SOCIAL MEDIA

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Several trails to be closed in Joyce Kilmer for 2 weeks

Sunday, October 31, 2010

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Several trails in the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest will be closed for the next two weeks in order to remove dead and dying hemlock trees.Beginning tomorrow, all or portions of the Joyce Kilmer National Recreation Trail, Stratton Bald Trail, Naked Ground Trail and the Jenkins Meadow Trail, will be closed until November 14th.The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest near Robbinsville, NC, has been heavily impacted...
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Haunted Reading

Sunday, October 31, 2010

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Today is Halloween, and what better way to celebrate if you're not out trick or treating yourself than to curl up underneath the covers and read about America's scariest trails, haunted hikes, or paranormal activity in the deep woods to scare the bejeebers out of you next time you venture into the wilderness.Here are a few links to check out to get you into the mood of the holiday:* Just in time for...
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Photo: New Oconaluftee Visitor Center

Saturday, October 30, 2010

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This photo comes courtesy of the Smokies Cub Report from the Great Smoky Mountains Association. It shows the progress on the new Oconaluftee Visitor Center.Looking pretty good so far:JeffHikingintheSmokys....
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Winter Mountaineering School

Saturday, October 30, 2010

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If you're looking to expand your winter hiking, backpacking and mountaineering skills, or possibly looking for an alternative vacation this coming winter, you may want to note that the Adirondack Mountain Club has just published the dates for this years' Winter Mountaineering School.For more than 50 years the Adirondack Mountain Club has hosted the annual Winter Mountaineering School near Lake Placid,...
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Blue Ridge Parkway closes Mt. Pisgah Trail - again

Friday, October 29, 2010

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For the third time in the last couple of months, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the US Forest Service will implement a limited closure of the Mount Pisgah Trail located at Milepost 407.6.The television broadcasting tower located at the top of Mount Pisgah is scheduled to undergo painting, which will require closure of the top of the mountain while the painting is being conducted. In addition to the top...
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Red River Gorge seeks 3 campers for wildfire

Friday, October 29, 2010

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Last weekend an illegal campfire in Red River Gorge, set during a declared fire ban, has spread to more than 400 acres and has led to the closure of Tunnel Ridge Road, a portion of Kentucky Highway 7, and several trails in the Auxier Ridge area.The U.S. Forest Service (Daniel Boone National Forest) is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the...
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Wilderness First Aid Course Offered

Friday, October 29, 2010

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In conjunction with the Carolina Mountain Club, the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) will be offering a Wilderness First Aid Course at the Asheville School Campus on November 13-14, 2010.The two-day, hands-on introductory course covers a wide range of wilderness medicine topics for people who travel and work in the outdoors.The cost for the course is $150,...
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Ramsey Prong Road to be closed for bridge repairs

Thursday, October 28, 2010

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park Chief of Facilities Management Alan Sumeriski announced today that the Ramsey Prong Road in the Greenbrier Area of the park will be closed for bridge repairs from Monday, November 1 through Friday November 5.For safety reasons the Ramsey Prong Road beyond its junction with the Porters Creek Road will be closed to all use including, cars, bicycles and pedestrians....
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More road closures on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Thursday, October 28, 2010

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Blue Ridge Parkway officials have just announced another multi-month road closure between Asheville and Mount Pisgah.Beginning November 1, 2010, and continuing into early spring 2011, the Parkway will be closed from Milepost 399 at Pine Mountain Tunnel to Milepost 405 at NC Route 151. Due to dangerous conditions in the work zone, all traffic by foot, bicycle, and motor vehicle will be prohibited.The...
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Reminder: 6-month closure on Blue Ridge Parkway

Thursday, October 28, 2010

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As a reminder, the Blue Ridge Parkway will be closed to all traffic from Milepost 241 near Doughton Park to Milepost 244.9 at Basin Cove Parking Overlook beginning next Monday, November 1, 2010, and lasting until April 29, 2011. Detour traffic signage will direct Parkway visitors around the closure area via NC Route 18 and US Highway 21 (you can click here for a map of the detour route). Access to...
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Two Bears Killed in Smokies

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

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The latest Smokies Cub Report from the Great Smoky Mountains Association is reporting that two bears have been killed in the park this month.The report states that:At least two bears were hit by motor vehicles and killed in the park this October. Many of these tragedies can be prevented if motorists obey posted speed limits and drive cautiously.The GSMA also goes on to warn motorists that:Very sudden...
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Win a pair of Hi-Tec’s Yeti II 200i Hiking Boots

