Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is the Not So Great Train Robbery.

Let me start off to say I have wanted to ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in the fall season for almost 3 years now. I only wish I had still waited to take this train tour out of Bryson City North Carolina than be a victim of the not so great train robbery perpetrated against me.

Watching the local Smoky Mountains weather and the progress of the leaves changing color for fall, I picked this past Wednesday to take the train ride from Bryson City to the Nantahala and back, a 4.5 hour round trip journey including the 1 hour stop off in the Nantahala area.

Based upon the chilly weather expected in the morning we booked tickets on the phone for the coach car with indoor seating - the cheapest indoor seats at $53 a person and parking is $4 extra.

Even though the departure of the Great Smoky Mountains Train was at 9 am I was told that I must be there by 8 am and that tickets were non refundable. Since I live about 2 hours away this meant I had to leave at 6 am to get there by the time I was told to be there by.

Parking for the railroad was a block away and getting the ticket was relatively smooth but I ended up having at least 50 minutes to kill - so much for having to be there that early which was a huge inconvenience.

I decided to go to the railroad museum by the end of the railroad tracks which I was told my train ticket would allow me free entrance. The museum consisted of a retail store in the front and in the back thousands of model trains in cases mounted to the walls and 2 full model train setups.

The first model railroad set up was meant for children with a Christmas tree, but the 3 level set up in the back of the museum was actually quite impressive in size. I was told this huge model train set up was built in another facility, disassembled and reassembled here and it carried a $300,000 price tag.

There was a knowledgeable member of staff or volunteer that described some general items of interest but without speaking to this gentlemen one would walk out of the museum learning virtually nothing as none of the displays really educated you on the items but most had price tags.

The whole train museum was worth the ½ hour I spent there but not much longer. Adults without train tickets would normally pay a $9 entrance ticket fee a price at least $5 more than it was worth.

Another 15 minute wait and now it was time to board the coach car on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad train. The interior of the train was reasonably well maintained with plenty of ceiling fans inside so I assume it may not be air-conditioned in the summer. My group and I were able to get seats together and within a reasonable time the train departed.

We sat on the right hand side of the train in anticipation of getting the best views so we could take some photographs. The idea of taking this train ride in the peak of the fall season was to be able to see the spectacular vistas promised.

A few short prerecorded history lessons were given out on the area over the trains loudspeakers. Unfortunately the group on the train was very load as well as the train "conductor" in our car who talked over every lecture rendering them worthless to us.

A lady walked through the train hawking a book with descriptions that synchronizes with the mileage markers along the way and a Great Smoky Mountains Railroad DVD. I would have bought the set but she didn't take credit cards and didn't bother to make accommodations - fine with me as they are available on EBay.

Simple hamburgers along with potato wedges, hot dogs with slaw on other such foods were available along with drinks for about $10 a person. All edible and priced within the realm of reality but certainly not a great meal or bargain.

We all waited anxiously for the great views about to unfold with the majesty of the Great Smoky Mountains in the peak of fall season that was going to take our breath away.

We saw maybe 2 minutes of nice views as we went over the bridge by Fontana and again a few minutes later for around 45 seconds. We passed at total of maybe 4 to 5 minutes of nice views on the entire ride to Nantahala! The rest of what we saw was the inside of ravines covered in kudzo and rundown houses and industrial areas near the tracks.

At Nantahala we were able to disembark where we were able to grab the last picnic table available to kill about an hour. The picnic table was on a bridge 40 or 50 feet from a main road and by the parking lot - far from being secluded or an exceptional natural setting.

We were told before disembarking that everyone riding the train was supposed to switch sides on the train so everyone would have an opportunity to see the views on both sides of the tracks. Upon getting back into the train no one wished to switch sides and we pressed the point and were finally able to.

The ride back was slightly more scenic with river views lasting a little more than 15 minutes but far from the wall of colorful fall foliage we were told to expect.

On the return trip the conductor was so loud when speaking to a few people in the group we were unable to discern anything coming over the loud speakers in the train describing the area. We were also hot up for some cancer donation by sending a lady through the train.

While the bathrooms on the trains generally had lines, they were in acceptable condition.

Loading the train in Bryson City the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad had a golf cart to move people who had minor mobility issues. There were no golf carts available in Nantahala and there were no wheelchair ramps in either train platform. The isles were very narrow and there were no accessible bathrooms.

It is suggested that if you are handicapped you avoid the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad unless you wish to sue them for not being ADA compliant. I have to say shame on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad for not at least having ramps.

I would strongly suggest that you do not bring young children along on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad as they would be bored and miserable as this is a very long ride with virtually no pay off.

Of all of the attractions I have visited in the Smokies the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad was the worst and offers the least value for the money. I would say in my worldwide travels this is the largest disappointment I have ever had and the most overpriced attraction ever.

One could ride along any interstate in the area or major local road such as 19, 276, 129 or 441 and get spectacular views. This railroad trip in the Smokies was a waste.

Save your money, save your day, do anything in the area other then the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad and you will be happy.

Your Smokies is looking for hiking groups with severely visually impaired hikers in the Smoky Mountains.

At Your Smokies we have been working for years to raise awareness by better understanding the needs of persons with disabilities in the Smoky Mountains.

We have educating business owners and the management of public places to special needs and applicable laws in order to make the Smokies a more enjoyable and safe environment for those traveling to or living in the Smoky Mountains.

We have posted information for persons with specials needs on Your Smokes which have been built using a web architecture that does not block access as other sites do to those who are visually impaired and plan to build additional web sites dedicated to improving access to everyone who lives in or visits the Smokies.

If you are a member of a group that has severely visually impaired hikers or are visually impaired and are an experienced hiker please be so kind as to comment to this post. If you wish for your comment to remain anonymous and to not be posted publicly please say so in your comment and we will respect your wish.

Please help us make the Great Smoky Mountains accessible to everyone who wishes to come to this wonderful place.

On Cosby Festival for 2008 at the Moonshine Capital of the World

The 11th annual On Cosby festival is being held from October 17th to the 19th in the Moonshine capital of the world: Cosby in Tennessee's Cocke County.

The temperature is perfect and the leaves in the trees are bursting forth with showy fall colors and the best value in family friendly Smoky Mountain entertainment is going to take place against beautiful backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains at the Cosby visitor's center on 321.

With so much to see and do all for the price of parking - which goes to the local fire department the On Cosby Festival is a must for anyone in the Smokies this weekend.

Exhibitors and vendors were setting up today and hopefully the weather will hold out tomorrow as the school kids will flood the festival playing games, watching demonstration and musical entertainment.

