Great Smoky Mountains Firefly Show Already in Full Swing in the National Park.

Who doesn’t love fireflies? Young and old alike love to see them flash in the night and the best place in the United States to see fireflies is in the Great Smoky Mountains. Even though the official synchronous firefly event in the Great Smoky Mountains national park does not take place unit next week, the lightning bugs are already putting on an exceptional show already that you won’t want to miss!

Just a few minutes before dusk you will start to see some of the synchronous fireflies start to flash. As it gets even darker the number of fireflies increase at which point they appear to synchronize as well.

Best synchronous firefly shows seem to be on an evening after a light rain in the afternoon and when it is not raining right before or at dusk.

The firefly show will be in places tonight such as in Elkmont, Tremont, Metcalf Bottoms and the Cherokee Orchard / Roaring Fork outside of Gatlinburg Tennessee. There are slightly less active fireflies in Cades Cove right now but that should pick up throughout the week.

Before you get any ideas, both the Elkmont and the Cades Cove campgrounds are booked solid.

Wherever you go to enjoy the fireflies in the Smokies, think safety first. Keep out of roadways, beware of areas with step drop offs, and keep kids under control at all times.

Since turning on any light source such as flashlights, or using a cell phone creates enough light to stop the light show and reduce your night vision be extra careful not to trip over roots and rocks that may be hard to see in the dark. Lights also annoy the heck out of others as well.

This is a fairly buggy year and since you will be fairly close to water where there are always more insects, bring along some bug spray.

The safest way to see the fireflies is during the official GSMNP firefly program, but with such a limited number of tickets, many won’t have the opportunity to enjoy it this way and in order to see our special Smokies firefly, may need to be more adventurous.

Synchronized Fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains

• 2015 Firefly Viewing Dates in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
• 2014 Firefly Viewing Dates in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
• Where and When to see Synchronous Fireflies in the Smokies in 2013
• Synchronous Fireflies Emerge Too Early for Visitors In The Great Smoky Mountains national park
• Synchronous fireflies and their admirers are about to invade the Great Smoky Mountains national park
• Great Smoky Mountains National park synchronous firefly
• Great Smoky Mountains Fireflies has 900 visitors first night
• Synchronized Fireflies in Great Smoky Mountains national parks Elkmont a huge disappointment

Schedule for Day 7 of Wilderness Wildlife Week 2015 in Pigeon Forge Tennessee Smokies

While Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge rolls into day 7 at the LeConte Center, a mild winter storm is still creating issues in the Great Smoky Mountains, especially in the higher elevations where as much as 3 inches my fall by this afternoon. With some roads still closed and driving conditions less than optimal in some places, again some guided hikes were canceled earlier today.

Starting next year, Wilderness Wildlife Week will no longer take place in the Winter but in mid-May so that participants won’t have weather related issues getting in and out as well as around the Smokies. I can not remember a time in the past 7 years where at least some Wilderness Wildlife Week guided hikes were not cancelled for at least a day due to extreme cold or closed roads due to snow and ice.

You can take comfort that there will another great full day of programs taking place indoors at the LeConte Center on Teaster Lane in Pigeon Forge today and as always the price is right - FREE!

Fri, January 30th 2015 Wilderness Wildlife Week Schedule

• 8 – Noon: LIMITED SPACE! Learning to Use Map and Compass. Presented by Terry and LaValla Edgington. Limit 30 people and includes bus trip to Patriot Park for field practice. Taking place in the South Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 9 to 10am: Fall Creek Falls and the Mid Cumberland Recreation Area Video Presentation. Presented by Stuart Carroll. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 9 to 10:30am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Living with a Pack of Wolves: The Bays Mountain Park Puppy Pack. Presented by Rhonda Goins. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall B.
   
• 9:30 to 10am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! The Seven Principles of the Leave No Trace Practice. Presented by Terri Butler. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall A.
   
• 9:30 to 10:30am: LIMITED SPACE! Wire Wrapping a River Rock Pendant. Presented by LaDonna Twyman. Limit to 12 people ages 18+ who will join LaDonna as she instructs them on how to make a local river rock pendent to take home with them using a local river rock and twist wire. Taking place in the Bob Hatcher Memorial Room.
   
• 9:30 to 11am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! LIMITED SPACE! Potholder Loom Weaving. Presented by Sherry Mummert. Limited to 10 participants ages 10+ who can will join Sherry as she teaches them by using cotton loopers, a square potholder will be woven on a small loom. Taking place in the Bob Kolb Memorial Room.
   
