Great Smoky Mountains National Park Audio, Essay, and Photography Blog

Smoky Mountain Old-Time Music

August 9, 2011 – 2:26 pm

Old-Time Music

Old-time mountain music is an important part of the rich cultural history of the Great Smoky Mountains. Come listen to some of this historic music at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in this new video with guest video blogger Walter Wuthmann.

By admin | Posted in Artists in the Park, Events, Fascinating People, History, Mountain Voices: Interviews With Locals and Visitors, Video | Tagged acoustic, autoharp, Banjo, bass, culture, Event, Fall, family, fiddle, fun, Great Smoky Mountains, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, guitar, Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park, History, Judy Sipes, mandolin, mountain, Music, National Park, Oconaluftee, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, old-time, Singing, Smokey Mountains, Smokie Mountains, Smokies, Spring, Summer, violin, voice, Winter | Comments (5)

Across the Smokies: Breaking an Endurance Record

July 26, 2011 – 1:19 pm

Trailrunner Record

Smoky Mountains Park Ranger David Worth broke the speed record for running the Appalachian Trail through the park. Learn about his epic run in this new video with guest video blogger Walter Wuthmann.

By admin | Posted in Appalachian Trail, Fascinating People, Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Mt. LeConte, Scenic Views, Video | Tagged alum cave trail, Appalachian Trail, AT, Clingmans Dome, dave, dave worth, davenport gap, david, david worth, endurance, fontana, Great Smoky Mountains, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hike, Hiking, Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Le Conte, Mt. Le Conte, Newfound Gap, Ranger, Record, running, SCAR, Smokey Mountains, Smokie Mountains, Smokies, smokies challenge adventure run, speed, Summer, trail running, Trees, worth | Comments (7)

Junior Rangers

July 15, 2011 – 9:17 am

Junior Ranger Program

The Junior Ranger program is a great way to learn about the natural wonders of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can learn how to become a Junior Ranger in this new video with guest video blogger Walter Wuthmann.

By admin | Posted in Animals, Bears, Events, Video | Tagged Bear, Black Bear, blacksmith, Deer, Flowers, Great Smoky Mountains, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Junior Ranger, Junior Rangers, pottery, Ranger, Smokey Mountains, Smokie Mountains, Smokies, Stream, Sugarlands, Summer | Comments (0)

Deep Creek Waterfalls and Wildflowers

June 28, 2011 – 3:19 pm

Juney Whank Falls and alumroot

For some Smokies visitors, Deep Creek is an unexplored area of the park. But those visitors are missing out on a wonderland of water and forests that’s just too good to pass up. Come along on a short hike to three different waterfalls and enjoy the sights of Deep Creek in this new video.

By admin | Posted in Easy Hikes, Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Scenic Views, Video, Wildflowers | Tagged Bryson City, Deep Creek, Flowers, Great Smoky Mountains, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hike, Hiking, Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Indian Creek Falls, Juney Whank Falls, North Carolina, Showy Orchis, Smokey Mountains, Smokies, Spring, Summer, Tom Branch Falls, Trillium, Waterfall, Wildflowers | Comments (4)

Cleaning Up the Path of Destruction

June 28, 2011 – 3:17 pm

trail work

More than two months after a tornado tore it’s way through the park, trail crews are busy clearing trails. See what it takes to clean up such a mess, and have a look at the Abrams Falls Trail now that it’s reopened in this new video.

Trail closure map (June 24, 2011)

Updated trail closure map (July 14, 2011)
Now Open:
- Hannah Mountain Trail
- Rabbit Creek Trail between Abrams Creek and Hannah Mountain Trail

By admin | Posted in Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Video, Weather | Tagged Abrams Falls, Beard Cane Mountain, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hatcher Mountain, Hike, Hiking, Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Smokey Mountains, Smokies, Trails, Waterfall | Comments (1)

Women’s Work Festival, June 18

June 9, 2011 – 8:42 am

spinning

Come down to the Mountain Farm Museum and get a glimpse of what life was like for women in the old days at the Women’s Work Festival. Watch weaving, cooking, and basket-making demonstrations and other activities that represent a portion of the daily chores performed by women. This year’s event will be on June 18 at the Mountain Farm Museum, two miles north of Cherokee, NC on US 441 (Newfound Gap Road). Click here to see a video!

By admin | Posted in Events, Fascinating People, Rocky Top Road Trip, Video | Tagged Demonstration, Great Smoky Mountains, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Mountain Farm Museum, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Smokey Mountains, Smokies, Weaving, Women's Work Festival | Comments (0)

A Quick Trip to Mingo Falls

June 4, 2011 – 11:47 pm

Mingo Falls

Watch this video to see my trip to magnificent Mingo Falls, a stunning 180 foot cascade located just outside the park near Cherokee, NC. It’s worth a visit! And you can click here to see a beautiful full-length shot of the entire waterfall viewable from the bridge. It’s so tall that it wouldn’t all fit into a standard horizontal video frame, so I had to turn the camera sideways!

By admin | Posted in Easy Hikes, Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Scenic Views, Video | Tagged Cherokee, Great Smoky Mountains, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hike, Hiking, Mingo Falls, North Carolina, Oconaluftee, Smokey Mountains, Smokies, Waterfall | Comments (1)

Tornado Damage in the Park

May 24, 2011 – 1:49 pm

tornado damage viewed from Look Rock

Even the mountains couldn’t escape the historic severe weather that occurred during the “Super Outbreak” of late April. The park has had to close several trails and portions of trails on the west end of the park during clean-up. To see some of the damage on the closed trails and the path of destruction from Look Rock tower, watch this video.

Updated trail closure map (May 31, 2011)
- Ace Gap Trail is now open.

Updated trail closure map (June 24, 2011)
Now Open:
- The entire length of Abrams Falls Trail
- The entire length of Little Bottoms Trail
- Hatcher Mountain Trail between Abrams Falls Trail and Little Bottoms Trail

By admin | Posted in Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Video, Weather | Tagged Abrams Creek, April 27, Cades Cove, Chilhowee Lake, Foothills Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hiking, Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Look Rock, Smokey Mountains, Smokies, Spring, Storm, Tornado, Weather | Comments (17)