Friday October 17th 2008 On Cosby festival schedule

• 11:00 Pottery with Sandy learn the basics
• 11:30 Native American musical instruments with Karen Lancaster
• 11:00 Native American resources (stage)
• 12:00 Walking sticks with the wood wizard Learn to carve one using a spoon and choreboy
• 12:00 Cosby show choir (stage)
• 12:30 Native American musical instruments with Karen Lancaster
• 12:30 Corn meal grinding - farm machinery
• 1:00 pottery with Sandy
• 1:00 David Salyers presents Uncle Sam
• 1:30 Spinning with Jan Harris
• 1:30 Meth lab demonstration (stage)
• 2:00 Walking sticks with the wood wizard
• 2:30 Rug hooking with Jan Harris How to make your own design
• 3:00 Pottery with sandy
• 3:00 Lap looms with Jan Harris
• 4:00 Walking sticks with the wood wizard
• 5:00 Cinnamon girls (stage)
• 5:00-5:30 talent show registration $5
• 6:00 talent show

Saturday October 18th 2008 On Cosby festival schedule

• 10:00-10:30 Jane Smith
• 10:30-11:00 Dietra Green
• 11:00-11:30 Stoney Creek cloggers
• 11:30-12:00 Roy Poore and Penny Grooms
• 12:00-1:00 Steve Brown and Hurricane Ridge
• 1:00-1:30 Tennessee pride cloggers
• 1:30-2:00 Macedonia Baptist church choir
• 2:00-2:30 Dean Haney and Big Creek Gospel Bluegrass
• 2:30-3:00 Wanda Todd
• 3:00-3:30 Wild West dance club
• 3:30-4:00 Crystal Lee
• 4:00-4:30 Marcie Wilds McMahan
• 4:30-5:00 Candice Keller
• 5:00-6:00 Mountain Edge
• 6:00 sharing stories of the past

Sunday October 19th 2008 On Cosby festival schedule

• 11:00-12:00 Feed my sheep church service
• 12:00-12:30 Sheree Ramsey
• 12:30-1:00 Laurel Dunn
• 1:00-2:00 Longshot - A new brand of country "Southern Rock"
• 2:00-2:30 Margie Lee
• 2:30-3:00 Randall Reece
• 3:30-4:00 Missy Ellis
• 4:00-4:30 Hannah Rowland
• 4:30-5:00 Acoustigals - Tracie Howerton and Mary Beale

See you there at the On Cosby Festival!

Unopened Section of Foothills Parkway Open House to Motorists this Weekend for Leaf Peeping

An incomplete section of the Foothills Parkway will be temporarily opened to drivers this weekend so that motorists can tour this road and leaf peep. Drivers can appreciate the fall colors thanks to the people in the park service based out of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, volunteers of the Blount County Experience Your Smokies and the Blount County Sheriff's Office.

The road will be open to motorist on October 18th and 19th only from 9 am to 3 pm. While this incomplete section of the Foothills Parkway is safe to drive on, it is not paved and only has a gravel surface, has no guardrails or traffic control stripes and signs.

This section of the Foothills Parkway is accessed via the Foothills Parkway interchange off US 321 about 11 miles south of Maryville and 12 miles from the Townsend National park entrance.

This section of the foothills parkway dead ends at the Missing Link and drivers that reach the end can not stop as they were able to on other open houses and they must turn around a drive back to the US 321 interchange.

Last time the national park service opened this section of the Foothills Parkway to motorists this spring more than 8,000 people showed up to enjoy the views.

Worlds alone can not describe Fall in the GSMNP

The Great Smoky Mountains national park moves millions of visitors a year who come here. I can only imagine what it did for the thousands who lived here before it was a national park.

Though I am as close to living in the Great Smoky Mountains national park that anyone could be based upon how much time I spend in this amazing biosphere, trails that I have hiked on dozens of times continue to move me. The same goes for roads I have driven on in the park hundreds of times.

Sometimes inspiration or enlightenment can come from a wisp of a cloud blowing over a mountain top or being trapped in a valley, the sparkle of sunlight reflecting through a dewdrop on a blade of grass or the various symphonies of sounds in the woods.

The picture above was taken today along the Middle Prong River in the Tremont section of the GSMNP. No enhancements or Photoshop tricks were done to the photo. It is just a living Monet - beauty in the park that is all around us.

Here in the Smoky Mountains the prelude to fall starts with the random sounds of green acorns falling into the leaves on the ground or striking and bouncing off logs from long fallen trees on the forest floor.

Gradually the green acorns falling from the oaks become yellower and then brown as the frequency of the sound increases as more acorns find their way to forest floor.

Squirrels start to spend more time more jumping around of the branches of trees chattering loudly as they stake out their territory and then rustling through the leaves as they are gathering their fill of acorns.

The trees in the Great Smoky Mountains national park deep green leaves - more than 100 species of trees live here - start to gradually lighten and start to randomly turn to red, light green and yellow.

The air here in the Smokies is no longer as humid as it is during the summer and as the day time temperatures become cooler into the 70s and then the 60s and the visibility keeps on improving.

The cicadas are no longer making a racket and the hummingbirds with their loud aerial acrobatics that were here all summer long are all gone.

Even the deer look different as bucks budding antlers with summer velvet give way to larger more fierce rack. Their golden brown coats have now tuned grayish to better blend in with the trunks of the trees in the park and the fawns are much larger now and will soon lose the spots on their coats.

The days are starting to get shorter and the birds that used to start a racket far before the break of dawn can no longer be heard, although the birds that welcome the day are now kind enough to wait until the day has started before they start singing.

At night the air is crisp and cool and the crickets still chatter calling out to one another but the sound is no longer coming in waves of white noise is it did through out the night in summer.

Day by day the pallet of the forest colors is changing. A random red or yellow leaf gives way to branches of wild colors. The leaves colors ever widen in range and increase in brilliance and luminosity as the leaf season continues through mid November.

When walking along the paths or hiking trails in the park you notice the smells in the park are also gradually changing. Just as the best of the blackberries are ending, some of the ferns in the higher elevations are start to turn yellow and then brown perfuming the air along the trail with a sweet smell.

Along some of the old homesteads a few apple trees have managed to survive all these years. Even though they won't win a county fair prize they can be quite delicious when ripe. Especially at the break of dawn the smell of the apples from these trees hangs in the air.

It will still be a few weeks before the first frost here in the Smoky Mountains and we probably won't see any snow in the lower elevations until at least December. The squirrels, fox and coyote that inhabit the Smokies are all getting fluffier and their tails bushier as their winter coats are growing in and the bears are getting outright fat as they gorge themselves in preparation for the winter.

Even along the higher elevations of the park such as at Clingmans Dome, the Appalachian Trail and the Newfound Gap Parking area we still have a few weeks before we can melt the first snowflakes of the year on the tips of our tongues.

Yes the Great Smoky Mountains national park can be quite inspirational to those who are lucky enough to spend time here. Just make a point to get away form the crowds and just take it all in. With 800 square miles of park it is easy to find a quiet spots even in the busiest of days here. Even the most ordinary place in the park is extraordinary if you just look, listen and observe with an open mind.

Fall brings lots of visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains national park to enjoy the autumn colors and along with the increase of visitors there are also more programs that the national park offers to it guests. I strongly recommend taking advantage of as many of these programs you can while they are available.

How to get Your Smokies News updates or add a Smokies News Feed to your web site or MySpace.

At your Smokies News we work hard to bring you the most accurate and up to the moment Smoky Mountains News. You can subscribe for free to get automatic news updates or even add our live news crawl to your own web site for free.

How to get automatic Your Smokies News Updates:

Your Smokies News has RSS (Real Simple Syndication) news feeds which you can either use as a live bookmark or use a RSS feed reader.

The simplest way is to use Live Bookmarks. Simply Subscribe to Your Smokies News and use the "live Bookmarks function". To see if there is an update on our site, just go to the bookmark you just made in your web browser such as Internet Explorer or Safari and it will automatically list all of news stories in descending order - newest first.

The other option is to use a RSS News Feed Reader such as Google Reader. This site has a simple introduction video.

