The Wonderland Hotel

The Wonderland Hotel

Friday, March 20, 2020

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Below is a short video from the Dan Traveling Series showing possibly some of the last footage ever shot of the historic Wonderland Hotel. Located in the Elkmont community in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the hotel served as a retreat for members of the Wonderland Club for 80 years before the National Park Service forced its closure, and ultimately having it razed in 2005.

The hotel was built on land formerly owned by the Little River Railroad Company, and was located just north of Elkmont. As the area became "logged out", Little River Railroad Company President Colonel W.B. Townsend began to recognize the benefits of tourism to the area. To capitalize on this budding industry, Townsend sold a 50-acre tract of cut-over land to Charles B. Carter in 1911, with the stipulation that he had to build on the land within a year. Carter immediately formed the Wonderland Club Company, and on June 11, 1912 opened the doors to the Wonderland Hotel. The hotel would remain open to the public for seven years before closing it to club members and their guests only.

The Wonderland Hotel was constructed as a two-story wood frame structure with boards cut from local chestnut trees. It featured a wrap around porch, and contained 26 rooms, none of which were the same. The hotel became a hub of outdoor activities during the daytime, which included fishing, horseback riding, swimming and hiking, while bands from Knoxville entertained guests on weekend nights.

Due to the popularity of the hotel, the club decided to construct an annex in 1920 to provide their members with more privacy. This building contained another 24 guest rooms, a common area, and a screened porch.

In 1923 the Wonderland Club and the Appalachian Club combined to form the Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association. Led by Colonel David Chapman, this highly influential organization led the campaign for the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

On November 15, 1992 the Wonderland Hotel closed its doors for good. Three years later it was partially burned under suspicious circumstances. Some people suspect the fire was set by National Park Service employees as a means to remove the building. In 2005 the remnants of the hotel began to collapse, thus forcing the National Park Service to award a contract to begin the careful demolition of the standing portions of the building. Historically significant artifacts such as doors, windows and bathtubs were set aside for permanent preservation. In a somewhat ironic twist of fate, the annex hotel also burned down 11 years later.

Hikers can still see many of the vacation homes and cottages that remain and have been included as part of the preservation of the Elkmont historic district. Trails such as the Little River Trail and the Jakes Creek Trail feature several homes from this bygone era in the Smokies.

Here's the Dan Traveling video:



For more information on the efforts to preserve and restore the historic Elkmont community in the Great Smoky Mountains, please click here.








Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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The Routing of the Appalachian Trail through the Great Smoky Mountains

The Routing of the Appalachian Trail through the Great Smoky Mountains

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

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The following is an adaptation from my book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

On October 29, 1929, a day after losing almost 13% of its total market value, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged another 12%. That day, now infamously known as Black Tuesday, marked the beginning of the Great Depression. To help alleviate the suffering of millions of Americans, President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated several social welfare programs, including the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which would employ millions of young men to help provide their families with much needed cash. The program employed unmarried men between the ages of 18 and 25 (later expanded to 17-28). In addition to food, shelter and clothing, the corps enrollees were paid $30 per month, but were required to send $25 back to their families. Operating from 1933 to 1942, the CCC employed roughly 3 million young men nationwide. Their accomplishments during this time period were staggering. They planted roughly 3 billion trees, developed or improved 800 state parks, developed 52,000 acres of public campgrounds, constructed 125,000 miles of forest roads, erected 3470 fire towers, spent millions of man-days fighting wildfires, stocked lakes and streams with fish, helped with erosion control on 20 million acres, and constructed more than 28,000 miles of foot trails, the vast majority of which were constructed in national forests.

The CCC was also largely responsible for the construction of the Appalachian Trail through the Great Smoky Mountains. The footpath, which now runs for 2190 miles between Maine and Georgia, was originally conceived by Benton MacKaye, a Massachusetts regional planner and forester for the United States Forest Service. His idea for a continuous wilderness path was originally proposed in an October 1921 article in the Journal of the American Institute of Architects, entitled, "An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning." MacKaye saw the trail as not only a way of providing leisure, enjoyment and an opportunity to “study the dynamic forces of nature,” but also as way for modern urbanites “to catch a breath” and gain “relief from the various shackles of commercial civilization.”

Work began on the trail in 1923, with the greatest progress taking place in New England over the first several years. In 1929 the Appalachian Trail Conference (now the Appalachian Trail Conservancy) sent Roy Ozmer to scout a route through the southern states. His original plan called for the trail to enter the Smokies at Davenport Gap in the northeast corner of the park, and then traverse across the eastern highlands of the park. At Silers Bald his projected route turned south to descend along the Forney Creek drainage before exiting the park and entering the Nantahala Mountains. However, during the trip, Horace Kephart, an outdoor author and a strong advocate for a national park in the Smokies, convinced Ozmer to route the trail across the entire crest of the Great Smoky Mountains. As a result of Kephart‘s influence the original route of the Appalachian Trail traveled all the way across Gregory Bald to exit the park at Deals Gap. After Fontana Dam was constructed in the 1940s, however, the trail was rerouted to turn south at Doe Knob and cross over the new dam. Below is snippet of a park map from 1940 (click here for the full map) showing the original route:

Although hikers were already exploring the Great Smoky Mountain highlands as early as the early 1900s, it’s believed that the first continuous hike across the entire crest of the Smokies took place in August of 1932 when nine members of the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club set-off from Davenport Gap. Included among this group of explorers was Harvey Broome, president of the club and one of the co-founders of The Wilderness Society, as well as Carlos Campbell, an avid hiker, founding member of the hiking club, and secretary of the Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association. According to Campbell’s memoir, and a taped interview conducted in 1975, their 72-mile trek across the future park took nine days to complete, much of it across rugged terrain without the benefit of a trail. Along the way they ran out of food and water on several occasions, and had to rely on livestock herders for help. After completing their hike and reaching Deals Gap the hungry and scraggly-looking bunch hitched a ride back to Maryville. Upon arrival they made a beeline to a drugstore where each of them devoured a quart of ice cream. Obviously not much has changed over the years. It’s been a long tradition for thru-hikers to stop and consume a half gallon of ice cream at the Pine Grove Furnace General Store near the halfway point on the Appalachian Trail.

