Hiking is not just a walk in the woods.

Wow! Read on folks. This is from the GSMNP just the other day. (With a few additions) 

 GATLINBURG, Tenn.—The National Park Services is urging 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.  

In March, park rangers have responded to a significant volume of backcountry and front-country emergencies, including: 

18 backcountry search and rescue incidents, including 2 Tennessee Army National Guard hoist extractions and 4 technical rope rescues. 

15 front‑country EMS calls, with 4 patients transported by UT Medical Center Life Flight. 

5 backcountry 911 calls resolved through phone contact, preventing the need for full rescue responses. 

And that was just in March!!!

Emergencies can happen to even experienced hikers, but many are preventable with the right awareness and preparation. Reducing avoidable risks helps keep park rangers available for the most critical emergencies. Just recently, rangers have provided life‑saving care multiple times—including yesterday, (4/1/26) when rangers successfully resuscitated a patient on Kuwohi. 

Hiking in the Smokies carries inherent risks, and trail conditions can change quickly due to natural forces. Be prepared for swollen streams, washed‑out bridges, downed trees and erosion. If conditions feel unsafe or a hike becomes more difficult than expected, turn back—your safety is your responsibility. In an emergency, call 911 and clearly state your location. If you have no cell service, send someone for help. 

Visitors are responsible for:

Researching your route and destination: Trails vary widely in difficulty, elevation gain and exposure. Whether you’re day hiking or backpacking, come with a plan before you arrive to the park. Call the backcountry office for at 865-436-1297 for backcountry trip planning advice.  

Carrying the right gear: Essentials include plenty of water, warm layers, rain protection, food, a map and a flashlight or headlamp with extra batteries. Learn about the 10 essentials.  

Having a backup plan: Parking areas and popular trailheads often fill early, which may mean you need to hike a different trail. Illegally parked vehicles will be ticketed or towed.  

Knowing your limits: Choose activities that match your physical ability, comfort level and experience with backcountry terrain. 

Staying weather-aware: Conditions in the mountains can shift rapidly, especially during spring. 

Telling someone your plan: Share details about where you’re going and when you expect to return. Emergencies can happen to anyone!  

The park’s new Preventative Search and Rescue Team (funded by parking tags) continue their work to share information on hiking safety, prevent emergencies and respond quickly when help is needed. But visitor preparation remains the key to preventing avoidable incidents. 

Visitors should check the park website for trip planning resources, trail information, and real‑time updates. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

And be safe out there, you're probably not as tough as you think you are!

About the National Park Service. Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America’s most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov. 

Prescribed burning planned for the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests

Hello! 

So, work may begin as early as today, 3/4/2026, with prescribed burns happening in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forest. Plan your trips with this in mind.

Below you'll find a bunch of information on these burns. Read on!

(Asheville, N.C., March 3, 2026) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service will conduct prescribed burns on both the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests to reduce hazardous fuels and improve wildlife habitat and forest health starting this week and lasting for approximately 2 months. 

On the Pisgah National Forest, the prescribed fires will take place in several locations across Transylvania, Henderson and Haywood counties, including Funnel Top (1,100 acres), Otter Hole (2,100 acres), Brushy Ridge (1,800 acres), Sam Knob (200 acres) and Pink Beds (1,600 acres). 

Firefighters will also begin prescribed fire operations on the Nantahala National Forest in Jackson and Macon counties, including Big Green (500 acres), Moses Creek (158 acres), Coward Bald (684 acres), Split Whiteoak (1025 acres) and Deweese (894 acres). A portion of the Appalachian Trail will be temporarily closed in the Deweese Unit for public safety during active firing operations. Once conditions permit safe travel, the trail will promptly reopen. 

The actual acreage, locations and dates of the burns will depend on weather and forest conditions, with operations beginning as early as tomorrow. Fire managers will carefully assess those conditions, and notifications on specific burn times and locations will be posted to the National Forests in North Carolina website and on Facebook when available. 

Please pay attention to any posted signs and watch carefully for wildland firefighters working in the forest during this time. There could be temporary road and trail closures during burning operations and following days while the area is monitored. These closures are for the safety of the public and firefighters. Helicopters may also be used to monitor and assist burn operations.

Why does the Forest Service use prescribed fire?

Prescribed fire is an important forest management tool for reducing fuels, improving wildlife habitat and promoting forest health. Burning under controlled conditions, or as “prescribed,” helps to reduce fuels that build up on the forest floor while ensuring public and firefighter safety.

How does the Forest Service plan for a burn?

All prescribed burns are thoroughly planned and analyzed by a team of specialists to ensure that wildlife, fisheries, rare plants and historic sites are not harmed. They use information from decades of fire science research to build controlled burn plans to improve forest health and reduce potentially hazardous fuels. 

Who participates in a burn? What do they look for?

