Summer skies
My family and I made a quick run up to Waterrock Knob on the Blue Ridge Parkway around dusk last…
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A hidden gem: Waynesville vet can’t get away from biking mountain roads
For veterinarian Brian Birthright, what would become a lifelong passion for biking began in the most fitting of ways —…
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The low-down on lightning
Lightning is one of nature’s most ephemeral forces, but scientists are still able to detect and measure these electrical displays.…
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Ginseng lottery open
Ginseng collectors have until July 15 to put their names in the hat for the U.S. Forest Service’s annual lottery…
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Cherokee welcomes four-legged athletes
DockDogs to be held in Cherokee July 10-12, will showcase three days of leaping dogs doing tricks in mid-air while…
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Man dies in kayaking accident
A man paddling in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last Wednesday (July 1) died after his kayak capsized. Kenneth…
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Lake Junaluska shoreline to become more stable
A $3,360 grant from The Fund for Haywood County will allow Haywood Waterways Association to do some work on the…
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To each his own: Nature week allows age-stratified exploration for families
It’s day four of the Family Nature Summit, and the troops are working hard on a wooded piece of land…
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Remembering the old ways
By Wil Shelton • SMN Intern For Whittier resident Anne Hill, sharing the history of Appalachia goes far beyond the realm…
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Take a Hike: Author encourages parents to get their kids outside
By Wil Shelton • SMN Intern For Jeff Alt and his family, hiking is more a lifestyle than a hobby. “After…
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Chopping his way to victory: HCC student takes national timbersports title
Ben Kniceley’s pretty sure his dad had a good laugh after the Haywood Community College graduate came away with a…
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Color on high
I occasionally see The Smoky Mountain News’ Garret K. Woodward’s Facebook posts about hitting the trails around WNC for a…
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A voice from the past leads to new adventure
Well, it wasn’t really a voice — it was an email. I received an email from Bruce Lampright back in…
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Here for the long haul: New Smokies superintendent settles into park leadership
Asked what a typical day for the head guy at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park looks like, new Smokies…
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Get the scoop on native plants
Registration is now open for the 2015 Cullowhee Native Plant Conference at Western Carolina University, a four-day event featuring more…
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Canton riverbank gets a makeover
A much-used riverbank in the Canton Recreation Park is now a lot more stable, thanks to a protection project recently…
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Become a Junior Ranger
A lineup of summer programs in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will give young park-lovers the chance to earn…
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Queen honored for environmental advocacy
The N.C. League of Conservation Voters named Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, as its 2015 Representative of the Year in…
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Cause of hiker’s death still unknown
The National Park Service is still waiting on the results of an autopsy looking into the cause of hiker Jenny…
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Family Nature Summit comes to Lake J
Each year, the Family Nature Summit is held in some part of the country known for its special beauty and…
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Farmers market season launches
Growing season is upon us, and that means farmers of all stripes are harvesting produce to sell. Farmers markets around…
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Volunteers sought to maintain trails
Volunteers willing to work hard in the backcountry are sought to form this year’s Smokies Wilderness Elite Appalachian Trail Crew,…
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Albinism in plants
The other day, while chasing birdies for the Forest Service, I encountered a pretty wildflower along an abandoned logging road.…
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Parkway programs start up for summer
A ranger-guided hike along the Blue Ridge Parkway this Friday will mark the beginning of summer for the high-elevation road…
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Summer camp time at Highlands Nature Center
Summer is here at the Highlands Nature Center, with a variety of summer day camps and half-day camps. Look through…
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Path to the past: Friends of the Smokies hike explores park history and natural beauty
There was no doubt about how the Smoky Mountains got their name as day dawned on the Friends of the…
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Festival to highlight historical women’s roles
The Women’s Work Festival in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will give a glimpse into the historical roles rural…
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Bird-banders wanted
Volunteers are needed for a summer monitoring project involving up-close contact with birds.
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Live snakes to take the stage at Jackson library
A program featuring scaly reptiles as the stars will return to the Jackson County Public Library at 11 a.m. and…
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Annual bike ride to remember the Trail of Tears underway
Seven Cherokee cyclists from North Carolina are in the midst of a 950-mile bike ride to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, an annual…
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Swain gets second farmers market day
The Swain County Farmers Market is branching out, this week launching a second market day 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays…
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Saving the world one seed at a time
James Veteto has a theory that seeds are a link to the past, connecting one generation to the other, not…
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Unveiling Horace Kephart
A pair of programs about Horace Kephart, an adopted son of the Smokies who captured the culture of mountaineers in…
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No time to relax: Smokies air quality has improved, but a new ozone standard is on its way
Breathing easy in the Smokies is a better bet than it’s been in decades. Ozone pollution is down 36 percent,…
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A.T. plates pass $1 million milestone
It’s official: North Carolina Appalachian Trail license plates sales have crossed the $1 million mark.
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Parkway gets its own quarter design
The Blue Ridge Parkway will take its place on U.S. currency with a special quarter design this summer, as part…
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Survival skills conference to be held in Haywood
Heritage Life Skills, a fourth-year event featuring classes in survivalist cooking, self-defense and food production skills is coming up May…
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Rain barrels for sale by HWA
Haywood Waterways Association and Haywood Cooperative Extension Service have 55-gallon rain barrels for sale.
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Carnivorous plants exhibit opens at Arboretum
The fascinating and complex world of carnivorous plants is the subject of the newest exhibit at the N.C. Arboretum in…
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Coal on the outs at Asheville plant
Coal will no longer be the cornerstone of power production in Asheville when Duke Energy completes a newly announced $1.1…
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Solarize seeing success
The Solarize WNC program — an effort to connect people interested in converting to solar energy with the resources to…
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New rec area open on Lake Glenville
The Pines Recreation Area on Lake Glenville is now open, featuring a new swimming beach, fishing pier, picnic area, signage,…
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Mast General sales to go toward conservation
Purchases at Waynesville’s Mast General Store Saturday, June 6, will help out with land conservation. For that day, the store…
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Fly fishing museum headed for grand opening
The Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians will hold its grand opening Saturday, June 6, in Cherokee, marking a…
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Research gives hope for bat survival
The release of 150 bats in Hannibal, Missouri, May 18 marked a milestone for the fight against white-nose syndrome, a…
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Home for the summer: Birders seek out migrating birds in the mountains
In a woodsy neighborhood up a winding mountain road from Franklin, late May is pretty quiet — at least from…
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Creek clean-up day scheduled in Haywood
First Maggie Valley Creek clean is May 30 The inaugural Maggie Valley Community Creek Clean will take place at 10…
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Smokies trails reopened following bear incident
The Mt. Le Conte Backcountry Shelter and trails to the popular Cliff Tops area have re-opened following closure due to…
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Draft plan published on Chattooga River access changes
A draft plan for sustainable river access on the upper segment of the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River is now…
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Give the A.T. some love
A coalition of trail-loving organizations will join forces to celebrate National Trails Day with an opportunity to work on the…
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