Go to this page and add us in under the section that says "Stay close to friends and family!" and under the username add in "yoursmokies". Add in other sites with feeds that interest you and then when you check your Google news reader page, all of the new updates will be there.

There are many other News Readers so see which one you like best.

How to add your Smokies News Updates to your web site.
Now you can have the latest Smokies News on your web site by adding a free Your Smokies news crawl on your web site, blog or Myspace page.

Listed below is what the news crawl looks like as well as the html code for the link.

Your Smokies News

The HTML code:
<a href="http://www.yoursmokiesnews.com"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/yoursmokiesblog.gif" alt="Your Smokies News"><br />Your Smokies News</a>

Highlight the code above in green, copy (on PCs Control C) and the Paste (on PCs Control V) into the body of your web site.

Plenty of Columbus Day weekend visitors to the Smokies just in time for the start of peak fall season

While regular visitation the Smoky Mountains has been down, the 2008 leaf season and the Columbus Day weekend has offered a real boost of visitors to Smokies.

It was quite apparent that visitation was way up this weekend with far more crowded roads such as the Parkway in Pigeon Forge, the Spur leading to Gatlinburg, Patton Ave and Tunnel Road in Asheville, the Biltmore, Cades Cove and of course the Tail of the Dragon in Deal Gap.

Hiking Trails in the Great Smoky Mountains national park were also very busy. Even quieter trails such as the midway points of the Old Settlers Trail such as Noisy Falls and the Creek along 321 had 2 or 3 cars throughout the day - very rare for this quiet trail.

Parking for Alum Cave was insane and I can not even imagine what it is like to have hiked up that trail to Le Conte with all those people. The at was also crowded as well even some quieter trails in Deep Creek.

Cades Cove at times was like a parking lot but the weather was so spectacular and the fall foliage is starting to come into beautiful shades of yellow, orange and red contrasting against the dark and light green leaves it was worth the slow drive.

The Blue Ridge Parkway from mile marker 380 to the end at 469 was busy with photographers at most pull offs taking advantage of the stunning fall color coming in with perfect blue skies, then amazing cloud formations which the receded leaving perfect blue skies again.

Local businesses are happy to see the crowds here in the Smoky Mountains, most of which will be leaving today. The best time to come right now is midweek where you can still get lodging discounts and it becomes real quiet in spite of the perfect weather and beautiful fall scenery throughout the Smokies.

Asheville Parks and Greenways Foundation accepts $5,000 grant

The Asheville youth program Teens Outside! run by the Asheville Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department was just given a $5,000 grant which the Asheville Parks and Greenways Foundation accepted on behalf of the City by outdoor clothing and equipment supplier REI.com.

The Asheville Teens Outside! program is a fantastic opportunity for kids to be able to experience outdoor recreation activities in the Asheville N Carolina area. This program is presently limited to youth in the 6th to 9th grades and is very affordable.

About REI
REI is a well known name by outdoor sports enthusiasts and they have worked with other educational outreach programs to help encourage our youth to better appreciate and respect nature and enjoy outdoor activities.

Not only are their programs a great way of protecting and promoting local wilderness areas through education, they are building a legacy of future customers who will appreciate the great outdoors and the REI sporting goods company's environmental position.

Beside the grants that REI offers they also offer a line of Eco Sensitive clothing that utilize materials and manufacturing processes that are designed to lessen environmental impact.

REI is planning to open a store by October 17th at 31 Schenck Parkway in South Asheville.

Trail of Tears Memorial Walk in Cherokee North Carolina to Raises Awareness

To Commemorate the Triumphant Spirit of the Cherokee in remembrance of the 1,200 mile forced march in the winter of 1838 on which almost 17,000 Cherokee were made to walk from North Carolina to Oklahoma and sadly almost 4,000 Cherokees needlessly died, the Cherokee Historical Association is sponsoring the Trail of Tears Memorial Walk Saturday, October 11th at the Oconaluftee Islands Park at 9:30 am.

So this needles tragedy is never forgotten and so we may honor to loss and suffering of these Native American men, women and children, the trail of tears memorial walk will follow the Cherokee River Trail Loop for approximately 2.5 miles which will end at the Eternal Flame at Mountainside Theater.

Registration is $12 and to register you must go to the Cherokee Historical Association main office located at 564 Tsali Blvd in Cherokee North Carolina or call (828)497-1111.

Registered memorial walkers will get a free breakfast; enjoy traditional Cherokee dancing on the Village Square Grounds and receive a special tour of the Oconaluftee Indian Village.

Starting at 8 am parking and shuttle services will be provided by Cherokee Transit.

Black Bear issues in the GSMNP still creating issues for hikers and campers in the Smokies.

With less than 10 weeks left in the active black bear season in the Great Smoky Mountains National park (GSMNP), heavy black bear activities continues to force closings of backcountry campsites, shelters and the issuing of bear warnings for hikers on various hiking trails and now even parking areas.

Never can I remember such heavy black bear activity in the park, and fellow hikers and campers all agree, black bear activity in the Great Smoky Mountains national park is reaching epidemic proportions.

Mind you I am not complaining. The park is a biosphere and the black bear below here and should be here is numbers as great as possible as long as the park ecosystem is able to sustain their numbers and reasonable contain their population.

As for the numerous closings and warnings in the GSMNP issued by the national park service, they are to be commended by taking extra caution and warning visitors. I am sure they don't want any more repeats of this summers black bear attack in Roaing Fork area of Gatlinburg on a small child.

Sparks Lane in Cades Cove Tennessee will remain closed for most of Leaf Season

Sparks Lane the first gravel road bisecting Cades Cove in the north western Tennessee section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is going to remain closed to all vehicles, cyclists and hikers until the construction is completed proected now as October 25th.

The construction project on Sparks Lane will improve drainage and allow fish to traverse up and down 2 of the streams which the road crosses. Unfortunately the delay in the delivery of these 2 large concrete culverts need for this project has delayed the whole project.

While Sparks Lanes closure does not make a major impact on traffic in the Cades Cove Loop it does limit a quick access through the lower section for people looking to exit the Cades Cove Loop early or to drive or ride again on the back end of the loop without leaving the Cove.

More information about the Sparks Lane constriction project in Cades Cove.

2008 Visitation down in Smokies - but for how long?

Higher gas prices and food prices along with other necessities, climbing unemployment, credit problems and now the fiasco in the stock market is making an already soft tourist season even softer here in the Smokies.

Luckily for businesses in the Smoky Mountains, the costs here are lower here than most other vacation destinations and since there is so much to do, tourists don't have to drive far to find something that fits everyone's taste and budget.

With air travel prices sky rocketing, economy class tickets are expected to increase even further with the heavy loss of the more profitable business class travelers (Lehman Brothers alone booked $115 million in air travel last year). Air travel for a family to a vacation destination here in the US may no longer be affordable for many more Americans.

Luckily for the Smokies, most of the population in the US is just a day's drive away so people looking to travel on a tighter budget can still do so by driving to the Smoky Mountains.

One of the most popular Smokies destinations is the Great Smoky Mountains national park which does not charge any entrance fees, exhibit fees, guided tour fees or for parking anywhere inside the 800 square mile large biosphere.

More families are finding out how exciting the national park is where they can picnic, hike, bike or take a guided tour for free. For those who have limited mobility or don't want to get that close to nature, there are hundreds of miles or spectacular roads in and around the park where you can see the beautiful scenery without every leaving your car.

