Lake Logan triathlons say goodbye
After 17 years, one of the most beloved triathlons in the southeast has crossed the finish line.
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Gorges campground closed after bear encounter
The campground at Gorges State Park in Transylvania County is closed through Nov. 16 after a bear attacked an RV…
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Wildfires burn across region
The Collett Ridge Fire south of Andrews swelled over the weekend, growing from 110 acres Nov. 3 to 2,919 acres…
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Burns planned in Cades Cove
Prescribed burns on about 1,200 acres of fields in Cades Cove are taking place this fall.
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Burn ban issued amid ongoing drought
A burn ban has been issued for 14 Western North Carolina counties in the face of expanding drought following the…
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Burn ban issued amid ongoing drought
A burn ban has been issued for 14 Western North Carolina counties in the face of expanding drought following the…
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To the top: Trail network matures at Canton's Chestnut Mountain
In a sunny clearing 350 feet above U.S. 23, the choose-your-own-adventure portion of Canton’s Chestnut Mountain Nature Park begins.
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Laurel Falls closure planned for construction of trail, improvements
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is moving ahead with significant changes to the Laurel Falls Trail intended to improve…
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Franklin brownfield cleanup gets grant funding
Mainspring Conservation Trust has received $175,000 to clean up and restore a brownfield site near Nikwasi Mound in Franklin. The…
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Prescribed burns planned in Cherokee National Forest
Residents in the furthest west counties may see smoke over the coming months as the Cherokee National Forest carries out…
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Parkway section closed after visitors feed young bear
Eight miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Craggy Gardens is closed after multiple visitors were reported feeding and attempting…
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Wildfire burns near Andrews
A fire ignited by lightning Oct. 23 near Andrews has grown to 90 acres with 0% containment due to rugged…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Visit the Waynesville Watershed
A 4-mile hike exploring the Waynesville Watershed will embark at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7.
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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.…
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Explore Haywood
Spend November exploring some of the region’s most beautiful hikes with a slate of excursions offered through Haywood County Recreation…
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Hike among hemlocks
Experience the hemlock trees growing at the historic Cradle of Forestry in America during a hike starting at 10 a.m.…
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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.…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Snow falls in the mountains
The first snow of the season has fallen in the Southern Appalachians.
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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…
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Drought conditions grow
Drought is strengthening in southwestern North Carolina, with 14 counties now in moderate drought and an additional 58 labeled abnormally…
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Celebrate native plants
The seventh annual North Carolina Native Plants Week is underway, running Oct. 16-22, and Audubon North Carolina is encouraging people…
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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…
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Help available for failing septic systems
Funding is available to help homeowners fix failing septic systems, preventing both financial and environmental hardship.
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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…
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Up Moses Creek: Yellow Jacket Muse P.S.
(This piece is a follow-up to a previous “Up Moses Creek” column published Sept. 13 and available online at smokymountainnews.com/outdoors/item/36356-yellow-jacket-muse.)…
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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…
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Invasive apple snails found in N.C.
A new invasive species has been found in North Carolina.
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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…
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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.…
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Tie your own flies
Learn the art of Southern Appalachian fly tying with an eight-week course taught by local expert Tommy Thomas.
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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…
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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…
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Notes from a plant nerd: Go, go chasing butterflies
Every year at the beginning of fall, an amazing thing happens in North America, and the Southern Appalachian Mountains.
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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.
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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.…
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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,…
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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…
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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,…
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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,…
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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…
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Time to register for youth basketball
Registration for youth basketball with the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department is open through Saturday, Sept. 30.
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