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

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The folks over at HikingBoots.com are giving away a free pair of Hi-Tec’s Yeti II 200i Hiking Boots this month. To enter the contest all you need to do is answer the question: Where will your new Hi-Tec boots take you and why?Simply answer the question in the comments section of the blog post by clicking here.The staff over at HikingBoots.com will then pick the best comment and the winner will be...
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Shenandoah National Park Begins 75th Anniversary Celebration

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

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Shenandoah National Park will launch a year-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of its establishment with a ceremony at McCormick Gap Overlook at milepost 102 on Skyline Drive at 2:00 p.m. on November 5, 2010.Park Superintendent Martha Bogle will receive the "mantle of celebration" from Phil Francis, superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway, whose 75th anniversary celebration took place in 2010....
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Advance reservations now required for Cataloochee Campground

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

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Great Smoky Mountains Superintendent Dale A. Ditmanson announced today that when the park’s Cataloochee Campground reopens for the season next March 11th, campers will be required to have made advance reservations through Recreation.gov. Historically, the popular, but remote, 27-site campground has operated on a first-come-first-served basis, which did not provide prospective campers any way of knowing...
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Last minute getaway offer

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

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I just received an email from one of our advertisers, Hidden Creek Cabins, and they are offering a 50% discount on all remaining cabins this week and next. This is an outstanding offer, especially with fall colors hitting peak during this time. According to Tom Harrington's latest report on the Great Smoky Mountains Association website, fall colors in the lower elevations are expected to peak between...
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The 127 Defining Moments

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

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Next weekend is the opening of 127 Hours, the new film about Aron Ralston, the adventurer who sawed his arm off after it became pinned under a boulder in an isolated slot canyon in UtahTo celebrate the release of the film, Outside Magazine is launching the 127 Defining Moments Contest, which seeks to inspire people to share their own life-changing or death-defying experiences in the great outdoors.Outside...
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Land purchase in New River Gorge helps clear way for 100-mile trail

Monday, October 25, 2010

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On September 14th, with assistance from the West Virginia office of The Nature Conservancy, the United States purchased approximately 618 acres at New River Gorge National River for $980,000. Congress appropriated the money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which receives revenue from offshore oil and gas leases.The property is located underneath the New River Gorge Bridge on river left,...
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Brand new national park added to NPS

Monday, October 25, 2010

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This past Friday the River Raisin National Battlefield Park in Monroe, Michigan, was officially announced as the 393rd park in the National Park System. The War of 1812 battlefield was set aside by Congress with legislation and signed on March 30, 2009.NPS Director Jon Jarvis called the new park “an important addition to the National Park System. The War of 1812 is often forgotten, remembered only...
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Winter forecasts for the Smokies

Sunday, October 24, 2010

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Two long range forecasts for this winter for the United States have been published in the last couple of days: one from AccuWeather.com, the other from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).Overall, both reports are very similar, but differ a little with respects to the Great Smoky Mountains region. They both expect a weather phenomenon known as La Nina to be the main player governing...
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Johnson Farm organizes day hike to Panthertown

Sunday, October 24, 2010

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Historic Johnson Farm is teaming up with Gary Eblen of Diamond Brand Outdoors early next month for a hike in Panthertown.Nicknamed 'the Yosemite of the East,' Panthertown Valley is home to sheer granite cliffs and domes, cascading waterfalls, valley floors, and rare high altitude bogs.Interested participants should meet at the Pisgah Forest Ranger Station on Rte 276 in Brevard at 9 a.m. on November...
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Hiker killed by mountain goat versus my recent experience

Saturday, October 23, 2010

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Most of you have probably already heard the story about the hiker that was fatally gored by a mountain goat in Olympic National Park last weekend. After reading the details that have emerged this week, I couldn’t help but relate this to my own recent experience on Quandary Peak in Colorado. Here's a quick recap of the incident in Olympic: Last Saturday 63-year-old Robert Boardman of Port Angeles,...
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Shenandoah announces night closing of Skyline Drive during hunting season

Friday, October 22, 2010

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Park Superintendent Martha Bogle announced yesterday that portions of Skyline Drive, the famed mountain road through Shenandoah National Park, will be closed at night during the upcoming hunting season. She noted that this is the thirtieth year that this closure has been undertaken and stressed its importance at reducing illegal hunting activity within the park, a sanctuary for wildlife, during Virginia's...
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Friday's Video