While there are still cheap hotel rooms to be found in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Cherokee and the Asheville area, for families it is often far cheaper to spend your vacation in a cabin - it is certainly far more comfortable!

Not only can you prepare and serve your family home cooked meals in your cabin - it's a great way to save gas and avoid paying the high restaurant prices. Most rentals cabins now have amenities such as hot tubs, pool tables, DVD players and some even have media rooms, video game consoles and other ways to keep the clan entertained - for free!

Much of November and some of December is still considered "in season" and is not priced at peak rates so there are still bargains to be found.

Plenty of the outlet malls and stores here in the Smoky Mountains have been slashing prices to attract the tourists who come here to save some money on their Christmas and holiday shopping.

Just strolling down the street to people watch here in the Smokies or listen to live music is loads of fun. Shorty millions of lights will be sparkling and twinkling away through the night in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville for Winterfest 2008.

Close to Christmas there will also be carolers walking down the streets of Gatlinburg in period costumes from the 1800's entertaining all those that they pass with impromptu performances in local stores. The price? Free and tipping is not allowed!

The Smokies have seen a drop in visitation; but the drop that we have seen is far smaller than most popular tourist destinations in the US. We also see that many who live in and near the Smokies are coming back to explore the Great Smoky Mountains.

Are you changing your vacation and holiday travel plans? How do you save money while you are on vacation? We want to know!

So how long will this drop in visitation in the Smokies last? Crystal balls are for sale in some of the gift shops along the parkway and I bet they are on sale.

Last night was a huge hit for star gazers in Cades Cove area of Great Smoky Mountains national park

Stage gazers in Cades Cove got an eyeful last night at the 3rd annual stargazing even held in the Great Smoky Mountains national park by the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society and the National park service.

The weather was picture perfect; clear cool with low humidity - perfect for star gazing and Cades Cove was the perfect place to enjoy the night sky.

More people showed up than I would have ever expected and young and old alike had a great time in the first field on the right as you enter Cades Cove.

Here we all received a rudimentary education on some of the stars and constellations in the autumn sky along with Native American stories about the night skies.

Once the lecture was over we strolled up to the many high powered telescopes and binoculars the members of the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society brought into Cades Cove.

Cades Cove is like a giant bowl with the Smoky Mountains ringing the valley floor shielding all the lights from the cities and towns in the distance. In the deep darkness of Cades Cove when the last of the light from the sunset fell behind the mountains and we can no longer see the bats flying around catching their Saturday evening meal, the faint stars forever hidden by city lights, clearly shown above us.

Don't miss the opportunity next year to join us again on this adventure. Even without any fancy equipment, come into the Cove on a moonless night and look up and be amazed!

Hiking all the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

I have been systematically hiking the trails, manways and roadways in the Great Smoky Mountains National park for the past 12 years but last October I started to hike all of the trails again as day hikes in both directions in all 4 seasons and have completed them all this way within a year.

While first I thought this was going to be an easy task, as time went on I began to realize how difficult it would be to hike all the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains national park (GSMNP) this way without car shuttles or overnight stays.

First of all the GSMNP is huge - 800 square miles and since there are about 1,000 miles of maintained hiking trails, paved roads, gravel roads and major manways and that's just in 1 direction!

Because of the sheer size of the park, some hiking trails took me 5 hours to get to and from the trailhead parking areas even though my home in the Smoky Mountains is less than 5 miles from the Greenbrier National Park entrance.

Hiking all the trails in the Smokies during different seasons presents hikers with different challenges and rewards. For me, hiking the entire Great Smoky Mountains national park in the summer and winter presented me with the most hiking challenges.

Summers heat meant the constant risk of dehydration or overheating on the more extreme hikes, the extra effort required to carry much larger quantities of water along with more insects, stinging nettles, poisonous snakes and very frequent bear encounters.

While hiking in the summer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park there are also more frequent thunderstorms which increase the risk of a hiker being struck by lightning and river, streams and creeks that previously had little or no water can become filled with swift running water and too dangerous to cross in minutes.

The summer heat can also create and issue where the air quality in the Smokies becomes poor or hazardous due to ozone created by coal burning power plants far away. Hiking when there is excessive ozone levels can be harmful or at least uncomfortable to hike in.

Hiking in winter also presented special challenges such as far shorter days making it impossible to complete some of the longer hikes without the aid of flashlights and headlamps, ice and snow on the trails and stream crossings increasing the chances of an injury from falling, and the risk of hypothermia from allowing my body core to get too cold.

To counter the risk of hypothermia my day pack had to include far more clothing that I could take on and off in layers as well as replacements in case I got wet. I also packed far more extensive overnight gear in case I was stranded for the night so I could survive safely in the GSMNP. All of this extra hiking gear added close to another 20 pounds to my backpack.

Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains national park in the winter I could trekking for a week or more in deep backcountry and never see another hiker. No chance for a swift rescue - especially since cell phones don't work through much of the park!

In the winter fresh snow can completely obliterate any sign of where a trail is making navigating the trails in the national park difficult. The same can happen with fresh fallen leaves in the fall. Some trails which are used rarely can also be difficult to navigate in the winter when leaf litter on the trail floor is not broken down so it may be hard to find your way.

In the Smokies especially in higher elevations in the winter and spring it can be overcast for days on end making the best GPS unit worthless. Being overcast means you may not get a fix on any stars, the moon or the sun for days. A compass when hiking on the Smokies is a must!

The 2 most common questions I get from people about hiking all the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains is asking me what my favorite hiking trail in the park is and how they can get my job.

Since I have hiked all the trails in the GSMNP so many times you would think the first question about my favorite trail in the Great Smoky Mountains national park is easy. Well it isn't. Based upon the season, weather, time allotted to hike that day and even the day of the week the answer will change.

As for having my job, between running my business, gathering local information, studying and hiking I work harder than anyone can imagine 7 days a week but the rewards of this journey have been beyond my wildest dreams.

The past 3 years of intent concentration in the Great Smoky Mountains national park have taught me much. My next goal is to take the years of research and thousands upon thousands of photographs and make this available to everyone.

I see and read the hiking "experts" of the Great Smoky Mountains national park everyday. Few of the experts are in fact as really knowledgeable as they present themselves to be and often are just amateurs with an agenda to sell you what ever they can make the most money from.

If someone is trying to push you on a GPS unit to hike in the Smokies or other expensive electronic gadgets beware. The same for some hiking equipment as well. For example my $89 top end hiking boot inserts lasts only a month longer than the $8 inserts I got in Wal-Mart - though I am testing others.

For a casual hiker going up the Alum Cave Trail to Le Conte it might only be that you have wasted money on the wrong, inferior or overpriced equipment. For a camper or an extreme hiker in the real backcountry the wrong equipment or wrong advice can be disastrous - and deadly.

Rest assured that my information is thoroughly researched and accurate. Any personal recommendation of a product or service is because I am willing to trust my life with it. Hiking solo as I do for as much as 30 miles or more a day you better believe I have to trust my equipment - my life depends on it!

As the owner of the Your Smokies Information web site about the Great Smoky Mountains I will start adding more and more hiking and trails information as well as historical, biological and environmental information to this web site that already has 400 pages of Smokies Information.

