SOCIAL MEDIA

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Successful Restoration of State-threatened Peregrine Continues in Shenandoah National Park

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

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Between early May and mid-July, Shenandoah National Park Natural Resources staff, working in partnership with the Center for Conservation Biology at the College of William and Mary, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and the Virginia Department of Transportation, has successfully restored nine peregrine falcons in the park. The “foster” peregrine chicks used for this program came...
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Key Milestones in Hiking

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

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Over the last several decades the sport of hiking has become increasingly more popular. According to the latest Outdoor Recreation Participation Report, 11.4% of all adults in the United States participated in hiking in 2013. But the burning question to a modern-day trekker such as myself, is when did people take to the trail for pleasure? Ever since our predecessors began walking on two feet humans...
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Outdoor Recreation Participation Report: Camping and Backpacking Continues to Decline

Friday, July 25, 2014

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The Outdoor Foundation is reporting that a record number of Americans participated in at least one outdoor activity in 2013, with nearly 50% of all Americans ages six and older taking part in at least one of the 43 outdoor activities, according to the latest Outdoor Recreation Participation Report. That percentage equates to 142.6 million American outdoor participants. Although the number of participants...
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Tourism to Blue Ridge Parkway creates $782 Million in Economic Benefit

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

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A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 12,877,369 visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2013 spent $782,926,000 in communities near the park. That spending supported 11,283 jobs in adjacent communities. "Over the years, the Blue Ridge Parkway has experienced fluctuations in visitation. Regardless of these fluctuations, Parkway staff remain committed to the mission of the National...
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Man convicted of operating illegal hiking guide service in Grand Canyon

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

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Brazen? Or just brazenly stupid? The NPS Morning Report is reporting that on October 19, 2013, rangers in the backcountry of Grand Canyon National Park became suspicious of the large number of hikers attempting to hike from the North Rim to the South Rim in a single day (known as a “Rim to Rim” hike). The hikers claimed to be hiking only with a small number of friends and not as part of a large...
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Gregory Bald, 2014

Monday, July 21, 2014

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In case you weren't able to make it up to Gregory Bald last month to see the world-famous azaleas, the Great Smoky Mountains Association has published a short video highlighting some of the scenes from this year's spectacular show: Jeff HikingintheSmokys....
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Rangers Save Three From Drowning in Chattahoochee River

Sunday, July 20, 2014

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According to Friday's NPS Morning Report, on the evening of July 6th, Rangers Paul Forward and Chris Calkins and Supervisory Ranger Sean Perchalski were patrolling Diving Rock, one of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area’s busiest areas, when Forward spotted a man in the middle of the river who appeared to be in distress. The man went under several times as two other visitors struggled...
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Tourism to Great Smoky Mountains National Park creates $734 Million in Economic Benefit

Saturday, July 19, 2014

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A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 9,354,695 visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2013 spent $734,086,600 in communities near the park. That spending supported 10,734 jobs in the local area. “Great Smoky Mountains National Park remains the most visited national park in the nation and we are pleased to be the stewards of this national park that welcomes so many visitors...
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Altocumulus Lenticularus

Friday, July 18, 2014

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A couple of weeks ago Kathy and I took a trip out to Rocky Mountain National Park. During our visit we took a hike up to Deer Mountain. As we got near the top I noticed an odd and fairly uncommon cloud in the sky. We stayed at the summit for roughly an hour, and all the while the cloud basically remained in the same general location, while seemingly holding the same general shape throughout much of...
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Tennessee State Parks Announce Opening of 56th State Park

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

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Tennessee State Parks announced last week the newest addition to the parks system, Seven Islands State Birding Park. State and local officials attended the official opening of the 56th state park last Tuesday in Knoxville. Seven Islands State Birding Park offers activities including observation, hiking and a small boat launch for canoes and kayaks. The property is adjacent to the French Broad River...
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Smokies Receives Grant to Restore Wetland Vegetation

Monday, July 7, 2014

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of 23 national parks selected to receive a 2014 Impact Grant from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks. The $25,000 grant supports the restoration of wetland vegetation in a 3-acre wetland in the Ravensford floodplain near Cherokee Central Schools in NC. Now in its seventh year, the Impact Grants program provides...
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Bear incident forces closure of Twin Creeks Trail and Noah Bud Ogle Cabin

Friday, July 4, 2014

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have closed Twin Creeks Trail, Noah Bud Ogle Cabin, and the Noah Bud Ogle Nature Trail due to bear activity until further notice. Cherokee Orchard Road was closed earlier today, but is expected to open tomorrow morning. Two women encountered a bear near the Noah Bud Ogle Cabin at approximately 10:20 a.m. this morning while hiking on the nature trail....
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Gregory Bald Is Temporarily Closed

Thursday, July 3, 2014

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have temporarily closed Gregory Bald and nearby trails including Gregory Bald Trail and Wolf Ridge Trail from Parson Bald to Gregory Bald. The closure is necessary to both protect bears and hikers. At least a dozen bears are concentrated on Gregory Bald feeding on ripe cherries. The situation has led to several close encounters between hikers and...
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Smokies Proposes Firewood Changes

Thursday, July 3, 2014

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials are proposing changes that will help protect park forests by further limiting the type of firewood brought into the park. Non-native, tree-killing insects and diseases can unknowingly be introduced into the park through firewood transported from infested areas. New infestations threaten our forests with widespread tree mortality that could devastate wildlife...
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