Little Bottoms Trail a week ago

 

 Hello! Dave the hiker from Nashville and I walked along
the Little Bottoms trail on a recent Saturday afternoon, enjoying the quiet noise of the forest beside Abrams Creek.
Dave the hiker took these photos as we walked this moderately difficult trail.
Much like the other end of this trail, coming out of Cades Cove, this section is rough, often skinny, and has numerous ups and downs in elevation and would not be recommended
for anyone seeking an easier softer walk.
However if you're in relatively good health and have something to drink you'll probably be ok.
Parking is near the Abrams Creek ranger residence. From this parking area one has access to some nice, less traveled routes.
And if you're just looking for a nice evening walk park here and walk towards the Abrams Creek Campground.  You'll find about a 1/4 mile or so of hard packed road along the creek until you reach  the campground.

Prescribed Burn Operations Set for November 19 and 20

Crews plan to complete fall prescribed burn operations in Cades Cove on Tuesday, November 19 in the 304-acre Tipton-Oliver unit and on Wednesday, November 20 in the 90-acre Cable House unit near the Abrams Falls Trailhead.  Hikers should expect temporary closures of the Abrams Falls Trailhead access road throughout the day.  Please see below for more details.

Visitors should expect to see fire activity and smoke during prescribed burn operations. Fire managers ask that motorists reduce speed in work zones, but refrain from stopping in the roadways. If smoke is present, motorists should roll up windows and turn on headlights.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Appalachian-Piedmont-Coastal Zone fire management staff plan to burn approximately 660 acres of fields on the western end of Cades Cove. Weather permitting, burn operations will occur between Wednesday, November 6 and Friday, December 20. The operations are expected to be conducted on three separate days. Media updates will be provided before burn operations. So stay tuned!

Over the last 20 years, park managers have conducted these burns during the spring and fall under specific prescription parameters to safely reduce fuels, restore meadow habitats, and maintain the historic landscape of Cades Cove. Park staff closely monitor fire weather conditions including vegetation and soil moisture, wind speed and direction, temperature, and relative humidity to ensure that conditions meet the burn plan objectives for the site. 

“The selected fields will be burned to restore meadow species, prevent the open fields from being reclaimed by forest, and to reduce hazardous fuels,” said Fire Management Officer Greg Salansky.

Visitors should expect to see firefighters and equipment along Hyatt Lane and the western end of the Cades Cove Loop Road. The loop road and historic structures will remain open to visitor use, but brief delays and temporary closures may occur to ensure public safety during burn operations. Park staff will be present to answer questions during operations at overlooks and parking areas. Specifically, the crew plans to burn the following units depicted in orange on the attached map: 185-acre old field, 304-acre Tipton-Oliver field, 87-acre cemetery marsh field, and 90-acre Cable House field.

For more information on the use of prescribed burns in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, visit the park website at http://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/wildlandfire.htm.

Road Closing due to Weather Advisory

US Hwy 441 Newfound Gap Road between Gatlinburg TN and Cherokee NC will close at 7:00pm tonight Monday 11/11/19 due to winter weather advisory. The park will advise when re-opened. GSMNP twitter link here: https://twitter.com/smokiesroadsnps

Burning Cades Cove

Park Plans Prescribed Burn in Cades Cove 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Appalachian-Piedmont-Coastal Zone fire management staff plan to burn approximately 660 acres of fields on the western end of Cades Cove. Weather permitting, burn operations will occur between Wednesday, November 6 and Friday, December 20. The operations are expected to be conducted on three separate days.  

The loop road and historic structures will remain open to visitor use, but brief delays and temporary closures may occur to ensure public safety during burn operations.

Visitors should expect to see firefighters and equipment along Hyatt Lane and the western end of the Cades Cove Loop Road. 

Over the last 20 years, park managers have conducted these burns during the spring and fall under specific prescription parameters to safely reduce fuels, restore meadow habitats, and maintain the historic landscape of Cades Cove. 

Park staff closely monitor fire weather conditions including vegetation and soil moisture, wind speed and direction, temperature, and relative humidity to ensure that conditions meet the burn plan objectives for the site. 

These seasonal controlled burns help perpetuate native herbaceous species that provide high quality cover and foraging opportunities for a diversity of wildlife including deer, turkeys, and ground nesting birds.

Park staff will be present to answer questions during operations at overlooks and parking areas.