Members of both the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club and the Carolina Mountain Club were instrumental in making the Appalachian Trail through the Smokies a reality. Members of both clubs scouted and physically marked the route. George Masa, a distinguished photographer and member of the Carolina Mountain Club, took it upon himself to photograph and draw detailed maps of the terrain along the proposed route. Club members also rolled measuring wheels to calculate distances along the route, such as the one in the photo below:

Though the two hiking clubs were heavily involved with scouting and blazing the footpath, it was the responsibility of the federal government for its construction. Although national park crews built a few miles, the vast majority of the route through the Smokies was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, including the original trail shelters.

By 1936 the CCC had completed the trail through the park, and in August of the following year a CCC crew had connected a two-mile stretch along the ridge between Spaulding and Sugarloaf Mountains in Maine, thus completing the final link in the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. At that time the footpath extended for roughly 2025 miles, from Mount Oglethorpe in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. However, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy website notes that the route is constantly changing, and estimates that 99% of it has been rebuilt or relocated since its initial completion, including the reroute to its current southern terminus at Springer Mountain. The relocation work over the years has resulted in a trail that now tracks across lands that offer it much more protection, thus ensuring its long-term sustainability. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy notes that 99% of the trail now passes through publicly owned lands, including six national park units, eight national forests, and numerous state parks and forests.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Ramble On: A History of Hiking
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Celebrate the National Park Service Centennial with the “Smokies Centennial Challenge-Hike 100”

Celebrate the National Park Service Centennial with the “Smokies Centennial Challenge-Hike 100”

Thursday, January 14, 2016

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In celebration of the National Park Service Centennial, Superintendent Cassius Cash has committed to hike 100 miles in Great Smoky Mountains National Park during 2016 and is challenging the public to do the same. The 100-mile goal is part of the “Smokies Centennial Challenge-Hike 100” program. This program aims to inspire all potential hikers—young and old, new and skilled—to experience and gain a new appreciation and stewardship for their national park.

“I invite people of all ages and backgrounds, including millennials, to join me on this journey as we discover and explore the Smokies,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “The Hike 100 challenge allows me to have a personal role in ensuring that the next generation of park users, supporters, and advocates carries on the legacy of the National Park Service for the next 100 years. The lifeline of any legacy is to ensure that our voices are not only heard by the next generation, but also shared in a manner that inspires them to pick up the torch from the previous generation and carry it forward."

To complete the Hike 100 challenge, participants must hike any 100 miles of maintained trail within the park boundaries between January 1 and December 6, 2016. These miles can include everything from the front country nature trails to the extensive backcountry network of trails. Participants can choose to hike the same trail repeatedly or choose to hike many different trails to accumulate a total of 100 miles. Participants who reach the 100-mile goal will earn a commemorative “Smokies Centennial Challenge - Hike 100” pin and be invited to a park celebration hosted by Superintendent Cash.

As part of the Hike 100 program, the park is hosting hikes for several regional youth organizations throughout the year. These opportunities will provide a chance for groups, who otherwise face barriers to travel due lack of transportation or funding restraints, a chance to explore the Smokies. These groups will have the added benefit of hiking alongside Superintendent Cash, as well as experienced hikers from the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club and Carolina Mountain Club.

The Superintendent is also providing a unique opportunity for the general public to hike alongside him on his way to reaching the 100-mile goal through a series of four hikes open to the public. Two front country hikes in August and December will be completely open to the public, while two backcountry hikes in June and October will be limited to 20 people each. Information about the dates, trails, and how to sign up for one of these public hikes is provided on the park website on the Hike 100 page.

In addition to information about the public hikes, the Hike 100 page on the park website provides opportunities for the Superintendent and hikers to share their experiences and reflections about their journeys towards their 100 miles, and a hiking log that participants can use to track their miles. You can visit the park website for additional information.

For a comprehensive list of trails in the Great Smoky Mountains, please visit HikingintheSmokys.com. If you do plan to visit the Smokies this year, please note that our hiking website also offers a wide variety of accommodation listings to help with all your vacation planning.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Your Ultimate Guide to Horseback Riding in the Smoky Mountains

Your Ultimate Guide to Horseback Riding in the Smoky Mountains

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

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Below is a guest blog by Mountain Rentals of Gatlinburg:

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in the United States with over 9 million guests per year, and this year you should be one of them! With breathtaking views, fascinating wildlife, and a variety of activities to choose from, the park has something for everyone to enjoy. Horseback riding in the Smokys is an exciting way for guests to take in the incredible sights and is a beloved activity by locals and visitors alike.

Experience Horseback Riding in Gatlinburg Tennessee

During your stay at the many cozy and relaxing Gatlinburg cabins available, you can explore the beautiful scenery and learn about the history of the area, all while sitting atop a gentle and majestic creature. Whether you’re an experienced equestrian or have never even been in the saddle, this will be an experience in the mountains that you won’t soon forget. When you go horseback riding in Gatlinburg, be sure to check out some of our favorite trails.

Smoky Mountain Riding Stables

For a peaceful walking tour with stunning mountain scenery, try horseback riding with Smoky Mountain Riding Stables. Perfect for riders of all skill levels, their well-trained horses will lead you through trails inside the park where you’ll be surrounded by lush woods and flowing mountain streams. You might even come face-to-face with native wildlife including wild turkeys, deer, or black bear! You can also receive 45 minutes of free horseback riding with Smoky Mountain Riding Stables when you stay with Mountain Rentals of Gatlinburg for four days. It’s a great deal and a great way to experience the Smokys like never before.

Cades Cove Riding Stables

Experience over 6,000 acres of exceptional woodland when you take a horseback tour with Cades Cove Riding Stables. Located in the East Tennessee section of the Great Smoky Mountains, Cades Cove has rich natural and cultural history that will be explained by your knowledgeable guide. You’ll venture trails that transverse 5,500-foot mountain peaks, and will have plenty of chances for awesome photos. Plus, their horses have been handpicked for calm temperament, athletic ability, and willingness to please, so you’re guaranteed to have the best riding experience possible.

