• Charismatic Mega-Fauna, a 30-minute program featuring the park’s biggest animals, will be offered at 11 a.m. on Fridays at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, located along U.S. 441 just north of Cherokee. 

• Coffee with a Ranger, an hour-long program giving visitors a chance to find out what’s happening in the park over a cup of coffee, will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturdays at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Topics will vary based on visitor interest. 

• Down on the Farm, a two-hour program exploring the lives of homesteaders in the Smokies, will be held at 2 p.m. on Sundays at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. The program will include a walk to the adjacent Mountain Farm Museum to witness activities such as fence building, woodworking and gardening. 

• Return of the Elk, a 90-minute program telling the story of the elk’s return to the Smokies after a 200-year absence, will be held at 3 p.m. April 12, April 19 and May 3 at the Rough Fork Trailhead of Cataloochee Valley in Haywood County. The excursion will include a hike of less than 1 mile to the elk acclimation pen and is not handicapped-accessible. 

• Back Porch Old-Time Music Jam, two hours of traditional Appalachian music, will return at 2 p.m. April 16, May 7 and May 21 at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Visitors with an acoustic instrument to play are welcome to join this old-time jam. 

All programs will run through May 7.