Friday, October 22, 2010

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Members of the Great Smoky Mountains Association recently joined naturalist Wanda Dewaard on a mission to tag and release monarch butterflies in Cades Cove. The tags will help researchers with the Monarch Watch program learn more about the flight patterns of these butterflies as they migrate to Mexico for the winter.Here's a GSMA video highlighting the process of tagging the butterflies:© GSMA 2010....
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Landslide on Little River Road / Elkmont Closing

Thursday, October 21, 2010

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The Great Smoky Mountains website is reporting that a landslide on Little River Road, two miles east of Metcalf Bottoms, has closed one lane of the road. Drivers should expect delays in this area as crews work to clear the road.Also, the Elkmont Historic district, including the Little River/Jakes Creek Trailhead area in the Elkmont area, will be closed to public use today and tomorrow (Oct 21-22)...
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Seasonal Road Closing Season

Thursday, October 21, 2010

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If you intend to hike any of the trails along the Balsam Mountain Road or the Heintooga Ridge Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park before winter arrives, you have less than two weeks left before these roads are closed for the season.Both roads are located in the Southeastern corner of the park between Maggie Valley and Oconaluftee in North Carolina. The two seasonal roads will close on Monday,...
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Body of crime suspect found in Smokies

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

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The body of a man wanted by local police was found just inside the Great Smoky Mountains' boundary near the city limits of Gatlinburg yesterday afternoon.A Pigeon Forge Police Department canine unit found the body, later identified as that of Mark Christian, 45, of Lebanon, Tennessee. Pigeon Forge police were assisting the Gatlinburg Police Department in their ongoing search for Christian, who was...
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'Click It or Ticket' starts on Blue Ridge Parkway

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

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Blue Ridge Parkway rangers announced this week they will be starting an aggressive fall foliage "Click It or Ticket" campaign. Any one caught not buckling up on the parkway will be ticketed and fined.“Fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year,” said Chief Ranger Steve Stinnett. But a drive on a beautiful fall day can quickly turn to tragedy if you fail to buckle up.”The crackdown, beginning...
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Hiker with severe injury evacuated from Alum Cave Trail

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

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The NPS Digest has this report on their website this morning regarding a rescue on the Alum Cave Trail:Ranger Brad Griest was heading up the Alum Cave Trail on the afternoon of October 10th to checkout a report of an ill hiker when another hiker told him that a man had fallen on the trail about three miles further on and that he’d sustained a head injury and was complaining of back and neck pain.Griest...
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Final Full Moon Hike in Cades Cove

Monday, October 18, 2010

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This Saturday night, October 23rd, is the final "Full Moon Hike" of the year in Cades Cove of the Great Smoky Mountains.This is an excellent opportunity to take a stroll in Cades Cove under the light of a full moon. If interested, meet at the Orientation Shelter near the entrance to the Cades Cove Loop Road. The hike is from from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM.Free Shipping over $45 at Altrec OutdoorsJeffHik...
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Regulations Eased on First Amendment Demonstrations in National Parks

Sunday, October 17, 2010

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The National Park Service is reporting, that effective immediately, national parks will no longer require individuals or small groups to secure a permit for First Amendment activities in any of the 392 national parks.The change is a result of an August 6 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (Boardley vs. Department of the Interior) that determined that National Park Service (NPS)...
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Regional Fall Color Round-up

Saturday, October 16, 2010

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The following are the latest fall color updates for the various park areas in the Great Smoky Mountains region:* Tom Harrington's latest update on the GSMA website states that fall colors are now at their peak in the upper elevations of the Great Smokies (above 3,000 feet), and will remain at peak for the next couple of days. He also expects autumn colors for the lower elevations to be at or near...
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Cades Cove Loop to close for two days

Friday, October 15, 2010

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The Great Smoky Mountains announced today that the Cades Cove Loop Road is tentatively scheduled to be closed for two days during the week of November 29 for hemlock woolly adelgid control. Spray operations are weather dependent.Actual closure dates will be posted on the national park website a few days prior to the closure.JeffHikingintheSmokys....
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Friday's Video

Friday, October 15, 2010

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Ever wonder what it is like to be rescued off of a big mountain like the Grand Teton because you are too injured to get down on your own? Well, it goes a little something like this:Shattered from getungrounded on Vimeo.JeffHikingintheSmokys....
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Chasteen Creek Falls: Where the Waters Sing

Friday, October 15, 2010

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Join a Great Smoky Mountains ranger this Sunday, 10/17/2010, for a moderate 3-mile round-trip hike alongside the Bradley Fork to Chasteen Creek Falls.Meet at 12:00 PM near the registration office of the Smokemont Campground, located roughly 3.5 miles north of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee. Rangers ask that you wear sturdy walking shoes, bring water and pack a snack. The hike is expected...
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Final BRP "Hike of the Week" for 2010

Thursday, October 14, 2010

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Tomorrow is the final Hike of the Week in the Pisgah District of the Blue Ridge Parkway for 2010.