Smokemont Riding Stables

You and your family will love choosing from one of three amazing rides when you visit Smokemont Riding Stables. Travel through forests and across the Oconaluftee River during their hourly ride, or take their waterfall ride where you’ll climb a steep mountain trail for magnificent views of the scenery and a waterfall. On the four-hour ride, you and your horse will follow a wooded trail along the river and can stop to admire two cascading waterfalls. It’s the perfect way to spend the day exploring the natural beauty of Gatlinburg.

Start Your Smoky Mountain Adventure

Now that you know some of the best places to horseback ride in the Smoky Mountains, it’s time to start planning your trip! With over 550 miles of trails open to horses, riding through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the perfect way to spend the day in Gatlinburg.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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New Superintendent Named For Great Smoky Mountains National Park

New Superintendent Named For Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Thursday, December 4, 2014

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National Park Service Southeast Regional Director Stan Austin has named Cassius Cash, a native of Memphis, TN, as the new superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Cash, currently superintendent for Boston National Historical Park and Boston African American National Historic Site, will assume his new post in February.

"We are excited to have Cassius joining our Southeast Region leadership team," Austin said. "He has a great reputation as a leader and has proven his ability to effectively work with partners, stakeholders and local communities. We know that he will be an excellent steward of the Smokies, one of the crown jewels of the Southeast Region."

"Cash is an outstanding addition to the senior executive leadership at the National Park Service," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. "He brings a depth of land management experience with the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service, and his commitment to engaging local communities will support the great work that is happening at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park."

"I wholeheartedly look forward to rolling up my sleeves and working with and learning from a group of dedicated employees at the park who have the privilege of and responsibility for preserving and protecting some of the most precious natural and cultural resources in the country," Cash said. "I also look forward to working with local communities, friends groups, and tribal communities on how the National Park Service can build on innovative ideas to create the next generation of stewards and supporters for this park. The timing for this is excellent because the park service will enter its second century of service to the nation when it observes its Centennial in 2016."

Cash has served as superintendent at the Boston parks since 2010.While there, he worked with the City of Boston to open a new visitor center in historic Faneuil Hall. That facility now welcomes more than 5 million visitors a year. Cash also worked with several park partners to secure $4 million to reopen the African Meeting House, the oldest black church still in its original location in the country.

Cash began his federal career in 1991with the U.S. Forest Service as a wildlife biologist at the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington State. He went on to work with that agency for 18 years in various leadership positions.

He served as an administrative officer in Nebraska, district ranger in Georgia, and a civil rights officer in Mississippi. Cash was the deputy forest supervisor at the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest in southern Oregon before transferring to Boston. Earlier this year, Cash served as the deputy regional director and chief of staff in the Northeast Regional Office.

Cash holds a bachelor of science degree in biology from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and later attended Oregon State University to study wildlife management.

Cash, his wife, Vonda and their youngest daughter plan to reside in the Gatlinburg area. Their oldest daughter is attending school in Colorado.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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The Best Fall Hikes in the Smokies

The Best Fall Hikes in the Smokies

Thursday, September 4, 2014

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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" colors in advance.

One of the most important variables is elevation. At the higher elevations in the Smokies, fall color displays begin as early as mid-September when yellow birch, American beech, mountain maple, hobblebush, and pin cherry begin to show their autumn colors. If you’re looking for good fall foliage hikes during this time period, you’ll want to be at the highest elevations in the park; however, you’ll also want to avoid hiking in areas that are predominantly spruce-fir forests.

Suggested mid-late September hikes: Andrews Bald, Mt. LeConte, the Jump-off or Rocky Top.

From early to mid-October, during most years, fall colors begin to reach their peak above elevations of 4,500 feet. Trees such as the American beech and yellow birch begin to turn bright yellow, while mountain ash, pin cherry and mountain maple show-off brilliant shades of red.

In the lower elevations you may notice a few dogwoods and maples that are just beginning to turn. You may also see a few scattered sourwood and sumac turning to bright reds as well.

Suggested early-mid October hikes: You’ll still want to hike in the higher elevations. In addition to the suggestions above, check out Gregory Bald, Mt. Cammerer, Spence Field, Albright Grove or the Sugerland Mountain Trail starting from Clingmans Dome Road.

Autumn colors usually reach their peak at mid and lower elevations between mid-October and early November. This is usually the best time to be in the park as you'll see the spectacular displays of color from sugar maples, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red maple, and hickories. Your hiking choices will have greatly expanded during this time period as well. You can continue to hike at elevation to take in the fall colors from above, or you can walk among the autumn colored trees.

Suggested mid-late October hikes: If you wish to hike at elevation for spectacular fall views try exploring the Rich Mountain Loop, Alum Cave, Hemphill Bald, Shuckstack, Bullhead, Charlies Bunion or Mt. Sterling trails. If you wish to hike among the trees, check out Baskins Creek Falls, Little River, Old Settlers or the Porters Creek Trail.

As the fall color season begins to wind down in early November, you’ll want to hike at the lowest elevations in the park. Check out the Meigs Mountain Trail, Schoolhouse Gap, Abrams Falls, Oconaluftee River Trail, Indian Falls, or the Deep Creek Loop.


Monitoring Fall Color Progress:

* To get a general idea of when leaves are approaching peak colors you can follow the fall foliage map on the Weather Channel site.

* To get a birds-eye view on changes in fall colors, you can periodically check out the four Smoky Mountain web cams.

* To get periodic on-the-ground reports, visit the Fall Leaf Color page on the GSMA website.





Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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Department of Interior Awards Smokies Ranger and Volunteer with Valor Awards

Department of Interior Awards Smokies Ranger and Volunteer with Valor Awards

Saturday, May 10, 2014

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The National Park Service announced yesterday that Valor Awards were given to 17 employees who have demonstrated unusual courage in the face of danger. In a ceremony on Thursday, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell presented the Valor Awards to the employees, as well as the Citizen’s Award for Bravery to three private citizens who risked their lives to save others while on Department of the Interior lands. This included two men associated with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Bradley Griest, a park ranger at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Christopher Scarbrough, a volunteer with the Town of Townsend Fire Department, rescued a barely conscious motorist trapped in a partially submerged vehicle in the Little River. They winched open the door against the strong current, freed the driver, secured him to a litter, and lifted him up a steep embankment to an ambulance.

“These heroes rappelled from helicopters, scaled cliffs, swam through rapids, and protected park visitors from hazards,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “They put their own lives in peril to help others. Yet, each one of them would humbly say they were simply doing their jobs. Their passion to serve others is inspiring.”

You can read the full list of all recipients by clicking here.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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The Allure of Mt. Le Conte: A “Past and Present” Perspective

The Allure of Mt. Le Conte: A “Past and Present” Perspective

Friday, April 4, 2014

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The following is a guest blog by Andy Drinnon from Twisted Ridge Photography. This is the last part of a three-part series. You can read part one here, part two here, as well as an introduction on the series by clicking here.

Part Three – Following Traditions

Often recognized as the “grandstand of the Smokies,” Mt. Le Conte commands a central position within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The primary vantage points atop the iconic peak are Cliff Top and Myrtle Point. During the early-1920s, the majestic views provided by these locations inspired a generation of outdoor enthusiasts who helped popularize hiking throughout Southern Appalachia. As the number of men and women who reached the summit of Mt. Le Conte steadily increased, various traditions were established on the mountain. The final post of this series discusses the origins of several of these traditions and explains how they have survived the test of time.

Pioneering Smokies hiker, Herbert M. Webster, took this photo titled, “Old Indian Head at Cliff Top,” on January 12, 1936. Can you spot the outline of a head among the rocks? ©The Herbert M. Webster Photograph Collection, University of Tennessee Library Digital Collections

This present view from Cliff Top shows the rocks that form the “old Indian head” photographed by Webster seventy-eight years ago. ©Twisted Ridge Photography

Built near the site of the hiker’s camp established by Paul Adams in 1925, LeConte Lodge is the highest “resort” in the eastern United States. Each year, during the first days of spring, guests begin arriving at the lodge where they spend the night atop Mt. Le Conte in rustic cabins lit by kerosene lanterns. As spring turns to summer, more and more day hikers join guests as they stream up one of the five trails leading to the summit. On warmer days, tired hikers can find refreshment from cups of fresh squeezed lemonade in the dining hall for a small fee. Yet many visitors may not know that lemonade has been served on the mountain for almost a century. This tradition was started by Paul Adams who prepared the drink for hikers who arrived at his camp.

In July 1925, Adams and three local boys began the work of constructing the camp near the summit of Mt. Le Conte. During their first few weeks atop the mountain, the cost of bringing supplies up from Gatlinburg grew to 4 cents a pound. To save money, Adams trained his loyal German Shepherd, Cumberland Jack, to make solo trips from the camp to Charlie Ogle’s store (once located near the present site of traffic light #6 along the Gatlinburg strip). Adams had a leather cavalry officer’s briefcase – designed for use on horseback – custom fitted with a bellyband for Cumberland Jack to wear. Remarkably, at the command of “go to the store,” the obedient canine learned to descend the mountain and follow a shortcut leading from Cherokee Orchard to Ogle’s.

After the dog arrived at the store, Charlie Ogle would place supplies into the pack strapped around Jack’s waist. Then Ogle would give the command “go to Paul,” and Cumberland Jack would return to the summit via the same route. Jack routinely carried 25 pounds of goods back to the camp over an average time of four and a half hours. Along with nails and other small necessities required to build the camp, Jack often returned to his owner with coffee, snacks, and lemons. Adams used the lemons to make fresh squeezed lemonade which he sold to hikers. Basic supplies like Cumberland Jack once toted are now carried to LeConte Lodge three times a week by llamas who are guided up Trillium Gap Trail.

A train of llamas bring supplies up Trillium Gap Trail to LeConte Lodge. ©Twisted Ridge Photography

Hikers who head up to Mt. Le Conte around the last week of March might hear the distinct sound of a helicopter flying overhead as they reach the summit. At the start of each new season, LeConte Lodge is resupplied via airlift with goods such as propane tanks, canned foods, and merchandise. Typically, a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter designed to lift 7000lbs will fly to a staging area at the Luftee Overlook parking area along Newfound Gap Road where it will begin hauling several loads of supplies to the lodge. While airlifts of this nature have been used to resupply the lodge for several decades, the earliest recorded airborne supply drop on the mountain occurred while Paul Adams was serving as caretaker of the Mt. Le Conte summit camp.

LeConte Lodge on a beautiful winter’s day. ©Twisted Ridge Photography

As discussed in part two of this series, Adams spent the winter of 1925-26 alone atop the mountain. Conditions were particularly harsh that season, and in his memoirs he noted the difficulties he experienced due to the accumulation of snow. Yet, on a cold day in March 1926, Adams received a blessing from the sky. That day, as Adams recalled, Lt. Bill Williams of the U.S. Army’s Air Division was flying survey trips over the Smokies. As his small plane passed over Adams’ camp, Williams dropped packages containing a week’s supply of Knoxville newspapers, a 10lb bag of flour, 5 lbs of sliced bacon, a side of sow belly, a dozen t-bone steaks, some round steak, two heads of lettuce, a head of cabbage, fresh fruit, and two pounds of pipe tobacco. Adams confessed that he prepared a fine meal for himself later that evening!

