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Great Smoky Mountains National Park Visitors Biggest Spenders In National Park System

Submitted by NPT Staff on January 31, 2012 - 2:08am
Visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park leave quite a bit behind when they head home after visiting the park. In fact, a study shows that in 2010 the park's 9 million or so visitors spent more than $818 million in gateway communities surrounding the national park.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Partners Develop Program To Strengthen Connections With Surrounding Community

Submitted by NPT Staff on January 29, 2012 - 2:42am
For many national parks, their best partners are their neighbors in surrounding communities. With that in mind, the folks at Great Smoky Mountains National Park are working with Friends of the Smokies and the Great Smoky Mountain Association to strengthen connections with leaders in surrounding communities.

REI Donates $10,000 To Friends of The Smokies

Submitted by NPT Staff on January 11, 2012 - 2:46am
A $10,000 grant from REI to Friends of the Smokies will make it a little bit easier for the friends group to improve trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Slain Mount Rainier National Park Ranger 9th In Park Service History To Be Murdered In Line of Duty

Submitted by NPT Staff on January 2, 2012 - 2:51pm
When Mount Rainier National Park law enforcement Ranger Margaret Anderson was shot and killed on New Year's Day, she became the ninth ranger in the history of the National Park Service to be murdered in the line of duty, according to Park Service records.

Books We've Read This Year, And Actually Liked!

Submitted by NPT Staff on December 30, 2011 - 2:12am
Despite the impending doom that pixels were expected to hand the printed word, we're happy to report that publishers are still turning out books, and more than a few that crossed our desks this year are worth your attention.

Trails I've Hiked: Lake Shore Loop in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Submitted by Danny Bernstein on December 29, 2011 - 2:32am
Lake Shore Loop in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a great winter hike. It offers history, a visit to a cemetery and reminders that the area still makes news today.

Trails We Hiked During 2011

Submitted by NPT Staff on December 28, 2011 - 2:57am
We managed to get out on some national park trails during 2011 -- not as many as we'd like, but still a few that brought smiles to our faces. Here's a look back at those trails.

Winter: A “Secret Season” in the South’s Loftiest National Parks

Submitted by Randy Johnson on December 28, 2011 - 2:25am
When the snow closure signs go up on portions of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, and the Great Smoky Mountains, cross country skiers and snowshoers are often seen striding and stomping into a winter wonderland.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Receives a Generous and Timely Gift

Submitted by Jim Burnett on December 16, 2011 - 2:20am
This gift won't fit under the Christmas tree, but Great Smoky Mountains National Park—and everyone who loves and enjoys the Smokies—can celebrate a generous donation to the park from the non-profit group Friends of the Smokies.

Visitation Continues To Slide At Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Submitted by NPT Staff on December 13, 2011 - 2:23am
It might have been the weather, the doldrums of the economy, or the fact that Great Smoky Mountains National Park's 75th anniversary is two years gone. Whatever the cause, visitation to the park continues to slide.