×

Warning

JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 12658
Students lend a helping held to bald restoration
 

Students lend a helping held to bald restoration

A group of Western Carolina University students lent a hand to help restore the open balds on the summit of…
Read More

Comment

Federal court upholds closure of the Tellico trails
 

Federal court upholds closure of the Tellico trails

A federal judge has upheld the U.S. Forest Service and conservation groups’ efforts to close the Tellico Off-Road Vehicle Area…
Read More

Comment

Weigh in on policies impacting locally-grown food
 

Weigh in on policies impacting locally-grown food

Farmers are invited to a listening session on regulations that could hamper or help local food production and markets, being…
Read More

Comment

Bears pilfer food from campsites in Pisgah National Forest
 

Bears pilfer food from campsites in Pisgah National Forest

Six bear encounters have been reported in the Pisgah District of the Pisgah National Forest over the past two weeks.…
Read More

Comment

Run for the Power of Pink
 

Run for the Power of Pink

The Power of Pink 5K and Memory Walk to raise money for mammograms for underserved women will be held in…
Read More

Comment

Turkey shoot-out golf tournament
 

Turkey shoot-out golf tournament

The annual Turkey Shoot-Out Golf tournament will be held November 10 and 11 at the Maggie Valley Club. The tournament…
Read More

Comment

Franklin half-marathon held on Little T Greenway
 

Franklin half-marathon held on Little T Greenway

The 13-mile Conquer the Mountain Half Marathon will take place on the Little Tennessee Greenway in Franklin Saturday, Nov. 3.…
Read More

Comment

A journey through the Smokies’ timber era past
 

A journey through the Smokies’ timber era past

Hikers are invited to see the how the changes of time have affected the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during…
Read More

Comment

Enjoy the fall colors on foot
 

Enjoy the fall colors on foot

A 5-mile trail run will be held on the single-track trails of Nantahala Outdoor Center Saturday, Oct. 27.
Read More

Comment

For you the bells toll
 

For you the bells toll

Waiting in the ubiquitous checkout line, I spied a National Geographic special publication, “50 of the World’s last great places…
Read More

Comment

Camping’s golden era: Short on gadgets, but flush with style
 

Camping’s golden era: Short on gadgets, but flush with style

It was the golden age of camping. It was absent of Gore-Tex, Smart Wool, Nalgene water bottles or light-weight Titanium…
Read More

Comment

Guided hike will explore historic parts of Cataloochee Valley
 

Guided hike will explore historic parts of Cataloochee Valley

A guided hike in the Cataloochee Valley area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be held Thursday, Oct.…
Read More

Comment

Take outdoor photos with the experts
 

Take outdoor photos with the experts

The Lens Luggers outdoor photography group will host two excursions, Oct. 20 and 21, to give visual enthusiasts the opportunity…
Read More

Comment

Join a guided hike to Hemphill Bald at Cataloochee Ranch
 

Join a guided hike to Hemphill Bald at Cataloochee Ranch

The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is leading a hike to Hemphill Bald at Cataloochee Ranch at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct.…
Read More

Comment

Free seminar to cover ins-and-outs of conservation agreements
 

Free seminar to cover ins-and-outs of conservation agreements

A free workshop for landowners interested in learning more about conservtion agreements with a land trust will be held from…
Read More

Comment

Old time campin’ on tap in the Pisgah Forest
 

Old time campin’ on tap in the Pisgah Forest

Historical and outdoor enthusiasts can go watch a small group of re-enactors in a reconstructed campsite of the early 1900’s…
Read More

Comment

Tuckasegee to receive 19,600 trout this fall
 

Tuckasegee to receive 19,600 trout this fall

The delayed harvest section of the Tuckasegee River in Jackson County, one of 15 spots on the Western North Carolina…
Read More

Comment

Massey Branch Boat ramp to close
 

Massey Branch Boat ramp to close

The U.S. Forest Service will close the Massey Branch Boat Ramp on Lake Santeetlah beginning Oct. 15 so that improvements…
Read More

Comment

Raising hellbenders is no small feat
 

Raising hellbenders is no small feat

Biologists with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission have launched a captive breeding program for the giant, odd-looking Hellbender salamander, also…
Read More

Comment

Leaf lookers take heed
 

Leaf lookers take heed

The U.S. Forest Service has launched a web site for “Leaf Viewing in Western North Carolina.” The site features scenic…
Read More

Comment

A braver, newer world
 

A braver, newer world

Or at least a younger one anyway — one of the ranking members of the House’s Committee on Science, Space…
Read More

Comment

Uncovering the past  before it’s too late: Old Smokies’ homesites slowly succumbing to time and elements
 

Uncovering the past before it’s too late: Old Smokies’ homesites slowly succumbing to time and elements

As Don Casada veered off-trail and began bushwhacking his way over fallen logs and through overgrown shrubs along the shore…
Read More

Comment

Ice Age comes alive in new exhibit
 

Ice Age comes alive in new exhibit

A new exhibit at The North Carolina Arboretum, After the Dinosaurs: The Age of Mammals and Ice, unlocks the mysteries…
Read More

Comment

Free pesticide disposal day
 

Free pesticide disposal day

A pesticide collection day for unwanted pesticides will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, at…
Read More

Comment

Hike to Highland’s Rock Mountain
 

Hike to Highland’s Rock Mountain

A guided hike to the summit of Rock Mountain in the Highlands area will be held from 9 a.m. until…
Read More