Dusk settles over the Great Smoky Mountains. Image captured from Cliff Top, November 2013. ©Twisted Ridge Photography

Perhaps the most time-honored tradition that has added greatly to the magnetism surrounding Mt. Le Conte is that of watching sunsets from Cliff Top and sunrises from Myrtle Point. Within the pages of her classic work, The Great Smoky Mountains, published in 1937, Knoxville native and author, Laura Thornborough, recalled her first hike to Mt. Le Conte. After ascending the mountain via the old Rainbow Falls Trail, Thornborough joined other hikers assembled at Cliff Top. There, a silence came over her as she watched the sun drop below the horizon:

The petty annoyances of life seemed far away, as I gazed at the nearby peaks, which the setting sun was changing from green to blue, from blue to purple. I sat awed, spellbound, lost in the beauty unfolded before me, absorbed in the thoughts the scene inspired, enthralled by the spell of the Great Smokies.

For nearly a hundred years, countless hikers have been held captive by the same spectacle of light and spellbinding beauty Thornborough witnessed during her first visit to Mt. Le Conte. As early as 1924, Le Conte enthusiasts began gathering at Cliff Top in the late-afternoon to await the sunset. After spending the night on the summit, they would rise early and hike to Myrtle Point, the sunrise peak on Le Conte. Before dawn on the morning of August 7, 1924, Paul Adams led a large group of hikers that included two National Park Commission members out to Myrtle Point. Years later, he recalled the memorable sight witnessed by the group at daybreak: “We were small spectators, awe-struck by the vast, primitive beauty of an extra-special Myrtle Point sunrise.”

A dramatic sunrise begins on a moody late-spring morning. Viewed from Myrtle Point, May 2013. ©Twisted Ridge Photography

Today, many individuals who spend a night at LeConte Lodge, or in the nearby backcountry shelter, follow the same rewarding ritual begun by pioneering hikers like Thornborough and Adams*. Dramatic sunsets and sunrises viewed from Mt. Le Conte leave a lasting impression on those who are fortunate enough to observe them. For this reason, many hikers seek to repeat the experience by returning frequently to the mountain. For example, beginning at the age of 48, Margaret Stevenson (1912-2006) climbed to Le Conte 718 times. In her hiking journal, Stevenson documented multiple overnight trips during which she had watched the sun drop below the horizon from Cliff Top and rise again the next morning from Myrtle Point.

Dating back to the early-twentieth century, several generations of hikers have ascended the slopes of Mt. Le Conte. Since that period, clothing and outdoor gear worn by hikers, along with the trails used to access the summit, have changed significantly. Likewise, the rough tent camp created by Paul Adams in 1925 is now a charming mountaintop retreat that accommodates sixty guests per night. But, despite changes brought about by the slow march of time, a number of traditions established on the mountain continue to link the past with the present. These historical connections have endured thanks largely to the perpetual allure of the magnificent peak.


* Laura Thornborough and Paul Adams made several treks to Mt. Le Conte with members of the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club which will celebrate its ninetieth anniversary this year. Mt. Le Conte was the destination for the club’s first official hike which took place in early-December 1924.

Readers interested in the early days of hiking in the Smokies may find the following secondary sources useful:

Paul Adams, Mt. LeConte, Holston Printing Co. (1966).

Carlos C. Campbell, Birth of a National Park in the Great Smoky Mountains, University of Tennessee Press, 2nd ed (1969).

Carlos C. Campbell, Memories of Old Smoky: Early Experiences in the Great Smoky Mountains, edited by Rebecca Campbell Arrants, University of Tennessee Press (2005).

Laura Thornborough, The Great Smoky Mountains, University of Tennessee Press, 1937.


Andy Drinnon is an avid hiker, a historian, and a photographer. You can visit his blog at twistedridgephotography.com, or check out the latest on his photography project titled, Scenes from the Smokies: “Past and Present”.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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Man indicted on attempted murder, sexual assualt charges in Smokies incident

Man indicted on attempted murder, sexual assualt charges in Smokies incident

Friday, February 28, 2014

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U.S. Attorney William C. Killian announced yesterday that a federal grand jury in Knoxville returned a three count indictment on December 3, 2013, against William E. Seevers, 48, for one count of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse by force. Seevers appeared in court on February 27, 2014, before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Bruce Guyton and pleaded not guilty to the charges in the indictment. He is being held pending trial, which has been set for April 29, 2014, in U.S. District Court, Knoxville.

The indictment alleges that in June 2012, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Seevers attempted to kill a woman by stabbing her in the neck with a knife. Additionally, Seevers engaged in sexual activity with the individual by use of force and placing her in fear of death by holding her at knife point and stabbing and punching her when she attempted to flee from him.

The victim was walking along the Gatlinburg Trail, which connects the Sugarlands Visitors Center with the city of Gatlinburg, when she was attacked at around 2:45 p.m. on the afternoon of June 8, 2012. The victim suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck, shoulder and hand. The then-44-year-old woman made her way to Gatlinburg Bypass where she flagged down a passing motorist for assistance.

If convicted, Seevers faces two terms of life in prison followed by an additional 20 years.

This indictment is the result of an investigation by the National Park Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kolman will represent the United States.

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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GSMA Announces Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage Dates

GSMA Announces Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage Dates

Monday, February 24, 2014

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Registration is now open for the 64th Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, which will be held April 15th thru the 19th. This year's five-day event will offer 146 professionally guided walks and indoor presentations which will explore the region’s rich wildflowers, fauna, ecology, cultural and natural history. There will be a variety of wildflower, fauna and natural history walks, motorcades, photographic tours, art classes, and indoor seminars.

Most programs are conducted on the trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, while indoor offerings will be held in the Mills Conference Center or the Arrowmont School of Arts and Craft in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. All programs will be held rain or shine.

The event website and brochure provide descriptions of all pilgrimage programs which are listed by date and time. Each description includes starting points, walking distances, hiking difficulties, and registration limits. Popular programs are repeated at different times and days and are referenced under “similar programs.” There’s also an alphabetical index of all program topics and destinations on page 21 of the brochure. Programs meeting at trailheads or other sites in the park require participants to arrange their own transportation. Vans will be provided where trailhead parking is limited. Participants are strongly encouraged to use the free van service.

