A new National Park Service report shows that approximately 12.2 million visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2024 spent more than $2 billion in communities near the park. That spending had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of more than $2.8 billion. 

When the federal government shut down at midnight Oct. 1, there were a lot of questions, especially for Western North Carolina, where business owners and residents are already on the heels of a year of economic uncertainty.

The nonprofit Friends of the Smokies will help pay to fully reopen Great Smoky Mountains National Park for one week during the ongoing federal government shutdown. The park will be fully open and operational from Saturday, Oct. 4, through Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. 

When the federal government shut down at midnight Oct. 1, there were a lot of questions, especially for Western North Carolina, where business owners and residents are already on the heels of a year of economic uncertainty.

As the federal government shutdown continues, North Carolina residents may be left with a patchwork of closures, service limitations and uncertainty across the region’s parks, forests and federal agencies. While some federal programs will continue without interruption, others have scaled back operations, leaving communities in the state’s westernmost counties to rely on a mix of official websites and local offices for updates.

Autumn is a beautiful — but busy — time in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Visitors should plan ahead and be prepared for incredible fall colors, but also crowds, traffic congestion and limited parking throughout the park. 

The Gatlinburg Bypass in Great Smoky Mountains National Park remains closed as crews continue cleanup efforts following a significant landslide that occurred the morning of Saturday, Sept. 27. 

Born from the high, cold springs of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and destined for the Gulf of Mexico, the clear waters of the Oconaluftee River have a long journey ahead. The river flows through the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ homeland in Cherokee and joins increasingly voluminous waterways as it travels toward the sea. The Cherokee know this southbound path as the Long Person, yvwi ganvhida — a living being with its head in the mountains and its feet in the sea.

The annual elk breeding season, known as the rut, is underway in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The rut can be exciting to witness, but it can also be dangerous, as elk are especially unpredictable during this time.  

Smokies Life, a nonprofit partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is now accepting applications for its sixth Steve Kemp Writer’s Residency. The annual program is designed to help writers of any medium connect in meaningful ways with the national park while focusing on their craft in an inspiring, retreat-like setting.