Author Archives: admin

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra in Cades Cove

  Want to see what it was like on June 13, 2009, when 6,500 people came to Cades Cove to celebrate the park’s 75th Anniversary with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra? Click here or on the photo to view the video. Closed captioning is available for this video by clicking the caption button in the lower [...]

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
July Record Low Temperature on Le Conte

  Wednesday morning brought 33 degree temperatures to Mt. Le Conte–a record for July. Click here or on the photo to see some hikers who made it back down from a chilly night on Mt. Le Conte and some who were taking advantage of the excellent daytime weather. Closed captioning is available for this video [...]

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
What’s Blooming: Mid-July

  Think all the good flowers bloom in the spring? Wait till you see the color and beauty that arrives in the summer. Click here or on the photo to see what’s blooming. Closed captioning is available for this video by clicking the caption button in the lower right-hand corner of the video controls.

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
1940 Presidential Motorcade Reenacted

  In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was met with cheering crowds as he traveled through Gatlinburg on his way to officially dedicate the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Click here or on the photo to see how Gatlinburg brought this historic moment to life with the help of actor David Keith on July 4th. [...]

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Why did the Terrapene carolina cross the road?

Ann Froschauer spotted this adventurer on the road and immortalized him with her photography. He’s an Eastern box turtle — the state reptile of both Tennessee and North Carolina. Ann assures me this one is a male. I think she fell for his red eyes. I wish you could’ve seen the IMAX close-up of his [...]

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Hiking in the Clouds

Enjoy these great photos taken by Ann Froschauer during a hike to LeConte Lodge via Alum Cave Trail. I’m just saying … there’s a good reason they call it the “smokies.” This critter is a glassy grapeskin snail (Vitrinizontides latissimus), a snail whose shell is made of protein instead of the usual calcium (or so [...]

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
What’s Blooming: Rosebay Rhododendron

  One of the most common flowering shrubs in the park, the Rosebay Rhododendron can be found at elevations below 5,000 feet. Click here or on the photo to see a sampling of Rosebay blooms around the park. Closed captioning is available for this video by clicking the caption button in the lower right-hand corner [...]

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
What’s Blooming: Grassy Balds

  Late June and early July bring a spectrum of colors to high elevation grassy balds in the Great Smoky Mountains. Click here or on the photo to view the magnificent phenomenon that is azalea time. Closed captioning is available for this video by clicking the caption button in the lower right-hand corner of the [...]