Join Parkway rangers tomorrow at 10:00 AM for a walk in the woods and hunt for the color red along an easy one mile section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail at the Mills River Valley Overlook near Milepost 404.5. Rangers ask that you bring a sketchpad, journal, camera, or binoculars to connect with nature.

For more information please call BRP headquarters at 828-271-4779.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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European nations approve Appalachian Trail extension

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

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The original Appalachian Trail, completed in 1937, extends roughly 2175 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia, to Mt. Katahdin in Maine. Many don't know this, but in 1995 and 2002, the AT was extended north into Canada. This extension, known as the International Appalachian Trail, treks 1900 miles from Mt. Katahdin all the way to Belle Isle in northern Newfoundland.This extension of the trail is...
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Ranger Guided Hikes: Kephart Trail

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

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Join a Great Smoky Mountains ranger on the last three Fridays of October for a guided hike along the Kephart Prong Trail.This Friday, 10/15/2010, as well as 10/22/2010 and 10/29/2010, meet at the Kephart Prong Trail, located roughly 5 miles north of the Smokemont Campground on Newfound Gap Road, for a moderate 4-mile round-trip hike to explore the deep woods alongside the singing waters of the Kephart...
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A Park Ranger's Life author at Peaks Of Otter

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

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Bruce Bytnar, author of A Park Ranger's Life, will be at the Peaks Of Otter Lodge this Friday, October 15, for a book signing. Bruce will be in the lobby of the Lodge, located at mile post 86 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, starting at 5 pm.A Park Ranger's Life chronicles the amazing stories from Mr. Bytnar's thirty-two-year career as a National Park Ranger. Just some of the stories he relates include:*...
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Little River/Jakes Creek access road reopening delayed

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

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An update on the Great Smoky Mountains website is reporting that the Little River/Jakes Creek Trail access road in the Elkmont area will be closed to public use until October 23rd now.The repaved road, with new parking areas near the Little River and Jakes Creek trailheads, was scheduled to reopen on October 15th.For now, parking for trail users is available on an extremely limited basis at the walk-in...
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Wilderness Weekend at Shenandoah National Park

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

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Shenandoah National Park will honor America's wilderness heritage during its 10th annual Wilderness Weekend, October 16 - 17, 2010. This year commemorates the 34th anniversary of Shenandoah's wilderness designation. Celebrate wilderness by viewing Shenandoah's wilderness from Skyline Drive, hiking a wilderness trail, joining a ranger program, completing the Wilderness Explorer Ranger Activity Guide,...
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Smokies Fall Color Update

Monday, October 11, 2010

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Tom Harrington, park naturalist and volunteer, has posted his latest Fall Color Report on the Great Smoky Mountains Association website today.His report states that fall colors have surged - almost overnight - and he expects the colors at the higher elevations (above 4,000 feet) to be at their peak over the next 10 days.At the lower elevations, he's predicting that peak colors are likely to be at...
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October Night Hikes in Cades Cove

Monday, October 11, 2010

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Join Great Smoky Mountains rangers each Friday during the month of October for a night-time walk to listen to the spirits of Cades Cove.Each Friday, on 10/15/2010, 10/22/2010 and 10/29/2010, rangers will lead an easy 2-mile walk starting from the orientation shelter at the entrance to the Cades Cove Loop Road.The walks will begin at 7:00 PM and will last roughly 2.5 hours.Rangers ask that you wear...
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Chasing Legends

Monday, October 11, 2010

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Below is a trailer from Chasing Legends, a movie about the Tour de France. Although it premiered back in May, it's still has a few dates left on its U.S. tour. The DVD is also available for purchase.The film takes viewers on an epic ride into the greatest cycling race of all time. It was filmed using a multitude of high tech, high def cameras mounted on bikes, motorcycles, helicopters and team cars,...
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The Heart of Greenbrier: Porters Flat

