The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog: August 2013

Baa-tany Goat Project · Engine Gap

The Annual Herding of the Goats Off Roan Mountain

Friday, August 30, 2013

Come help Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) close out the 6th annual Baa-tany Goat Project with a bang on September 11th. Volunteers will meet at Carvers Gap at 8:30 AM to receive herding instructions and participate in a safety meeting in preparation for the annual herding of the goats off of Roan Mountain. The group will then hike towards the goats at Engine Gap, and will lead the...

Broad-Winged Hawks · buteos · Chimney Rock State Park · Clingmans Dome · Flock to the Rock · Indian Gap · Look Rock · migration · Newfound Gap · Smokies · smoky mountains

The Annual Hawk Migration / Flock to the Rock

Thursday, August 29, 2013

The first cold front of the year usually passes through the Smoky Mountains during the early-to-mid September time period. As the weather patterns change to cooler temperatures, Broad-winged hawks begin to make their annual migration down the Appalachian Mountain range to winter in the neo-tropics of Mexico, to as far south as Southern Brazil. For bird enthusiasts, this provides an excellent opportunity...

Springhouse Branch Trail · temporary closure

Temporary Closure of Springhouse Branch Trail

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced the temporary closure of Springhouse Branch Trail to all horse use due to unsafe trail conditions. Park trail crews will complete needed repairs by early October. Heavy rainfall this year resulted in the development of a wet weather spring which recently washed away the trail surface along a section of Springhouse Gap Trail exposing slick...

Fighting Creek Nature Trail · sound walk

“Sound Walk” Offered by Park Artist in Residence

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Great Smoky Mountain National Park Artist in Residence, Dominique Ferraton, will be offering a guided sound walk on Wednesday, August 28 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.along a section of the Fighting Creek Nature Trail. Ferraton will discuss how sounds affect people and how humans are changing the sonic landscape everywhere. The walk is open to all ages, and participants will discover how the simple act of...

blue ridge parkway

Opening of Temporary Bypass at Milepost 374 on Blue Ridge Parkway

Monday, August 26, 2013

The Blue Ridge Parkway re-opened a closed section of the historic motor road today (August 26, 2013), from Milepost 376 at Ox Creek Road in Asheville, NC to Milepost 355 at Mt. Mitchell State Park using temporary bypass lanes. The speed limit in this section of the roadway has been reduced to 15 mph to ensure public safety while traveling through the bypass area. To better navigate the bypass alignment,...

mt. leconte · precipitation · weather

How Rainy has it really been in the Smokies this year?

Monday, August 26, 2013

So how much rain has the Smokies received this year? It seems like an awful lot, or is it just our collective imagination? To answer that question I compiled some data to compare this year against the long term averages. The graph below shows monthly precipitation amounts for Mt. LeConte in 2013. Monthly precipitation amounts for January through July were taken from the Weather Warehouse. August...

ParksByNature Network · Passport Challenge · Pocket Ranger · Tennessee State Parks

Tennessee State Parks Announce Passport Challenge

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Tennessee State Parks, through a partnership with the ParksByNature Network, have announced a new GeoChallenge for the Pocket Ranger®, the free iPhone and Android application for park visitors on the move. “The new GeoChallenge, the Tennessee State Parks Passport Challenge, uses the Pocket Ranger’s® advanced GPS mapping features to guide visitors to all of our spectacular state parks, while also...

Dressing for the Season

Dressing for the Season

Saturday, August 24, 2013

The following is a guest blog by Outdoor Look: The cooler than average August gives an early reminder of just how close fall is. The weather report shows lows in the mid 70s during the day, and dropping into the low 50s at night. As well as being a reminder of the rapidly approaching autumn weather, park visitors should take heed that the typical August packing list may leave you shivering...

appalachian trail · black bear · cherokee national forest · Oliver Hollow · Watauga Lake Shelter · Wilbur Dam

Cherokee National Forest Announces Closures Due to Bear Activity

Friday, August 23, 2013

U.S. Forest Service officials at the Cherokee National Forest have announced that national forest lands within the corridor between the area known as Oliver Hollow north to Wilbur Dam are temporaily closed to public entry except for through hikers on the Appalachian Trail. The closure is being implemented because of black bear activity in the area. National forest lands within the corridor...

Fall Day Hiking Basics

Fall Day Hiking Basics

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Planning an escape to cooler temperatures and fall colors on a day-hike? Join the REI staff in Asheville next month to learn about the basics of hiking. In this class REI experts will share tips and tricks on all aspects of hiking. Learn about trip planning, essential items, equipment, safety precautions, along with local resources and places to go. The seminar will be held on Wednesday, September...

Alum Cave Parking Lot to be Closed for Three Weeks

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Great Smoky Mountain visitors planning to hike up to Alum Cave or Mt. LeConte, may want to note that the upper Alum Cave parking lot will be closed from August 26th through September 13th. The park will be paving the lot and adding spaces. The lower lot, near the bathroom, will still be open during this time period. You may also want to note that the six-mile section of Newfound Gap Road from the...