On-site registration will begin Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at 5:00 PM in the Mills Conference Center in Gatlinburg.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Smokies Invites Public Comment on Proposed Construction of Smokemont Riding Stables Facilities

Smokies Invites Public Comment on Proposed Construction of Smokemont Riding Stables Facilities

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate alternatives for the construction of new concession facilities at Smokemont Riding Stables approximately six miles north of Cherokee, NC. The public is invited to comment on the topics analyzed in the EA as part of the planning process.

The National Park Service proposes to construct a barn with 35-36 stalls, hayshed, manure storage shed, horse wash rack, office, covered tie stalls with 26-36 stalls, employee break area, horse loading platform, firewood shed, water well, and fencing with gates. The proposed project will replace existing concession facilities, some of which were constructed in the early 1960s including the main barn. The proposed facilities will be constructed by the National Park Service using a portion of franchise fees paid by concessioners that is available for these needed improvements.

The proposed facilities will be constructed on lands occupied by the existing facilities along with an adjacent area formerly used as a wastewater treatment plant and recreational vehicle dump station. The EA will evaluate the potential impacts of these actions as they relate to such topics as water resources, vegetation, soils, wildlife, floodplains, archaeological and historic resources, visitor use and experience, aesthetic resources, and threatened and endangered species or species of concern.

The EA has been posted and is available for public review on the NPS Planning website by clicking on the “Smokemont Riding Stables EA” link. The public can provide comments directly on the project site by clicking on "Comment on document" from the menu on the left. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY March 14, 2014. Written comments may be received later if postmarked byMarch 14, 2014. Please address written comments to:

Superintendent/Compliance
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
107 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738

Comments may also be submitted on the NPS Planning website as described above.

The EA and public involvement requirements are being performed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EA will be on public review for 30 days. For more information, please contact the Public Affairs Office at 865-436-1207.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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Are Backpackers Boycotting the Smokies?

Are Backpackers Boycotting the Smokies?

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

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Are backpackers boycotting the Smokies? Based on the number of backcountry overnight stays for 2013, I think you can say something definitely is going on.

Two weeks ago I reported that visitation in Great Smoky Mountains National Park was down 6.7% in 2013. Earlier this week, one of the commentors on that posting asked about backcountry overnight stays in light of the new backcountry fees that were implemented back in February. If not familiar with this decision, suffice it to say that it's been an extremely controversial topic within the backpacking community since the fees were first proposed back in 2011.

In light of this controversy, I thought Tom's question was a valid one. Essentially: have the fees had an impact on backcountry overnight stays in the Smokies? It appears the answer to that question is yes. In 2013 there were only 62,863 backcountry overnight stays - a whopping 25.4% decline from the prior year. When compared to 2011, those same numbers are down 30.5%!

However, as with all statistics, you need to take into account a few caveats:

* The park was shutdown for 2 weeks during October due to the Federal Government shutdown. No doubt this impacted the numbers. For the sake of argument, since overall park visitation was down 6.7% in 2013, I think we can safely assume that backcountry overnight stays were also down by 6.7% - mainly due to the government shutdown. Roughly speaking, that would've added about 5012 additional backcountry nights, meaning, if there wasn't a government shutdown, total backcountry overnight stays would've been around 67,875 (I used the average for the 2000-2010 time frame as my baseline).

* There was a sharp increase in backcountry overnight stays in 2011 and 2012 when compared to the prior decade. Was this in response to the proposed fees? In other words, were backpackers getting out into the park while it was still free? I think it's very possible that some of that may have been going on.

Taking those two caveats into account, it's still obvious that backcountry overnight stays were negatively impacted in 2013. If we look at the trends (below) for the years prior to 2011, the average number of backcountry overnight stays was roughly 74,800. If we adjust the 2013 figures for the government shutdown, and use the 67,875 number instead, you could argue that backcountry overnight stays were off about 9.3% when compared to the long term trend. Moreover, that number is still the lowest figure over the last 13 years. It will be quite interesting to see what happens over the course of 2014.

Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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United States Mint to Launch Great Smoky Mountains National Park Quarter

United States Mint to Launch Great Smoky Mountains National Park Quarter

Saturday, January 18, 2014

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The United States Mint will join National Park Service officials and hundreds of local area school-aged children on January 29, 2014, to launch the new quarter honoring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. The ceremony will take place at the Mills Auditorium in the Gatlinburg Convention Center. Following the ceremony, the public can exchange their currency for $10 rolls of new Great Smoky Mountains National Park quarters.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park quarter is the 21st coin of the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program, a 12-year initiative to honor 56 national parks and other national sites. Each year, the public will see five new national sites depicted on the reverse (tails side) of the America the Beautiful Quarters. The United States Mint is issuing these quarters in the order in which the honored site was first established as a national site.

The newest quarter depicts a historic log cabin found within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It features a segment of the lush green forest and a hawk circling above. Inscriptions are GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS, TENNESSEE, 2014 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

The event will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014, at 10 a.m.

Location:
Mills Auditorium- Gatlinburg Convention Center
234 Historic Nature Trail
Gatlinburg, TN 37738


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Three Hikers Rescued in Great Smoky Mountains

Three Hikers Rescued in Great Smoky Mountains

Thursday, January 9, 2014

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Although this story was widely covered in the local press, the following account from the NPS Morning Report provides several more details on the incident in which three hikers had to be rescued after suffering from various stages of hypothermia, while attempting to hike the Appalachian Trail in the Smokies:

On the evening of January 2nd, park dispatch began receiving reports of a three person hiking party in distress somewhere along the Appalachian Trail. The cell phone signal indicated that the group was between Mollies Shelter and Fontana Lake, approximately five to six miles from the nearest trailhead.

At the time, the park was experiencing heavy snowfall and single digit temperatures associated with a large storm affecting much of the East Coast.

Cell phone contact was established with the three men from South Carolina, who ranged in age from 21 to 32 years old. The three men indicated that they were ill prepared for the weather conditions, that they had no shelter, and that they were cold, wet, suffering from hypothermia and unable to move. Through a series of broken phone calls, they stated that one member of the group was shivering and had gone to sleep and could not be awakened and they were burning their clothes in an attempt to provide warmth.

