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Camera in the Park: Summer Flowers in Cades Cove
By Nye Simmons
Photography is quite simple, and yet at times it can seem hopelessly complex. Some people go to university to study photography and get advanced degrees, but others manage to do it without any special training at all.
Not a photographer, you say? Chances are you already have a camera app on your phone that has amazing
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Safe Passage facilitator Jeff Hunter named Wildlife Conservationist of the Year
Work hard; play harder. This catchy philosophy of work-life balance can be aptly ascribed to Jeffrey Hunter of Burnsville, an avid long-distance hiker and fan of the Grateful Dead who was recently named Wildlife Conservationist of the Year in the North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s Governor’s Conservation Awards.
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Trailside Talk: Alum Cave Trail—Heart of the Smokies
On any given day, and particularly on weekends, the trailhead parking area for Alum Cave Trail is among the most crowded in the Smokies.
Cars spill out of the parking area and line up on the sides of US 441, the main road bisecting the park from north to south. It seems that some people like the trail so much that they are willing to walk
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‘Sepia Tones’ Welcomes Guest Dom Flemons, American Songster
In the latest episode of the award-winning podcast miniseries Sepia Tones: Exploring Black Appalachian Music, released on Friday, July 29, hosts Dr. William Turner and Dr. Ted Olson are joined by lauded musician Dom Flemons for a compelling conversation on the many Appalachian influences and inspirations that have come to shape his music.
When
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Remote cabin memorializes important Southern artist
Pam Yarnell, an avid hiker and a member of Great Smoky Mountains Association, sent me an email in February of this year asking for my help. She wanted to make sure others were able to learn about a significant artist who had a special connection to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
“A few years ago, a handful of us were hiking in the
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Wildflowers 101: Woodland Pinkroot and Mountain Camelia
Please remember that picking plants is prohibited in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Additionally, even some plants with traditional folk uses can have toxic properties if improperly prepared or used.
Story and images by Tom Harrington
In this edition of Wildflowers 101, let’s look at two beautiful wildflowers that are not
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Summer Hiking Tips: Part Two
Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers hundreds of miles of backcountry trails perfect for summer walks in the woods. This is the second in a two-part series on ways to stay safe while hiking these paths during the summertime. There are common scenarios hikers might face during the summer months: storms, ticks, and heat, to name a few. Read more... -
Lessons in Misreading a Smokies Map
Story and photo by Hunter Upchurch
In my history classes, I try to teach my students that, as much as maps can reveal about a place, they can also obscure other important information. For example, a political map of Europe just prior to World War I can help us understand the rivalries between the German and Russian empires, whose borders at
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Of Big Views and Big Bears
Story and photos by Sue Wasserman
I’m a sucker for ‘big’ views. So when Steve Kemp, GSMA’s former creative services director and the namesake for my writing residency, suggested a hike to Andrews Bald, I was psyched—especially because it was yet another trail that would be new to me.
Hoping to avoid the mid-June
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Trailside Talk: Great Bear Jams I Have Known
No one who visits the Smokies, particularly during the summer, should be surprised to encounter that long-time park phenomenon known as the bear jam.
Someone spots a black bear along a park road. Brakes bring the car to a screeching halt. Sometimes the bear spotter pulls to the side of the road (if possible). Sometimes the driver will simply
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