• 10 to 11am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Water, Fish and People: How Are We All Getting Along? Presented by Matt Kulp. Join Matt as he discusses water quality and fish community issues related to the Great Smoky Mmountains National Park and surrounding waters. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 10 to 11am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Butterflies: Flying Flowers in the Garden. Presented by Kris Light. Join Kris as she covers butterflies, their life cycles and the plants that can be used in gardens to attract them. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 3.
   
• 10 to 11am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! HERITAGE! Songs of Cades Cove. Presented by Madalyn Carpenter. Taking place in the LeConte Hall South.
   
• 10:30 to 11:30am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Discovering TWRA’s Wildlife Management Areas as Wildlife Observation Areas in East Tennessee. Presented by Chris Ogle. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 10:30 to 11:30am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Eat Taters and Wear No Clothes. Presented by Kathy Gwinn. Join Kathy as she recalls the spirit and spunk of the original "Tweetsie," the little train with a big heart and its impact on the Doe River Gorge and Roan Mountain area. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   
• 10:30 – Noon: Bird Songs of the Smokies. Presented by Mark Dunaway. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall A.
   
• 11 – Noon: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Let’s Talk About the Cherokee: Arlene Eagle. Join Arlene as she discusses the development of clothing and the use of beading and various styles in Cherokee culture. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall B.
   
• 11 – Noon: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! LIMITED SPACE! Paint Your Own Watercolor Notecards. Presented by Melanie Fetterolf. Limited to 15 people ages 12+. Bob Hatcher Memorial Room
• 11:30 to 12:30pm: Point and Shoot Flower Photography. Presented by Robert Hutson. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 11:30 to 12:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Acoustics I: Sound and Birds. Presented by Ethan Duke. Join Ethan as he introduces attendees to vocal communication and using sound to study and enjoy birds. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 3.
   
• 11:30 to 12:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! LIMITED SPACE! Painting Violets on Sweatshirts or T-Shirts. Presented by Lois Armstrong. Limited to 10 pople who must bring own white t-shirt or sweatshirt. Taking place in the Bob Kolb Memorial Room.
   
• 11:30 to 12:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! HERITAGE! Mountain Music from Today’s Generation. Presented by Madalyn Carpenter and Friends. Taking place in the LeConte Hall South.
   
• Noon to 1pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Herbs, Hives and Hens. Presented by W.C. and Glenna Julian, Donna Stinett and Mike Clark. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 12:30 to 1:30pm: HERITAGE! Moonshine in Tennessee. Presented by Tony Thomas. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall B.
   
• 1 to 2pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Insects: Friends or Foes? Presented by Kris Light. Join Kris as she covers the good, bad, beautiful and ugly of the six-legged critters living around us. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 3.
   
• 1 to 2pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! HERITAGE! Kermit and Lois Shuler Caughron: The Last Cades Cove Residents. Presented by Ruth Caughron Davis. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall A.
   
• 1 to 2pm: KIDS’ TRACK! LIMITED SPACE! Pioneer and Historical Toys. Presented by Roy Henson. Limited to 20 participants ages 10+ who will join Roy as he instructs them on how to make historical style toys pioneers would have had in days gone by. Taking place in the Bob Kolb Memorial Room.
   
• 1 to 2pm: KIDS’ TRACK! LIMITED SPACE! Whoo Did That?: Fascinating Owls. Presented by Lynne McCoy. Limited to 20 people. Taking place in the Bob Hatcher Memorial Room.
   
• 1 to 2pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! HERITAGE! Cades Cove and Smoky Mountain Songs. Presented by Earl Layhue. Taking place in the LeConte Hall South.
   
• 1 to 2:30pm: Where and When to Photograph in the Smokies: Spring and Summer. Presented by Roger Trentham. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 1 to 4pm: Famous Searches and Rescues in the Smokies. Presented by Joe Kelley, Joey Holt, Dwight McCarter and Judy Wasak. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   
• 1:30 to 2:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! The Pocket Wilderness Areas of Tennessee Video Presentation. Presented by Stuart Carroll. Join Stuart as he covers the pocket wilderness areas, such as a Laurel-Snow where you will find some of the most beautiful trails in Tennessee. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 1:30 to 2:30pm: Creating and Telling Family Stories. Presented by Jim Eastin. Taking place in the South Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 2:30 to 3:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Birds of Prey Program and Live Bird Show. Presented by American Eagle Foundation. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall A.
   
• 2:30 to 3:30pm: LIMITED SPACE! Quill Pens and Inks. Presented by Pat Thomas. Limit 12 people ages 12+ who must bring own sharp x-acto blade. Taking place in the Bob Kolb Memorial Room.
   