My primary concerns are the protection of the Smoky Mountains and the education of those looking to experience the Smokies. Read my blogs and web sites and you will see what I mean. Join my adventure and please feel free to comment and contribute.

Nothing has ever been as difficult, gratifying, strengthening, exciting and informative to my mind, body and soul as hiking all of the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Dolly Parton is the Great Smoky Mountains national parks 75th Anniversary Ambassador

The Great Smoky Mountains national park could not have picked a better ambassador for their 75th anniversary than local celebrity and philanthropist Sevierville Tennessee's own Dolly Parton.

Most anyone who thinks about the Smoky Mountains thinks about Dolly Parton as the face of the Smokies and as the official Park's 75th Anniversary Ambassador, Dolly's name and her image will be used at a variety of GSM National Park events, activities and on informational media.

According to Dolly Parton "The Smokies are part of my DNA...I have always been an Ambassador, but I am particularly honored to become "official" for this special 75th Anniversary."

Getting Dolly Parton to be the Ambassador was an obvious choice and the announcement of Dolly Parton being the ambassador for the Great Smoky Mountains national park was made by the superintendent Dale Ditmanson who stated "When we first sat down with our park partners and began brainstorming about how the Park's anniversary could best gain national stature we asked ourselves: ’If we could pick one person who is the most recognized and personifies the love of the Smokies, who would it be?’ The answer was a resounding ’Dolly Parton!’ But she's so much in demand; do you think she'll do it?"

In order to get Dolly Parton on board the Dollywood Foundation was contacted by Friends of the Smokies and the rest is history.

If Dolly's participation was not enough, Dolly Parton has graciously written an entire album entitled "Sha-Kon-O-Hey" and the rights of this album are being donated the Great Smoky Mountains National Park through the Friends of the Smokies during the 75th anniversary year. Bravo!

"Sha-Kon-O-Hey" is the phonetic spelling for the Cherokee word, "Shaconage" which is how the Cherokee described the Great Smoky Mountains translated as "Land of the Blue Smoke". Shaconage is also the name of the Friends of the Smokies publication.

Another great organization which Your Smokies supports which helps the park: The Great Smoky Mountains Association will be offering a 125 page souvenir 75th Anniversary edition of Smokies Life magazine will find a personal message from Dolly Parton that reads "The Smoky Mountains have inspired me and my music since I was a little girl. They touch my soul and lift my spirits. Let's celebrate America's most popular national park, but most especially, join me in making sure its magnificent beauty thrives for generations to come."

Bravo on the choice Dale, bravo on bringing it together Friends of the Smokies, and Dolly - no one will ever be more Sweetheart of the Smokies than you are!

Don’t miss Ranger Guided Hike: Little Cataloochee area Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Ok I am admit I am a sucker for hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains national park of all of the guided hikes I had taken this historical hike through Little Cataloochee with National park Ranger Brad Free is tops and a do not miss Smokies experience.

Little Cataloochee and Big Cataloochee were both thriving communities when the park came into existence. Ranger Brad Free will take you on a moderate 5 mile hike with some small steep sections where you will step back in time with the help of a fantastic narrative and historical photographs along with some Smoky Mountains magic.

The hike will start along the old North Carolina Turnpike with a history lesson on this road onto a gravel trail where you will have the opportunity to experience the history of the park at the Hannah Cabin and the Little Cataloochee Baptist Church and cemetery (pictured below). You will walk by and see the site of other historical building and farms and where on of the mills was located where you can see historical artifacts and evidence of the Little Cataloochee Community.

The hike will then continue where you will stop where you can enjoy your lunch or snack that you have brought along at one of the most inspiring parts of the Great Smoky Mountains national park: the beautiful Dan and Rachel Cook Cabin on Coggins Branch.

The Dan and Rachel Cook Cabin pictured below was destroyed by vandals with a chainsaw. The loss of this beautiful structure was devastating but thanks to the help of the Friends of the Smokies, this outstanding example of Smoky Mountains architecture was restored to its original beauty. This is just one of many examples of why we should all support this incredible organization.

Cataloochee valley is right next to Maggie Valley and road to take you to the valley is near the intersection of 276 and I40. Meet just before 10 am at the first parking lot when you pull into the GSMNP Cataloochee Valley where you will see a bulletin board and literature. The hike starts at 10 am and the return time is approximately 3 pm but you can stay longer if you wish.

It can be very cool in the Cataloochee Valley in the mornings so dress warm in layers and pack a picnic lunch or snack along with any water you may need. While the trail is not particularly steep or rocky it is best to wear hiking shoes or at the least sneakers.

Not only will you be able to experience the best guided hike that Great Smoky Mountains national park has to offer with an excellent veteran Ranger, the elk are in rut right now so you should stick around until sunset to listen to and watch them.

Construction on Foothills Parkway Spur extended by the Great Smoky Mountains national park

The Foothills Parkway construction project in the Great Smoky Mountains national park on the section knows as the Spur which connects Gatlinburg with Pigeon Forge Tennessee will be extended 2 more days to Friday, October 10th due to equipment issues created by Hurricane Ike.

Originally the Great Smoky Mountains national park was going to be be able to greatly improve the safety of the Spur portion of the Foothills Parkway by resurfacing the road with a special high-performance paving material that requires specialized skills and equipment to apply it.

Since the crew and the equipment needed for this special paving operation was delayed due to Hurricane Ike, the park service has decided to not wait until leaf season is over to finish resurfacing the Spur and will instead use the local Pigeon Forge construction contractor Charles Blalock and Sons to come up with an alternative paving mixture that the park service announced "will provide good winter and wet weather traction".

Is "good" good enough based upon how much better then other special surface was going to be? How much are we going to save now that we are using a local contractor using basically normally material rather than a specialized contractor using special materials, labor and equipment. let's hope that it is plenty based upon the inferior product we will end up with.

It is our opinion that the long term driver safety on this heavily used section of roadway which can be a dangerous in bad weather is far more important that a rush to complete this portion of the project on a road which is already is in a condition good enough for the rush of visitors expected in the next month.

Other construction on the Spur section of the Foothills Parkway will begin again after the peak visitation for the leaf season is over on November 3.

Cades Cove will be a amateur astronomer’s paradise for star gazing on October 4th in the GSMNP

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park along with the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society will offer a free 2 hour stargazing program beginning at 7:30 pm Saturday October 4th - far away from the light pollution of any of the towns and cities of the Smokies.

This is the third years that this exciting program is being held in the GSMNP in Cades Cove where visitors will find several telescopes set up in order to observe the stars, galaxies and constellations in the autumn sky on what will be a moonless night.

Along with the telescopes provided by the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society, members of the group will be providing their in-depth astronomy knowledge to visitors as well.

The Great Smoky Mountains national park has had 75 years to return back to a more natural state since the park was created. Not only does the inside of the park offer the chance to leave the visual pollution of billboards and neon signs of outside the park behind, much of the park is devoid of noise pollution and at night huge areas of the park are absent of light pollution created by the street lights, lighted structures and lights from cars in the outside world.

Without the light pollution, you have far better night vision so you are able to see far fainter objects in the night sky - even without the aid of a telescope or binoculars. Cades Cove is an ideal location to get away from the light pollution and a perfect place to observe the night skies.

If you are planning on coming to this GSMNP event, be sure to dress warmly, bring either a blanket or lawn chair to sit on and a flashlight - preferably with a red cover. If you have binoculars, bring them along as well as you can use them for stargazing.