Moonlight Kayaking · Outdoor Chattanooga · Tennessee River · Tennessee River Gorge

Moonlight Kayaking thru the Tennessee River Gorge

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Looking for a unique outdoor adventure? How about moonlight kayaking trip through the Tennessee River Gorge? On Thursday, September 19th, join Outdoor Chattanooga for a special float trip through the heart of the Tennessee River Gorge by moonlight. On this special trip participants should expect quiet water, cool breezes, and a special glimpse into the Cumberland Plateau's majesty. Although the...

Mountain Homes for Active Vacationers

Saturday, August 17, 2013

The following is a guest blog by Amber Ranches: A vacation retreat in the Great Smoky Mountains is a real convenience for hikers and other outdoor sports enthusiasts. Having a "home base" near plenty of hiking trails, forests, streams and lakes means exciting outdoor adventures can be followed by a home-cooked meal, a fire in the fireplace and a comfortable bed. North Carolina's mountains offer...

Smokies Telethon Raises Over $200,000‏

Friday, August 16, 2013

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park raised $201,423 last night through its 19th annual “Friends Across the Mountains” telethon thanks to hundreds of callers and help from sponsors Dollywood, Mast General Store, Pilot Corporation, and SmartBank. Since 1995 Friends of the Smokies telethons have raised more than $2.9 million. “We extend our sincere thanks to each person that pledged...

grants · Recreational Trails Program · Tennessee

Gov. Haslam Awards Over $1.6 Million in Parks and Recreation Grants

Friday, August 16, 2013

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau announced yesterday that they have awarded $1,694,000 in Recreational Trails Program grants to recipients across Tennessee. “These grants assist local governments and organizations in improving community amenities such as trails, greenways and recreational facilities, making the outdoors more accessible to Tennesseans.”...

Programming Note: Friends Across the Mountains Telethon Tonight

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Tonight the Friends of the Smokies will be hosting the 19th Annual Friends Across the Mountains Telethon to benefit Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The event has a long history as the only telethon for a national park, and has raised over $2.5 million dollars. “This broadcast provides a great chance to learn more about the tremendous national resource that’s right in our own backyard,” said...

Gatlinburg Bypass · roadwork

Roadwork on the Gatlinburg Bypass

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have announced upcoming roadwork plans on the Gatlinburg Bypass involving overnight closures and single lane daytime closures beginning in mid-August. Charles Blalock and Sons was awarded the contract to mill and resurface the Gatlinburg Bypass roadway and parking areas beginning August 19, 2013 through September 27, 2013. The Bypass will be closed...

pacific crest trail · Tales from the Pacific Crest Trail · Tell it on the Mountain

Tell it on the Mountain

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

What crosses 60 mountain passes, 19 canyons, 7 national parks, 3 national monuments, 24 national forests and 33 federal wilderness areas? If you answered the Pacific Crest Trail, you would be correct. Ever since reading Skywalker and Dances with Marmots over the last year, my interest in the 2663-mile Pacific Crest Trail has been piqued. In fact, the section of the PCT that follows along with the...

Deputy Superintendent · Great Smoky Mountains National Park · Patricia M. Wissinger

Smokies Announces New Deputy Superintendent

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson announced that Patricia M. Wissinger has been selected as the next Deputy Superintendent. She replaces Kevin Fitzgerald, who retired earlier this year. Wissinger is currently the superintendent of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in Atlanta, one of the busiest recreation areas in the United States. She is scheduled to report...

2013 Outdoor Recreation Participation Report · The Outdoor Foundation

Participation in Outdoor Activities Hits Six-Year High

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Participation in outdoor recreation reached a six-year high in 2012 with 142 million Americans, ages six and older, enjoying the outdoors. That is an increase of about 800,000 outdoor participants since 2011 and equates to a participation rate of 49.4 percent. The findings are part of The Outdoor Foundation's 2013 Outdoor Recreation Participation Report, the leading report tracking American participation...

Greenbrier Road

Sections of Greenbrier Road to be Closed for 10 Days

Monday, August 12, 2013

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials will close sections of Greenbrier Road to vehicle and pedestrian traffic for road repairs from Wednesday, August 14 through Friday, August 23. * Beginning Wednesday, August 14 through Sunday, August 18, the road will be closed just past the intersection with the road to Ramsey Cascades Trailhead. This will impact access to the Porters Creek Trail and...

birthday · National Park Service

The National Park Service Turns 97 on August 25th

Monday, August 12, 2013

On Sunday, August 25th, the National Park Service turns 97 years old. To help celebrate, admission to all national parks will be free so that everyone can join in the festivities taking place from coast-to-coast. “National parks belong to all Americans, and we invite everyone to join us and celebrate this special day,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “From kite-building...

appalachian trail · Matt Kirk

Matt Kirk Sets New Speed Record on Appalachian Trail

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Earlier this week a 23-year-old record for the fastest self-supported thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail was broken. Matt Kirk, a 32-year-old schoolteacher from Western North Carolina (though he apparently resigned from that position in June) hiked the 2185.9 miles in 58 days, 9 hours and 38 minutes - an average of 37.4 miles per day! Matt began his trek from Mt. Katahdin in Maine on June 12th,...

