The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog: September 2014

Smokies Closes Area Near Caves to Protect Declining Bat Populations

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced the closure of the Whiteoak Sink area effective now through March 31 to limit human disturbance to bat hibernacula and help hikers avoid interactions with bats. Park biologists will be monitoring the site throughout the winter collecting population, ecological and behavioral data that will inform resource managers developing a long-term protection...

USFS Backs-Off Threat of Photo Fees

Friday, September 26, 2014

As a follow-up to a posting from earlier today, I just found out that the U.S. Forest Service is backing away from a threat to impose fees on photographers who take photos on national forest lands. In a press release issued late last night, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell stated: “The US Forest Service remains committed to the First Amendment. To be clear, provisions in the draft directive...

Smokies to Host Star Gazing Event at Cades Cove Tomorrow

Friday, September 26, 2014

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in cooperation with the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society, will offer a 2 ½-hour stargazing program in Cades Cove on Saturday, September 27 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Experienced astronomers and numerous telescopes will be on hand to provide a discovery of the autumn sky’s position of stars, galaxies, and constellations, including the Milky Way. In case of rain...

U.S. Forest Service Wants $1500 to Take a Photo

Friday, September 26, 2014

Imagine walking into the Cherokee National Forest and snapping a few photos of your favorite mountain, wildflower or bear. Then suppose, since your photos turned out to be pretty awesome, that you decide to post them on your blog. Or, perhaps you're an amateur photographer and you thought that maybe you could make a few bucks by selling a print of one of those photos at a local art fair. Now, imagine...

Appalachian National Scenic Trail · drones · Unmanned Aircraft Use Policy

Appalachian National Scenic Trail Announces Implementation of Unmanned Aircraft Use Policy

Thursday, September 25, 2014

The National Park Service has developed an interim policy prohibiting the use of unmanned aircraft on NPS managed lands of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. This is a new park use that could affect park resources, staff, and visitors in ways that the National Park Service has yet to identify, analyze and examine. It's the National Park Service policy to not allow a new park use until a determination...

Celebrate National Public Lands Day in the Smokies

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Great Smoky Mountains National Park invites the public to join park staff in Cades Cove on Saturday, September 27, 2014, for the 21st annual celebration of National Public Lands Day. Volunteers are needed for this year's event to collect seeds from native plant increase fields in Cades Cove. The increase fields are used to produce seeds from wild native grasses and forbs, which are used to help...

Within the Shadows of Cumberland Gap Heritage Walk

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Where can you meet intrepid pioneer Rebecca Boone, the murderous Harpe brothers, and famed conservationist Gifford Pinchot, and still stay right in beautiful Cumberland Gap? During the annual Heritage Walk of course! For the fourth year in a row, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is presenting "Within the Shadows of Cumberland Gap Heritage Walk."Once again, the park will be shedding light...

Five Different Opportunities to Volunteer for Big South Fork’s National Public Lands Day

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will be celebrating National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 27, 2014. National Public Lands Day is the nation's largest, single-day volunteer event in which eight federal agencies as well as other groups partner together to maintain and protect the environment. Anyone wishing to volunteer on Saturday has a choice of working at five different...

U.S. OUTDOOR Act of 2014

Outdoor Industry Association Applauds Introduction of the U.S. OUTDOOR Act of 2014

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

The Outdoor Industry Association® (OIA) applauds the introduction of the U.S. OUTDOOR Act in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives Dave Reichert (R-WA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR); and in the U.S. Senate by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). Developed in close consultation with the outdoor industry, the U.S. textile industry, and congressional representatives, this...

Surviving the Winter Cold in the Smokies

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

The following is by a guest author: Although the winter weather in the Smokies may be tolerable on short walks and hikes, if you get lost or find yourself alone and in trouble in the region during the winter, you will need to know how to keep yourself alive and well whilst help is on its way. The average low winter temperature around the base of the Smokies tends to be around 28°F degrees (-2°C),...

Temporary Closure of Rich Mountain and Parson Branch Roads Scheduled

Friday, September 19, 2014

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials will temporarily close two gravel, one-way roads in Cades Cove for grading and hazardous tree removal work. Rich Mountain Road will be closed on September 22 and 23. Parson Branch Road will be closed on September 24 and 25. During the closures, the roads will be closed to all traffic including pedestrians. Both roads are regularly closed two to three...

Smokies Rangers Continue Fight Against Ginseng Poachers

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Last week's NPS Morning Report announced in two separate postings that rangers have nabbed several ginseng poachers within Great Smoky Mountains National Park in recent months. On August 6th, Rangers Wes Mullins and James Latendresse arrested Christopher Ian Jacobson, 31, of Cosby, Tennessee. Jacobson unsuccessfully attempted to flee from rangers upon being contacted, but was caught and placed into...

Smokies Extends Chimney Tops Trail Closures

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have extended the Chimney Tops Trail closure through December 11th to fully complete the 3-year trail rehabilitation. The trail will continue to be closed each Monday through Thursday as workers complete the full-scale rehabilitation. The trail is open Friday through Sunday each week offering hikers a unique opportunity to see improvements taking shape...

Smokies Cautions Visitors on How to Safely View Elk

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials remind park visitors to exercise caution as they view and photograph elk so that both the animals and themselves are protected. Elk are currently entering the fall breeding season, known as the rut. During this time period, from September 1 through October 31, fields in Cataloochee and Oconaluftee are closed to all use. Even if the elk are not present,...

Ansel Adams Wilderness · John Muir Trail · King's Canyon · Mount Whitney · Ryan Commons · Sequoia · Seven Days on the John Muir Trail · Sierra Mountains · Winter is Coming · Yosemite National Park

Winter is Coming: Seven Days on the John Muir Trail

Monday, September 15, 2014

"The mountains are calling and I must go" - John Muir Below is a video from Ryan Commons that documents his hike across the Sierra Mountains along the John Muir Trail. Ryan made the trip from the Mt. Whitney Portal to Happy Isles in Yosemite National Park - 222.4 miles - in just seven days! Along the way he climbed a total of 42,000 feet, or, put another way, almost 8 miles of climbing! Obviously...

blue ridge mountains

An Ode to the Blue Ridge Mountains

Friday, September 12, 2014

I think you'll like this one. The locations featured in this short film are all in Virginia, and include the Peaks of Otter, Mt Rogers, Grayson Highlands State Park, McAfee Knob, Shenandoah National Park, Poor Mountain, and Mill Mountain. Jeff Hiking in the Smok...

Lost Tales of the Great Smoky Mountains Pioneers - The Cataloochee Settlement

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Through rare historical and contemporary photographs, this short film depicts life in the Cataloochee settlement during the 1900's. Cataloochee was once the largest settlement in the Great Smoky Mountains. Extensive oral history accounts by Cataloochans describe early life in this pioneer settlement: Jeff Hiking in the Smok...

autumn · fall · Great Smoky Mountains National Park · hikes · hiking · Smokies · trails

The Best Fall Hikes in the Smokies

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Fall hiking season is rapidly approaching, and soon leaf peepers will be out in full force in the Great Smoky Mountains. The beauty of the Smokies is always spectacular, but never more so than during the autumn when the mountains are ablaze with the colors of fall. The timing of the fall color season depends upon many variables, making it virtually impossible to predict the exact date of "peak"...

Elkmont · history · video

Elkmont Then

Monday, September 1, 2014

I accidentally ran into this video a few days ago, which was put together by Mike Maples in early July. The video takes a look back in time at the Elkmont area during the logging and railroad days. There are a lot of great photos included here.... especially if you like train crashes! Jeff HikingintheSmokys....

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