Park your car near the exhibit shelter at the entrance to the 11 mile Cades Cove Loop Road where you will be escorted to a nearby filed where the group will be.

So far the weather looks good for Saturday, unfortunately if there is bad weather the program will be canceled.

Gas prices lower and availability improves in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville Tennessee.

Looks like we have seen the last of empty gas pumps and high gas prices in the Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville Tennessee Smoky Mountains because the lines at gas stations are gone and the prices are now below the national average - all just in time for the 2008 peak leaf season which is just about to begin!

Now that gas prices are lower again and availability is good everyone is breathing a sigh of relief.

Hurricane Ike didn't hit the Smoky Mountains, but gas shortages and gas gouging did. The gas problems in the Smoky Mountains first turned up in North Carolina and then spread to Tennessee, but while North Carolina is still having problems with inflated gas prices, gas shortages and long lines, everything is just about back to normal in the Tennessee Smokies.

We suggest that people who have to drive into or through the North Carolina Smokies fill up before they get there as they can save quite a bit of time and as much as 50 cents or more a gallon.

Officials and energy experts say that everything will be back to normal in Tennessee by the peak leaf season which starts in less than 2 weeks and by the end of October in N Carolina.

Hiking Trails, Campsite and Road Closures, Bear Warnings and water issues in the GSMNP.

More campsites are closed and more bear warning are issued again in the Great Smoky Mountains national park (GSMNP). Water issues are also still plaguing many backcountry sites due to the drought.

Your Smokies keeps up with all of the latest campsite and hiking trail closures, bear warnings, water issues and road closures in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Since we are out in the field so much we often list issues that even the National Park Service does not.

• Road Closures in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway
   
• Hiking Trail Closures and Bear Warnings in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
   
• Backcountry Campsite Closures, Bear Warnings and Water Issues in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
   
• Backcountry Shelter Closures, Bear Warnings and Water Issues in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
   
• Weather conditions in the Great Smoky Mountains cities around the National Park
   

Bookmark these Great Smoky Mountains national park pages!

Gas Shortages in the Smokies start to ease - slowly

Gradually is getting easier to find gas and the lines at the gas stations around the Smokies are getting smaller as the gas shortage in the Smoky Mountains appears to be waning.

The gas shortage in western North Carolina and Tennessee caused by the after effects of Hurricane Ike was a real wake up call for drivers around the nation.

Even though the Smoky Mountains was far away from any direct effects of the storm, the ripple effect of the gas shortage caused supplies to dry up and prices to break all previous records.

Gas gouging was a definite problem here in the Smoky Mountains and unfortunately some of the tourists being gouged will not come back to the Smokies in the future and I don't blame them.

Obviously the outrageous gas prices and devastating shortages are just a preview of what will eventually be far more commonplace throughout the country in years to come and they may not even be triggered by a hurricane or natural disaster.

With tourism a key driver of the Smokies economy which is already on the decline because of high gas prices and a shaky economy, it is sad that a few unscrupulous business persons can cause such potential damage to the local economy in the Smoky Mountains.

Townsend Tennessee Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Days

Looking for some old time fun in the Great Smoky Mountains? Well I better see you at the Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Days tomorrow being held in the peaceful side of the Smokies: Townsend Tennessee.

Here at the Fall Heritage Festival you will find Bluegrass music, clogging demonstrations, arts and crafts, and so much more contests for the whole family including a good old fashioned a pie-eating contest!

Townsend Tenseness at the west end of the Great Smoky Mountains national park and is one of the most charming small towns left in the Smoky Mountains.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Celebration to the Civilian Conservation Corps a huge success.

Imagine going back to where you worked where you were a teenager and having a crowd of people eternally grateful for the work that you had done in the Great Smoky Mountains national park 75 years latter.

Today at the Sugarlands visitor center at the Great Smoky Mountains national park that is exactly what happened after a morning filled with informative and educational lectures and musical entertainment all dedicated to the hard work performed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in this national park and other public parks programs around the country in the 1930s and into the 1940s.

The day started with a lecture with a lecture by Dr. Harley Jolley who was in the Civilian Conservation Corps himself. The lecture was amazingly entertaining but incredibly informative and included photos and a reading.

The next part of the program was a mostly musical tribute to the boys in the CCC which also had a multimedia presentation showing what the work camps were like along with some humorous antidotal stories about camp food, the dance halls and pranks.

After the morning programs everyone went outside to an area between the Sugarlands Visitors center and the National Park headquarters which was built by the CCC. Here there was a small ceremony when the 16 alumni who showed up to the park were given certificates and competitive patches in appreciation of their service.

Especially interesting was that CCC corpsman Clarence Allison pictured above to the left of Great Smoky Mountains national park superintendent Dale Ditmanson showed up in his original Civilian Conservation Corps uniform.

After the certificates were given out the alumni gathered around a rock along the path and along with Dale Ditmanson unveiled a plaque dedicated to the CCC.

It was a very emotional day for the families and well as the corpsmen some of which had not seen each other on more than 70 years.

The last CCC reunion on the par was for the 50th anniversary and it was attended by more than 1101 alumni. I hope those that are able to will attend next September's dedication to the 75th anniversary of the park.

After the dedication there was a guided hike to the Sugarlands CCC camp which I took as well as more lectures and a panel discussion.

The 3 mile guided hike to the CCC was lead by park volunteer Raymond Palmar. Along for the hike was an alumni's son as well as a man who had been taken to the Sugarlands CCC camp at age 7.

Our hike included a stop by an old quarry and along the old abandoned roadside where there were still utility poles standing in the woods. We then saw where a clock tower, rec hall and mess hall stood as well as a stone trash incinerator.

While many of these artifacts we saw I was already familiar with from hiking in the area so long, these were plenty of new facts I learned as well as the location of the officer quarters.

While I greatly appreciate what the CCC had done for the creation of the national park, I learned for more today and my appreciation has grown even more.

Guided hike at the Kephart Prong Trail to the CCC Camp.

Yesterday was the start of the Great Smoky Mountains national parks salute to the 75th anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) which started with a guided hike by veteran park ranger Brad Free and the park volunteer who maintains this historic trail.

While weather was concern, real rain never materialized and the whole hike was chock full of demonstrations, facts, historic photographs and group discussions.

Now I am on my way to the Sugarlands when there will be an all day program to salute the CCC. I come to have with even appreciation of the hard work these young men did to build the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Cherokee NC to host the 6th Annual fall Qualla Open Air Indian Art Market

Looking to find a one of a kind Native American treasure? Then you need you need to come to Cherokee North Carolina on October 18 between 9 am to 5 pm for the 6th Annual fall Qualla Open Air Indian Art Market.

Besides being a way to find a great deal on contemporary and traditional works of Native American art by Cherokee artisans, you can watch these master craftsmen make traditional items right before your eyes with skills such as bead making, basket weaving, woodworking, and pottery.

Qualla Mutual artists have participated in the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival and have also won competitions at the Santa Fe Indian Market with handiwork that has purity and simplicity that attracts many serous and mature collectors alike.

This free event takes place on the grounds of the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual at 645 Tsali Boulevard in Cherokee, NC where there will be artist demonstrations ongoing throughout the day.