Bandy Creek Campground · Beginnings of the National Park Service · Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area

Bandy Creek Campground Program: Beginnings of the National Park Service

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Join Ranger Dustin Beaty to learn about the birth of the National Park Service and the establishment of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. This program will be held at Bandy Creek Campsite number D 03 on August 17th at 7:30 p.m. (EDT). The program will last approximately 90 minutes. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please bring a chair to sit around a campfire, sturdy...

blue ridge parkway · Mark Woods · Superintendent

Mark Woods Selected as Superintendent of BRP

Friday, August 9, 2013

National Park Service Southeast Regional Director Stan Austin announced yesterday that Mark H. Woods has been selected as the next superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Woods has been the superintendent of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park since January 1997. He is scheduled to report to his new assignment in late September. "Mark brings a strong and consistent track record of quality...

blue ridge parkway · Rockfish Gap

Blue Ridge Parkway Road Resurfacing Project at Rockfish Gap

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

The Blue Ridge Parkway announced the temporary closure of the access ramps to the Parkway at Virginia Route 250. During the week of August 19, 2013, each of the two access ramps will be closed at separate times to allow for repaving. Access to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park at Rockfish Gap will remain open during the work, with traffic re-routed to the open ramp. Each of the ramp...

blue ridge parkway · Temporary Bypass Route

Blue Ridge Parkway to Build Temporary Bypass Route Around Cracked Pavement at MP 374.5

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Blue Ridge Parkway managers and Federal Highway Administration engineers have made the decision to construct a temporary bypass route that will allow traffic through a heavily-used section of Parkway near Milepost 374. The area is currently closed as the result of significant structural damage to the motor road and related shoulder areas discovered earlier this summer. Construction of the temporary...

bear incidents · Beech Bottom · Cohutta Wilderness · Jacks River Falls

Multiple Bear Incidents Reported at Beech Bottom in the Cohutta Wilderness

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Multiple bear incidents have been reported at Beech Bottom in the Cohutta Wilderness. The bears are stealing backpacks, food containers, trash bags and entering tents. Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest officials are asking backpackers to consider changing trip itineraries. Visitors to this day-use area should use every precaution and follow bear safety guidelines found at www.bebearaware.org,...

Friends Across the Mountains Telethon

19th Annual Friends Across the Mountains Telethon

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Next Thursday, August 15th, is the 19th annual Friends Across the Mountains Telethon. The event will be broadcast on WBIR-TV Channel 10 in Knoxville, TN and WLOS-TV Channel 13 in Asheville, NC from 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM. The broadcast will highlight projects and programs that Friends of the Smokies has funded over the years. It's a fun event that raises awareness of both the Park's needs (as the only...

bears · great smoky mountains association · hiking

Wildlife While Hiking in the Smokies

Sunday, August 4, 2013

The following is the latest video from the Great Smoky Mountains Association. The film mostly focuses on what to do if you come across a bear while hiking in the backcountry. Even if you're a seasoned veteran, it's always a good idea to brush up on your knowledge in case you were ever to run into an aggressive bear while out on the trail: Jeff Hiking in the Smok...

Appalachian Trail Conservancy · I Am The Appalachian Trail · Video Contest

Appalachian Trail Conservancy Launches “I Am The Appalachian Trail” Video Contest

Friday, August 2, 2013

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) is currently accepting submissions for the “I am the Appalachian Trail” Video Contest, a nationwide search for the best fan-made video about the Appalachian Trail (A.T.). The grand prize winner will have their video screened in movie theaters during the 2014 ATC Membership Drive. The video contest asks participants to answer the question: “How are you a part...

Night Gear · Smoky Mountain Rescue Units

Smoky Mountain Rescue Units

Thursday, August 1, 2013

The following is a guest blog by Night Gear: Doing Your Part to make their Job Easier The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in the country. As many as 10 million people visit the park every year to enjoy the scenic beauty and ample outdoor recreation opportunities. The sheer number of visitors combined with the sometimes rugged terrain and inherently risky...

Astronomy Program · Big South Fork · Paul Lewis

Astronomy Program at Big South Fork

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Paul Lewis from the University of Tennessee and the Big South Fork astronomy volunteers will be at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area on August 10th for an evening star-gazing program. On Saturday night at 9:30 p.m. (Eastern Time), Paul Lewis will describe which objects to look for in the night sky of August. This program will be held in the parking lot across from the Bandy Creek...

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