Comment

Grants to help farmers put out new roots
 

Grants to help farmers put out new roots

Farmers in Western North Carolina can tap $3,000 to $6,000 grants from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission to help…
Read More

Comment

Survey shows outdoorsmen are environmentalists
 

Survey shows outdoorsmen are environmentalists

A new national poll released last month shows sportsmen prioritize protecting public lands above energy production. The poll conducted for…
Read More

Comment

Pick up winter gardening tips from leading WNC botanist
 

Pick up winter gardening tips from leading WNC botanist

An organic winter gardening workshop be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6, at the Cullowhee home…
Read More

Comment

Hikers needed for Mountain-to-Sea Trail routes
 

Hikers needed for Mountain-to-Sea Trail routes

Hikers are needed to hike proposed Mountain-to-Sea Trail routes in Jackson and Swain counties in and give feedback about the…
Read More

Comment

Learn about the how and why of fall colors
 

Learn about the how and why of fall colors

The Highlands Nature Center will host a program on fall colors from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct.…
Read More

Comment

Catch fall colors with Parkway hike
 

Catch fall colors with Parkway hike

Blue Ridge Parkway rangers will lead an easy to moderate 2.5 mile roundtrip hike to the summit of Sam Knob…
Read More

Comment

Hikes with Land Trust for the Little Tennessee
 

Hikes with Land Trust for the Little Tennessee

The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee will host a guided hike to Yellow Creek Falls in Graham County on…
Read More

Comment

What to bee-lieve
 

What to bee-lieve

Apparently what was apparent to many scientists and researchers back in 2008 is becoming more apparent — or not. Honeybee…
Read More

Comment

Up-and-coming: Gorges State Park unveils new visitor center
 

Up-and-coming: Gorges State Park unveils new visitor center

Gorges State Park born just more than 10 years ago is now finally on its way to becoming one of…
Read More

Comment

Rooted in the Mountains symposium comes to WCU
 

Rooted in the Mountains symposium comes to WCU

The third annual Rooted in the Mountains symposium at Western Carolina University will be held from 10 a.m. to 6:30…
Read More

Comment

Help sought in mapping historic settlements
 

Help sought in mapping historic settlements

When the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was created in the 1930s and 1940s, hundreds of families were forced to…
Read More

Comment

Take a volunteer vacation along the A.T.
 

Take a volunteer vacation along the A.T.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Rocky Top Trail Crew is looking for volunteers to help reconstruct a remote section of the…
Read More

Comment

Haywood Master Gardeners to give grants
 

Haywood Master Gardeners to give grants

The Haywood County Master Gardener Volunteer Association is accepting applications for grants for horticultural projects in Haywood County. The deadline…
Read More

Comment

Help bring back the Cullowhee lily by planting bulbs
 

Help bring back the Cullowhee lily by planting bulbs

An effort to re-establish the Cullowhee lily on the Western Carolina University campus gets under way this fall with a…
Read More

Comment

First whitewater releases hit the Upper Nantahala
 

First whitewater releases hit the Upper Nantahala

Paddlers hungry to sample the newest whitewater run to hit WNC’s rivers will flock to the upper reaches of the…
Read More

Comment

NOC serves up guest appreciation festival
 

NOC serves up guest appreciation festival

Nantahala Outdoor Center will host its end-of-season Guest Appreciation Festival Sept. 28-30. A cornerstone of the annual event is the…
Read More

Comment

Competition and culture at Forest Festival Day
 

Competition and culture at Forest Festival Day

Grab your axes. The 17th Annual John G. Palmer Woodmen’s Meet at The Cradle of Forestry in the Pisgah National…
Read More

Comment

Dry Falls reopens after extensive rehab
 

Dry Falls reopens after extensive rehab

The U.S. Forest Service reopened Dry Falls in the Nantahala National Forest Saturday, Sept. 22. The site has been closed…
Read More

Comment

Introduce kids to the joys of mountain biking
 

Introduce kids to the joys of mountain biking

Grab the kids and the bikes and head to the trails of Deep Creek outside Bryson City to celebrate ‘Take…
Read More

Comment

Learn how to forage for edibles
 

Learn how to forage for edibles

Wild foods expert Alan Muskat of Asheville will lead a foraging workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday,…
Read More

Comment

Birds of prey to swoop into farmers market
 

Birds of prey to swoop into farmers market

Owls, falcons and other birds of prey will make an appearance at the Haywood Historic Farmers Market in Waynesville from…
Read More

Comment

Birds and butterflies and flowers, oh my
 

Birds and butterflies and flowers, oh my

I had the pleasure of leading nine women from the Great Smoky Mountains Audubon Chapter on an outing along the…
Read More

Comment

Galax takes a beating from blackmarket trade
 

Galax takes a beating from blackmarket trade

They operate in groups, or sometimes alone, packing duffle bags of the illicit product by foot through the Western North…
Read More

Comment

Pour Le Pink 5K to raise money for breast cancer services
 

Pour Le Pink 5K to raise money for breast cancer services

The Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Foundation will hold a breast cancer benefit 5K run/walk at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, in Highlands.…
Read More

Comment

Streak along the Tuck for a good cause
 

Streak along the Tuck for a good cause

The annual Smoky Streak run will be held Saturday, Oct. 6, along the Tuckasegee River in Sylva to raise money…
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.