Along with crafts visitors can indulge in traditional Cherokee along with other foods will be provided by the Native American Indian Women's Association (NAIWA).

Last chance to hike and bike the Cades Cove Loop without traffic!

Tomorrow morning will be the last chance in 2008 to hike or bike the 11 mile long Cades Cove Loop in the Great Smoky Mountains national park during the morning without any automobile or motorcycle traffic until 10:00 am.

Cades Cove is the jewel of the Smokies and the best time to be there is early in the morning or right before sunset. From late spring until late September the national park service closes Cades Cove to motor vehicles on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10 am.

Cades Cove at sunrise is magical. The beauty and peace of the Cove is breathtaking and your chance of seeing plenty of deer, wild turkey, bear and even coyote is high.

While I love biking in Cades Cove, my favorite activity is walking the loop and since our weather is quite dry this year in the Smokies due to our extended drought I can do so with sneakers as there is no water running across to loop road.

Anyone wishing to hike with me should meet me at the shelter in the parking area near the entrance to Cades Cove. Sunrise is at around 7:00 am so I have to start by no latter than 6:45 in order to catch the sunrise coming up over Thunderhead Mountain.

Even taking our time, the first cars won't pass us until after the visitors center in the back end of Cades Cove.

5 Black Bears safe after Pigeon Forge Fire

The Three Bears Gift shop on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge suffered severe damage and was destroyed from this mornings fire, but thankfully no one was injured including the 5 black bears that reside in the gift shop.

The 3 bears Gift shop has been a landmark in Pigeon Forge Tennessee since the 1970's many who came to the gift shop came to see the resident black bears in a pen in the back.

More then half the building was engulfed in flames by the time the fireman arrived a little after 4 am this morning.

The 5 black bears for now are still in the concrete enclosures behind the 3 Bears Gift shop and are being moved soon to a more suitable location.

The fire cause both sides of the parkway to be closed for a few hours and power has been restored to the businesses in the area.

So far there has not been a determination as to what caused the fire.

Gas Shortage sill an issue for some stations in Asheville

The fallout from Hurricane Ike is still being felt in the Smokies. While gas supplies are no longer an issue in Tennessee, some stations in Asheville have little or no gas, high prices and long lines.

We are warned it can still be a week or 2 before gas supplies are back to normal in Asheville and other areas in North Carolina.

In the Tennessee Smokies gas prices can still vary by 20 cents or more a gallon in the same town so shopping around is still a good idea.

Last chance to hike the Foothills Parkway in Wears Valley with the Smokies Hiker!

Sadly this is the last day to hike the Foothills Parkway in Wears Valley before it is closed to recreational use so that the construction on the Foothills Parkway can commence.

I will be hiking the 5 miles in and then back today on what looks like it will be an absolutely stunning day here in the Tennessee Smoky Mountains.

Anyone looking to join me on this under 4 hour long hike please call me at (865) 329-7949. As of this minute I do not have a start time but I am willing to work around others.

Although it is a fairly long hike, you don't have to go the whole way with me. This is a very easy and gentle hike with a very low incline, fantastic views, is quiet and peaceful and is one of only 7 hiking trails in the Great Smoky Mountains national park that I rate as a sneaker trail where you don't need boots.

Don't miss the last chance to hike one of the nicest Hiking paths in the Great Smoky Mountains national park!

Elk rut in full swing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Since the North American elk have been reintroduced in the Great Smoky Mountains national park in the Cataloochee section near Maggie Valley, the best time to come see the elk is during the annual rut.

During the elk rut male bull elks fight for territory and collect a harem so they may mate with as many females as possible.

The elk rut is now in full season and as seen in the picture above taken today of 2 bull elk sparing the elk rut it is a spectacle no one should miss.

Expect the peak of the elk rut last until at least Mid October with other mating behavior a few weeks longer.

Related Elk in the GSMNP Stories

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park Elk Poaching Suspect Confesses and Arrest is Emanate
• Elk poaching takes place in Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.
• Elk Reintroduction in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park needs more Volunteers for Elk Bugle Corp Program

Foothills Parkway Construction begins in Wears Valley Tennessee and Closes Road to Hikers

One of the Great Smoky Mountains national parks best kept secret - the abandoned part of the Foothills Parkway in Wears Valley will be closed to hikers, bikers and horseback riders starting this Monday September 22nd so that construction which started in the 1970s can commence.

Though not a conventional hiking trail, this was one of the best places to hike in land area under the management of the national park service in the Smokies. This 5 mile asphalt road was virtual unused and provided excellent access without the hassle of traffic for handicapped persons, personals walking their dogs, riding bikes, riding horses or just taking in some of the most stunning overlooks accessible by walking on pavement.

After the first 15 minutes of walking into the abandoned area of the Foothills Parkway, traffic noise from Wears Valley Road (321) disappears and the sound of birds and rustling leaves in the wind is all that you can hear as you walk the 5 miles up the gentle incline.

Both sides of this section of the Foothills Parkway are lined by tall trees except for when you cross the bridges offering hikers spectacular views looking out into Wears Valley below and out to the towering mountain range in the Great Smoky mountains national park in the distance.

Well all good things must come to an end. Presently this part of the Foothills Parkway was supposed to run from Wears Valley to Walland and construction which started in the 70s had to stop as funding ran out.

In the mid 1980s funding was available so the Foothills Parkway construction began again, this time there was one project from Wears Valley west toward Walland and the other from Walland east to Wears Valley.

Less than 10 years later both projects had to be put on hold leaving a 1.6 mile "Missing Link" section uncompleted because of erosion problems and numerous slides.

Construction on the Foothills Parkway began again 1998 and by 2008 3 bridges spanning a total of 1,675 feet were completed on the Walland end of the "Missing Link".

Over the next 8 months the Hinkle Construction Corporation Inc. of Lexington Kentucky has been awarded a $3,783,268 contract with the Federal Highway Administration to construct 1,200 feet of new roadway which will run westward from the end of the partly-finished Parkway segment off US 321 in Wears Valley.

The Foothills Parkway construction contract calls for repairing damage to an overpass that carries the partly-completed Parkway over Happy Valley Road and the construction of a reinforced earth section of fill across a shallow ravine.

Officials from the Federal Highway Administration and the Great Smoky Mountains national park are expecting to be able to award a contract to construct another 1,800 feet of Parkway to extend east from the 3 new bridges on the Walland end of the "Missing Link" sometime in the fall of 2009.

Even though this section of the Foothills parkway is closed to recreational use, the other 9 mile-long section of partly finished Foothills Parkway from US 321 in Walland to the "Missing Link" will remain open.

Construction on I-40 will reduce traffic to 1 lane until May.

Westbound drivers on I-40 between the North Carolina Tennessee border and the Waterville Road exit can expect delays until May 2009 while construction of rock wall fencing and catchment areas reduces traffic to a single lane starting Monday.

Saturday marks the annual Mountain Life Festival in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

Visitors this Saturday to the Great Smoky Mountains national park should make sure to stop by the Mountain Farm Museum next to the Oconaluftee visitor center where from 10 am to 4 pm the annual Mountain Life Festival will be taking place.

Here at the Farm Museum visitors will be able to see first hand a tradition that has been taking place for almost 40 years here in the Great Smoky Mountains national park - the sorghum syrup demonstration.

