepare for the arrival of fall, we can also be on the lookout for a breathtaking wildlife spectacle…
Read More

Comment

 

Give back to public lands

Celebrate the millions of acres of public lands covering Western North Carolina during National Public Lands Day Saturday, Sept. 23.
Read More

Comment

 

Yellow Jacket Muse

Before Becky and I retired up Moses Creek, I made my living as a backpack and canoe guide here in…
Read More

Comment

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.