Sunday, October 10, 2010

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Join a Great Smoky Mountains ranger this Tuesday, 10/12/2010, for a hike into the "Heart of Greenbrier".Meet at the Porters Creek Trailhead, located in Greenbrier - 6 miles east of Gatlinburg, to hike with a ranger to discover the natural and cultural wonders of the Greenbrier area of the Smokies. Wear sturdy walking shoes and bring water. This is an easy to moderate hike to Porters Flat.The hike...
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Five Hikes for Halloween

Sunday, October 10, 2010

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With Halloween just three weeks away our friends over at Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine have published a list of the five most spookiest hikes in the southeast - each leading to a cemetery.The magazine points out that the rich history of the Southern Appalachians, including the frontiersmen, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, and the Cherokee and the Scotch-Irish cultures with their rich storytelling...
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Trail workday: Twentymile Loop Trail

Saturday, October 9, 2010

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As mentioned in previous posts, Danny Bernstein from the Carolina Mountain Club has organized a series of trail workdays in the Great Smoky Mountains this summer and fall. The workdays are in conjunction with the Trails Forever program.The final workday is scheduled for next Saturday, October 16th, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.Volunteers will be working on the Twentymile Loop Trail out of the Twentymile...
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Mt. Pisgah Trail Closure Extended

Friday, October 8, 2010

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Virtual Blue Ridge is reporting that the closure of the Mt. Pisgah Trail off the Blue Ridge Parkway has been extended until tomorrow.The trail was originally scheduled to be closed for only one day - on Wednesday, but the project is obviously taking longer than expected.The television broadcasting tower located atop Mt. Pisgah is undergoing an upgrade of select antennas, requiring closure of the top...
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Friday's Video

Friday, October 8, 2010

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Several weeks ago a fire near US 129 and the Calderwood Dam burned almost 300 acres in the western Smokies area. The Great Smoky Mountains Association recently published a video on how the fire was started and what the park's strategy was for dealing with it:© GSMA 2010. All rights reserved.JeffHikingintheSmokys....
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Fifty Places to Hike Before You Die / My top hikes

Thursday, October 7, 2010

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After the BBC published its list of the “50 places you must see before you die” several years ago, author Chris Santella has been making a living off of writing about other “50 Places”.Published just last week, his latest offering in his best selling series is Fifty Places to Hike Before You Die. Santella, along with top expedition leaders, explores the world's greatest hiking adventures, including...
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BRP Ranger Hike: Mountains-to-Sea Trail

Thursday, October 7, 2010

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Join Blue Ridge Parkway rangers tomorrow at 10:00 AM for an easy, three mile round trip hike along the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.The hike will start from the Rough Butt Bald Overlook (Milepost 425) and will take hikers through a spruce/fir forest. Wear good hiking shoes, bring water, and be prepared for changeable fall weather.The guided hike is free. For more information, call 298-5330, ext. 304Jef...
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National Park Service / NASA offer space station sightings

Thursday, October 7, 2010

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Because the space station is more spectacular away from skyline clutter and light pollution, NASA and the National Park Service have partnered to share information with park visitors about where and when to look up.Sightings depend on lighting, weather conditions and the station’s location as it orbits 200 miles above Earth at 17,500 mph. With the help of the Park Service, NASA recently imported the...
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Pecks Corner area trail construction advisory

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

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The Great Smoky Mountains added an advisory to their website this morning concerning trail construction in the Pecks Corner area that will occur from October 13-20.Park officials state that they do not anticipate closing the trail, however, there may be delays of up to 15 minutes. For your safety, they ask that you make your presence known as you approach the job site.The park doesn't mention which...
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Winners of National Natural Landmarks Photo Contest

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

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The National Park Service recently announced the winners of its 7th Annual National Natural Landmarks Photo Contest.Top honors in the contest went to John Pilarski of Milwaukee for his photograph of Grapevine Mesa Joshua Trees in Arizona. Second place went to Christopher Jordon of Indianapolis for a photo of Dunes Nature Preserve in Indiana, and third place went to Rodrigo Roesch of Glenview, Illinois,...
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Blue Ridge Parkway trail closures

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

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Virtual Blue Ridge is reporting a couple of trail closings off the Blue Ridge Parkway you may want to be aware of.The first closure will impact the Mt. Pisgah Trail tomorrow.The television broadcasting tower located at the top of Mt. Pisgah is scheduled to undergo upgrading of select antennas, which will require the closure of the viewing platform as well as the immediate area surrounding the TV tower....
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