Forest Service wildland firefighters and fire management team that respond to wildfires are the same people that plan and carefully set prescribed fires. They go through extensive training to ensure the safety of both the public and firefighters, reduce the impacts of smoke on nearby communities and set the burns so that they improve forest conditions. Fire managers consider wind speed and direction, relative humidity, conditions on the forest floor and other factors before and during a burn. Wildlife, including turkey and deer, often move in quickly after a burn to take advantage of the newly opened areas and easy to find food sources. 

For more information on how the Forest Service uses prescribed fire, visit www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/prescribed-fire.

For more information on the National Forests in North Carolina, visit www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc or follow the National Forests in North Carolina on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/nfsnc).

What friends do when the Park closes

 

Nine-Day extension to keep Smokies open through Oct. 19 during government shutdown

KODAK, Tenn. (Oct. 8, 2025) -  Sevier County has announced a nine-day extension to the agreement that will keep Great Smoky Mountains National Park open and fully operation through Oct. 19, 2025. This extension is to the previously announced agreement that reopened the park Oct. 4 through Oct. 10, 2025. Friends of the Smokies is among several partners that have provided support to fully open the park during the shutdown, including the State of Tennessee, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, Sevier County, Blount County, Cocke County, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and the cities of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Pittman Center. Friends of the Smokies is a nonprofit partner of the national park funded by your generous donations and specialty license plates. You help us fund projects, programs, equipment, and staffing the national park cannot afford with its normal annual budget. In special circumstances, such as the government shutdown, your support has put us in a position to step up for our beloved Smokies. We couldn't do it without your help.  As always, check the park's Current Conditions page for the latest closures. See this full press release at our website.

"Lapse of Appropriations", or the government shutdown

The federal government has shut down due to a bunch of child-like behavior!

The link below will give you the GSMNP information for visitors during this time.

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

The Gatlinburg Bypass remains closed as cleanup from landslide continues

  GATLINBURG, Tenn.—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

Crews worked through Saturday and Sunday to remove more than 70 loads of debris from the road. Crews continue working to clear debris from the road drainage, ditches, and a culvert, which is currently blocked. 

The park will provide an update once the site is fully stabilized and the road is ready for public use.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park remains open. Visitors can still access the Sugarlands area via US441 through Gatlinburg.  

A total of 3.47 inches of rain fell between 10–11:30 a.m. that morning, triggering the slide, which included mud, trees and other debris. The landslide covered approximately 150 feet of roadway with 1 to 4 feet of mud and debris, blocking both lanes of travel.

The park is grateful for the assistance provided by the City of Gatlinburg, Sevier County, and the City of Sevierville in response to this event.

Learn about some of the area history and have fun!

 

GATLINBURG, Tenn.—Where heritage meets hands-on history—experience the rich traditions of Appalachian Mountain life at the annual Mountain Life Festival, happening Sept. 20 at the Mountain Farm Museum, located just behind the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Cherokee, NC.

Running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., this free, family-friendly event offers a unique opportunity to explore the cultural heritage of the Southern Appalachian region through interactive demonstrations, live music and hands-on activities. The festival celebrates the legacy of the many families who once lived on the lands that later became Great Smoky Mountains National Park, preserving the diverse customs and skills passed down through generations.

Visitors can engage with living historians and cultural demonstrators to learn what daily life was like in the mountains. Highlights include traditional sorghum milling, hearth cooking, apple butter making, apple cider pressing, broom making, hominy preparation and demonstrations of Cherokee culture. Seasonal activities will also showcase the crafts and customs that defined autumn in the region’s past.

No reservations are required, but visitors are reminded that a parking tag is required for all vehicles parking for longer than 15 minutes. Parking tags can be obtained in advance online or at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.

Road maintenance planned in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

 Great Smoky Mountains News Release  

GATLINBURG, Tenn.— The National Park Service will complete important maintenance along popular roads in Great Smoky Mountains National Park this June. This will require temporary partial closures of Little River Road and single-lane closures along the Spur to allow park staff to safely and efficiently complete this work.   

Little River Road closures: 

On June 3 and 4, the park will close Townsend Wye to Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area from 7 a.m. to noon. Visitors can use Wears Valley Road (US 321) between Townsend and Line Springs Road as a detour. 

On June 5, the park will close Metcalf Bottoms to Elkmont Junction from 7 a.m. to noon. Visitors can use Wears Valley Road between Line Springs Road and Pigeon Forge as a detour.  

Motor homes, buses and vans longer than 25 feet, as well as any passenger vehicles towing a trailer, are prohibited on Wear Cove Gap Road from the park boundary to and including the Metcalf Bottoms bridge.  

Popular sites including Elkmont, Metcalf Bottoms and Cades Cove will remain accessible during this closure but may require detours. Visitors should plan for increased travel time.  

Spur single-lane closures: From June 9-12, the park will implement temporary single-lane closures along the north and southbound Spur from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visitor may see some traffic delays.  

Check the park website for up-to-date information on road closures and construction.