Rangers Brad Griest, Kent Looney, and ranger/medic Phil Basak hiked throughout the night to locate the group. During the hike, the rangers experienced wind chill temperatures between -10 and -15 degrees. Due to the high winds and blowing snow, it was difficult at times for the rangers to locate the trail.

Early the following morning, rangers found the three men, all of them suffering from various stages of hypothermia and possible frostbite. While the rangers provided medical aid and attempted to re-warm them, a Blackhawk helicopter from the North Carolina National Guard with hoisting capabilities responded.

By early afternoon, all three men had been safely hoisted aboard and flown to Mission (Memorial) Hospital in Ashville, North Carolina, for treatment. The rangers hiked back out with assistance from a second rescue team utilizing UTVs on portions of the trail.

The three hikers had planned to hike across the Appalachian Trail on a ten-day backpacking trip. Intending to stay in shelters, they didn't bring a tent. They also didn’t bring proper clothing that was warm enough for the extreme cold temperatures they would encounter.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park - 2013 Year in Review

Great Smoky Mountains National Park - 2013 Year in Review

Saturday, December 28, 2013

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Below is another excellent video from the Great Smoky Mountains Association. This video provides a quick overview of some of the major events that happened in the park this past year. In many respects, 2013 was a chaotic year for the Smokies. The park experienced a record amount of rain in January which caused a portion of Newfound Gap Road to slide off the mountain, an EF1 tornado in June, a much cooler than average summer, and a Government Shutdown in October:





Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Pedro Ramos Selected as Acting Superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Pedro Ramos Selected as Acting Superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Thursday, December 12, 2013

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The National Park Service Southeast Region in Atlanta has announced that Pedro Ramos has been selected as the acting superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park for 90 days, effective January 12, 2014. Ramos has been the superintendent at Big Cypress National Preserve since 2009. In September, the current superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Dale Ditmanson, announced his plans to retire on January 3, 2014, after 36 years with the National Park Service (NPS). Ditmanson has served as superintendent there since May 2004.

“We are very pleased that Pedro has agreed to step in as the acting superintendent at the Smokies,” said Stan Austin, Regional Director for the Southeast Region. “He has great experience as a superintendent and is very knowledgeable in protecting resources and taking care of visitors. We know he will do a superb job as we conduct a search for a permanent superintendent.”

Ramos said, "I am excited about this opportunity to serve in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited National Park in the country. I look forward to working with the park’s employees, volunteers and partners to continue serving the public.”

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ramos attended the University of Massachusetts in Amherst where he graduated with a bachelor of science in 1990. He began his Federal career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farmers Home Administration, in Vermont. In 2001 Ramos transferred to the National Park Service as Administrative Officer at Big Cypress National Preserve. In 2005 he was named Deputy Superintendent there and devoted much of his time to establishing strong community relations with the many partners in South Florida. His career has also included acting superintendent assignments at Jimmy Carter and Andersonville National Historic Sites in Georgia, and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico.



Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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New Collection at WCU to Focus on Great Smoky Mountains National Park history

New Collection at WCU to Focus on Great Smoky Mountains National Park history

Friday, December 6, 2013

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Earlier this fall Western Carolina University announced that it's Hunter Library will be producing a new digital collection of 2,000 items focused on the history of Great Smoky Mountains National Park -  with support from a $93,000 grant from the North Carolina State Library.

This digital collection and interpretive website will include documents and photographs that relate to the initial idea and construction of a national park in the eastern United States, said Anna Fariello, associate professor of digital initiatives with Hunter Library. The materials will focus on a group of North Carolinians who promoted the idea of a park as early as 1899, the efforts of private individuals such as Horace Kephart, whose papers contain many never-before-seen materials that promote a park, and people involved in federal programs, such as the Civilian Conservation Corps, who actually built the park.

Highlights will include journals Horace Kephart assembled in preparation for his book, “Camping and Woodcraft,” images of the park’s construction and photographs of life in the Civilian Conservation Corps, and Appalachian National Park Association records.

Grant funding will support staff of the library’s digital production team and will enable the purchase of a new scanner that has the capacity to digitize items up to 2 feet by 3 feet and items currently too fragile to scan.

Fariello applied for the grant for the project after learning that a comprehensive history of the park had not been published online and that the park had historical items that are not exhibited.

“The park certainly has an amazing and well-cared-for archive, but it’s locked away,” said Fariello. “We will be digitally preserving and increasing access to material that is important, not only to the development of the park, but also to the region.”

Fariello said the library collaborated with the park on a recent digitization project, “Picturing Appalachia” and gained a better understanding of the park and its history.

For more information, please visit the Hunter Library website.






Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Smokies Urges Visitors to View Wildlife Safely

Smokies Urges Visitors to View Wildlife Safely

Monday, November 18, 2013

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials remind park visitors to exercise caution as they view and photograph wildlife to best protect both the animals and themselves. Park Rangers have recently received numerous reports of increased interactions between visitors and wildlife such as bears, white-tailed deer, and elk.

No doubt, this reminder comes on the heels of the video below, and the subsequent euthanization of this young elk:



Park Rangers encourage visitors to use binoculars, spotting scopes, or cameras with telephoto lenses to best enjoy wildlife. Feeding, touching, disturbing, and willfully approaching wildlife within 50 yards (150 feet), or any distance that disturbs or displaces wildlife, are illegal in the park. If approached by wildlife, visitors should slowly back away to put distance between the animal and themselves creating space for the animal to pass. Often animals simply need adequate space to cross a trail, road, or public area as they travel through the park in search of forage and cover.

“Wild animals typically avoid visitor interaction unless they become food conditioned,” said Park Wildlife Biologist Bill Stiver. “If an animal starts approaching and threatening human safety, we have several proactive steps we take to effectively manage the situation that bests protects the animal and the public. However, if the negative behavior escalates, our options in dealing with the animal quickly become limited.”

