Outdoors
National park urges visitors to plan and prepare
The National Park Service urge visitors to plan ahead, prepare for changing conditions and know their personal limits while recreating in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Park rangers have been responding to an increased number of emergencies and are reminding visitors that rescue is not a certainty.
Rehab of Bullhead Trail to LeConte continues
Beginning May 4, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will close Bullhead Trail from Monday through Thursday each week, excluding federal holidays, through Nov. 19. During this time, the park will continue the rehabilitation of the Bullhead Trail in partnership with Friends of the Smokies.
Hikers are welcome to hike Bullhead Trail Friday through Sunday and on federal holidays.
Extreme drought expands in North Carolina
Drought conditions continue to increase in severity across North Carolina. Thirty counties are now experiencing extreme drought, and most counties are experiencing severe or moderate drought, according to the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council.
For counties in extreme drought, water systems are advised to follow their Water Shortage Response Plan and adhere to water use reduction measures.
Franklin warns residents about grass clippings
As the spring mowing season commences, Franklin is reminding citizens that there is an ordinance prohibiting yard debris and grass clippings on streets and sidewalks.
When yard debris and grass clippings are left on sidewalks or blown into streets, there is potential for materials to get into the stormwater drains blocking them and causing water sheet flows to be rerouted and result in run off and flooding issues.
Word from the Smokies: Love of place inspired remarkable history collection
Bill and Alice Hart know each other’s stories by heart, have been known to finish each other’s sentences and share an obvious trait — the calm satisfaction of having led purpose-filled lives.
The seeds of that satisfaction began the old-fashioned way — through courtship. William “Bill” Hart, of rural Buncombe County, met Alice Huff, of Sylva, 67 years ago at Western Carolina Teachers College.
Milestone moment for Mountains-to-Sea Trail
At the foot of the Kuwohi Observation Tower at the highest peak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail unveiled a new stone marker for the trail’s western terminus.
The unveiling marks a milestone moment for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a 1,175-mile footpath that crosses North Carolina from the Tennessee state line at Kuwohi to the Atlantic Ocean at Jockey’s Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks.
Pisgah Conservancy expands Helene recovery efforts
The Pisgah Conservancy has been awarded a 4.5-year, nearly $8 million grant from the National Forest Foundation on behalf of the USDA Forest Service.
This grant will support the repair and maintenance of trails, trail bridges and other trail infrastructure, as well as ecosystem recovery through invasive plant management, streambank stabilization, erosion control and watershed stewardship and education.
Smokies begins adaptive programming
Great Smoky Mountains National Park will begin its 2026 season of adaptive programming this spring with ranger-led experiences designed for visitors with limited mobility and their families.
This year’s lineup includes hiking, biking, fly fishing and one overnight backcountry camping trip:
Students take part in conservation field days
Fifth graders from Cullowhee Valley School and Scotts Creek School participated in conservation field days at East LaPorte Park Wednesday to learn more about natural resources and conservation.