Sorghum syrup was a stable food in the diet of those that inhabited the land that became the Great Smoky Mountains national park. Park staff, students and volunteers from Swain County High School will be making sorghum syrup by using a horse-powered cane mill and wood-fired cooker - the same way it was made more than 100 years ago.

Besides the live Appalachian music performed by Marshall Crowe and the Bluegrass Singers, you will get to see live demonstrations traditional toy making, hearth cooking, hominy making, apple butter, apple cider, soap making. There will also be a display of farm implements, historic photographs from the national park's archives and an artifact collection.

The hominy making demonstration will be made by the Woodard family from Bryson City, NC. Also on hand will be well-known naturalist, author and native plants instructor Ila Hatter from Stecoah, NC and Ron and Suzanne Joyner from Big Horse Creek Farm in Ashe County, NC who maintains more than 300 varieties of custom-grafted heirloom apple trees on their family-owned orchard and nursery.

While you are here at the farm museum stroll around and be immersed in the Appalachian history of the park. Go take a walk along the Oconaluftee River Hiking Trail which is easy and level and one of the best handicapped accessible trails in the park.

All of these events are free to the public. To get to the farm museum take Newfound Gap Road (US 441) just 2 miles north of the Cherokee North Carolina entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Gas prices dropping in the Smoky Mountains and gas supplies are rising

Hurricane Ike caused a huge spike in gas prices in the Smokies and shortages throughout the North Carolina and Tennessee Smoky Mountains along with claims of gouging especially by Pilot gas stations.

Today saw huge drops in prices and almost all stations we surveyed had plenty of gas in all grades. Most gas stations were above $4.50 in the morning by the end of the day were back to teetering at the $4 per gallon mark or just below - a far cry from $5.50 and more just a few days ago.

Since the hurricane did less damage than expected but there was some damage to drilling and pumping stations, prices are expected to go down but may take weeks to return to August pricing even though the price of a barrel crude oil has dropped to prices not seen since April.

Let's hope the price of gas in the Smokies gets back to under $3 per gallon again real quickly to help give a boost the much need tourism - especially during peak leaf season.

If you are looking for the best prices for gas in the Smokies us our cheap gas finder. It usually is right on the money for the cheapest gas prices in town.

Civilian Conservation Corps being honored at the Great Smoky Mountains national park

The Sugarlands visitor center in the Great Smoky Mountains national park near the Gatlinburg Tennessee park entrance will be where the monumental programs commemorating the 75th Anniversary Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and their work will be held from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm on September 27th.

Along with the dedications, musical entertainment, panel discussions and lectures at the Sugarlands visitor center, both the Oconaluftee visitor center near the Cherokee North Carolina entrance of the park as well as the Sugarlands visitor center will have special CCC exhibits.

By now you may be wondering what the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was. The CCC is a perfect example of the long lasting effect that a quality socially responsible government program can have.

Established in 19333 during the Great Depression the CCC was a federal work project aimed at conservation work on federal and state lands while employing unmarried, unemployed, men that were physically fit and from18 to 25 years of age. I have been told that some as young as 15 were able to sneak into the program.

No only where these men able to scratch out a few dollars for themselves which they mostly sent home to their families, they were able to learn valuable skills and gain experience all the while improving the quality of public lands throughout the United States.

Look around in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and almost everything you see that is man made was originally built by these hard working hardy men. Hiking as much as I do in the park I can come back after a long day completely drained and I was just hiking on a trail, not building it rock by rock by hand.

This picture shows workers from the CCC working on the Bull Head Trail. This hiking trail starts in the Roaring Fork Area of the park near Gatlinburg and climbs all the way up to Mount Le Conte. Taking the Bull Head Hiking trail up and retuning back down via the Rainbow Falls trail is my favorite way to climb Mt Le Conte.

The roads and bridges in the Great Smoky Mountains were also built by the CCC. The beauty of the hand cut blocks of stone that make up the bridges and guard rails in the GSMNP blend incredibly well with the natural backdrop of the park. Some of the buildings such as the park headquarters near Gatlinburg and the Oconaluftee visitor center were also built by the CCC along with the fire and lookout towers.

All this work was done by close to 4,000 members of the CCC brigade who resided in 22 work camps within the confines of the park from 1933 - 1942.

Once I understood what these men in the CCC have done, not a day goes by when I am in the park I don't marvel at the hard work that they have done that we can appreciate 75 years later and for many more years to come. There blood sweat and tears that built this place bring untold happiness and joy that come here in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Sugarlands Visitor Center CCC Programs 9-27-08

The activities will include interpretive programs, a panel discussion, and musical entertainment at the Sugarlands Visitor Center with two hikes scheduled in other areas of the Park. The schedule includes:

• 10:00 am: "That Magnificent Army of Youth and Peace: The CCC in the Great Smoky Mountains" by Dr. Harley Jolley
• 11:00 am: "Dollar-a-Day Boys: A Musical Tribute to the CCC" by Bill Jamerson
• 12:30 pm: Dedication of memorial plaque to the CCC
• 1:00 pm: "That Magnificent Army of Youth and Peace" by Dr. Jolley
• 2:00 pm: "CCC Fire Tower Construction in the Smokies" by Charles Maynard
• 3:00 pm: 1 hour panel discussion with former CCC workers, moderated by Erik Kreusch the GSMNP archaeologist

Beside these programs there are 2 moderate guided hikes planed to take you the location of CCC camps in the Great Smoky Mountains national park:

• Friday, September 26 at 10:00 am Kephart Prong trailhead off Newfound Gap Road US441 in North Carolina
• Saturday, September 27, at 1:00 pm Staring at the Sugarlands Visitor Center and hiking up along the Old Sugarlands Trail.

All of the activities commemorating the CCC in the Great Smoky Mountains national park are free and open to anyone.

Repaving and construction to begin again on the Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge Spur Road

Construction on the Spur - a section of the Foothills Parkway connecting the Great Smoky Mountains national park, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge will begin again this Monday as the Rod Run and the increased traffic as a result of it will be gone.

The construction work on the Spur will cause single land closures during the week until at least October 8th. During this time a final layer of pavement which is because of its special high performance nature will improve the safety of the road during wet weather.

Rumble strips which are groves in the pavement to let drivers know they are leaving the road shoulder will also be installed at this time.

The spur is not only a major thoroughfare between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and is a beautiful road. The work that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Service has down to the Spur included tunnel repair and lighting work and improved drainage has been exceptional. Let's hope this is all done before peak leaf season.

Chimney Rock State Park Reopens

The damage to the retaining wall made by the heavy rains from the remnants of Tropical Storm Ray to the roads in Chimney Rock State Park entrance road have been repaired so the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation reopened the purl state park.

Besides the damage to the raining walls, there was a small mudslide triggered by the 11 inches of rain that fell within 48 hours that severed a sewer line in the Chimney Rock State Park that is now repaired.

Complaints pour in of Pilot gas stations gouging customers in the Tennessee Smokies

Pilot gas stations are gouging customer buying gas in Tennessee according to hundreds of complaint pouring in. While Hurricanes Gustav and Ike may have effected production, and prices for crude are at a 4 moth low customers are crying at the pumps.

Gas stations are running out of gas all throughout the Smokies as panic buying sets in with rumors of $7 a gallon gas are making tempers flare and gas stations gouging the public. The majority of the complaints coming in about unfair gas prices pilot gas stations.

If you see price gouging on gas you can report it to the US Department of Energy.