Biologists recently removed the antlers of a large bull elk that routinely spends time in high use, public areas in fields adjacent to the Oconluftee Visitor Center, Mountain Farm Museum, and the Oconaluftee River Trail. Dominant bull elk typically defend their territory during the fall breeding season, known as the rut, by charging and sparring with competitors. Unfortunately, this 800-pound elk charged several visitors posing significant to public safety. Now that the rut is essentially over, the elk’s aggressive behavior should lessen and by removing the elk’s antlers which are annually shed, biologists further reduced the risk for harm to visitors.

Park officials have taken numerous steps over the past several years to prevent nuisance wildlife behavior by improving the design of bear-proof garbage cans and sanitation schedules, and promoting public awareness in our visitor centers and through our website and social media. The Park also created several volunteer programs including the Elk Bugle Corp and Oconaluftee Field Rovers, who provide on-site, timely information to park visitors so they may safely view wildlife. As a result of these efforts, wildlife biologists have relocated far fewer bears than in the 1980s and managed fewer nuisance animals.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Caught on Film: Young Bull Elk Spars with a Photographer in Cataloochee

Caught on Film: Young Bull Elk Spars with a Photographer in Cataloochee

Thursday, November 14, 2013

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A couple days ago some photos of a young bull elk sparring with a photographer in Cataloochee began making the rounds on the internet. Turns out this unbelievable event was also caught on film:



It's pretty amazing how calm and cool the photographer appears to be. It's even more amazing that he wasn't hurt!

In an email exchange, the videographer asked the photographer what was going through his head. This was his response:

"My first thoughts were "wow, he's getting pretty damn close here." But I've been up close before without incident. I hoped being still and passive would see him pass on. When he lowered his antlers to me, I wanted to keep my vitals protected and my head down. I felt that standing up would provoke him more and leave me more vulnerable to goring. I think that while protecting myself with my head down, having my head down was a signal that I was rutting with him. I was concerned at first, but when he started rearing back and lunging at me later on, I got scared and pissed off. That's when I wagged my finger at him to cut that shit out. I was relieved to see the Ranger coming."

So the question that comes to mind: Why didn't anyone intervene? If you were there, would you've intervened to prevent this photographer from possibly becoming hurt?  


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park loses 257,534 visitors / $23M in first 10 days of shutdown

Great Smoky Mountains National Park loses 257,534 visitors / $23M in first 10 days of shutdown

Thursday, October 10, 2013

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As the 10th day of the government shutdown begins this morning, more than seven million Americans have been kept out of national parks and $750 million in visitor spending has already been lost, with huge repercussions for the economies of gateway communities and entire states that depend on national park tourism, according to a report published by the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees (CNPSR).

CNPSR-gathered figures show that the shutdown is resulting in:

• 715,000 visitors lost daily (based on October 2012 national park attendance numbers).

• $76 million in lost visitor spending per day.

• $450,000 in lost revenue each day that would go directly to the National Park Service ($300,000 in entrance fees and $150,000 in other in-park expenditures, such as campground fees, boat rentals, etc.)

CNPSR Chair Maureen Finnerty, former superintendent of Everglades and Olympic National Parks, said: "These figures are mind boggling and they only begin to capture the full economic shock of locking up the crown jewels of America – our national parks. Towns, cities, and even whole states that depend on park tourism are feeling an increasingly strong pinch. And if Congress continues to hold our national parks hostage, these communities will soon be reeling from what is in many cases the main driver of their economies." The following is CNPSR-gathered data for the lost visitors, visitor spending, and jobs at risk for 12 leading national parks across the U.S.:

• Acadia National Park (Maine) – 68,493 lost visitors in first 10 days, $5,263,013 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 3331 total jobs at stake, including 3147 local/non-NPS jobs.

• Badlands National Park (South Dakota) – 26,767 lost visitors in first 10 days, $656,986 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 475 total jobs at stake, including 375 local/non-NPS jobs.

 • Boston National Historic Park (Massachusetts) – 54,794 lost visitors in first 10 days, $2,032,876 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 1019 total jobs at stake, including 904 non-NPS jobs.

 • Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio) – 68,219 lost visitors in first 10 days, $1,545,205 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 819 total jobs at stake, including 599 local/non-NPS jobs.

 • Everglades National Park (Florida) – 25,083 lost visitors in first 10 days, $3,857,534 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 2364 total jobs at stake, including 1951 local/non-NPS jobs.

• Gettysburg National Military Park (Pennsylvania) – 27,397 lost visitors in first 10 days, $1,796,712 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 1141 total jobs at stake, including 1051 local/non-NPS jobs.

• Glacier National Park (Montana) – 60,273 lost visitors in first 10 days, $3,076,712 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 1994 total jobs at stake, including 1632 local/non-NPS jobs.

• Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona) – 120,000 lost visitors in first 10 days, $11,750,684 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 6825 total jobs at stake, including 6167 local/non-NPS jobs.

 • Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina and Tennessee) – 257,534 lost visitors in first 10 days, $23,123,287 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 11,766 total jobs at stake, including 11,367 local/non-NPS jobs.

 • Olympic National Park (Washington) – 77,808 lost visitors in first 10 days, $2,912,328 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 1673 total jobs at stake, including 1395 local/non-NPS jobs.

 • Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado) – 80,821 lost visitors in first 10 days, $4,821,917 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 3033 total jobs at stake, including 2641 local/non-NPS jobs.

• Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho) – 98,630 lost visitors in first 10 days, $9,452,054 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 5572 total jobs at stake, including 4481 local/non-NPS jobs.

• Yosemite National Park (California) – 106,849 lost visitors in first 10 days, $10,021,917 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 5607 total jobs at stake, including 4602 local/non-NPS jobs.

 • Zion National Park (Utah) – 72,876 lost visitors in first 10 days, $3,495,890 lost visitor dollars in first 10 days, and 2401 total jobs at stake, including 2136 local/non-NPS jobs.

Visitation, economic impacts, and job numbers for the 12 parks are drawn from Headwaters Economics, "Land and Communities, National Parks Service Units, Economic Impacts of Visitation and Expenditures". Topline numbers for NPS daily visitation provided by Coalition of National Park Service Retirees using National Park Service data.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

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