• 2:30 to 3:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! KIDS’ TRACK! LIMITED SPACE! Come Bear With Us! Presented by Kathy Sherrard and ABR’s K-8 Education Team. Limited to 20 kids ages 5 to 12. A YourSmokies favorite! Taking place in the Bob Hatcher Memorial Room.
   
• 2:30 to 3:30pm: Of Ginseng, Golden Apples and the Rainbow Fish: Ancient Tales and a Modern Mythic Adventure. Presented by Doug Elliott. Taking place in the LeConte Hall South.
   
• 3 to 4pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! The Dos, Don’ts and How’s of Photographing Birds. Presented by Clay Thurston. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 3 to 4pm: Photo Journeys in the Eastern United States. Presented by Kendall Chiles. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 3 to 4pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Critter-Named Creeks, Prongs and Forks of the Smokies. Presented by Fred Turner. Join Fred as he details locations of, as well as trivia about, some of the more than 100 streams in the Smokies with wildlife as their namesakes. Taking place in the South Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 3:30 to 4:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! HERITAGE! The Making of Moonshine. Presented by Old Forge Distillery. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall B.
   
• 3:45 to 4:45pm: Storytelling: Growing Up in Appalachia. Presented by Tony Thomas. Taking place in the LeConte Hall South.
   
• 4 to 5pm: Wildflowers in Tennessee Video Presentation. Presented by Jack Carman. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 3.
   
• 4 to 5:30pm: Walking in the Beauty of the Natural World Video Presentation. Presented by Don McGowan. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 4 to 5:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! LIMITED SPACE! Recycle Scraps Into Rag Rugs and Trivets. Presented by Maria Holloway. Limit to 15 people ages 15+. Taking place in the Bob Kolb Memorial Room.
   
• 4:15 to 5:15pm: The Circle of Life: The Bear Facts Video Presentation. Presented by Mike Meldrum. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall A.
   
• 4:30 to 5:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Alive Photo: 25+ Pros on Why They Are Outdoor Photographers. Presented by Paul Hassell. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 4:30 to 5:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! HERITAGE! Elkmont: Pioneers, Lumberjacks, Summer People and Fireflies. Presented by Carroll McMahan. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   
• 4:30 to 6pm: An Experience Thru-Hiking the John Muir Trail Video Presentation. Presented by Bert Kunze. Taking place in the South Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 5:30 to 7pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Backpacking the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: A Photographic Journey Video Presentation. Presented by Mark Evans. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 3.
   
• 5:45 to 6:45pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! HERITAGE! The History of Bush Brothers and Company: 106 Years and Counting Video Presentation. Presented by Max Fultz. Join Max as he presents the century-old history of an iconic family business. You will learn about Bush Brothers and Company’s 106-year-old canning history and how Bush became the Number One name in beans. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall A.
   
• 6 to 7pm: Birding 101: How to Identify Birds. Presented by Dr. Fred Alsop III. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 6 to 7pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Reading Between the Lines: Writing Hiking Guides for National Parks. Presented by Charles Maynard. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   
• 6 to 7pm: Groundhogology: Of Whistlepigs and World Politics. Presented by Doug Elliott. Taking place in the LeConte Hall South.
   
• 7:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Talk is Cheap. Presented by Bill Landry, Sam Venable, Jim Claborn and Elizabeth Rose. Taking place in the LeConte Hall South.
   

Wilderness Wildlife Week 2015 Day 1 in Pigeon Forge Tennessee

The 25th Wilderness Wildlife Week may be starting today on a rainy and dreary day here at the LeConte enter in the Pigeon Forge Smoky Mountains, but that is not stopping those who are already here from being excited about all the great activities, guided hikes and musical entertainment that will be taking place here for the next week.

The Wilderness Wildlife Week information desk is open here at the LeConte Center located at 2986 Teaster Lane in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee from 7am to 9pm and the preregistration desk for activities with limited space from 7am to 6pm.

The Wilderness Wildlife Week Vendor and Exhibits Hall locate3d in the LeConte Exhibit Hall is open daily from 9am to 6pm except on Saturday, January 31st when it closes at 3pm.

The wilderness Wildlife week schedules that we will be posting every day are subject to change without notice.

Schedule for Day 1 of Wilderness Wildlife Week 2015:

Saturday, January 24 2015

• 8 to 9am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! LIMITED SPACE! Beginning Bird ID. Presented by Dana Ripper. Limited to 20 people ages 16+ who will learn how to identify birds as well as participate in a bird hike. Limited binoculars are available to borrow and each participant will receive a free field guide to take home with them! Taking place in South Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 9 to 10am: The Appalachian Trail: An Entertaining Adventure. Presented by Jeff Alt. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   
• 9 - 1pm: Nature Photography Workshop. Presented by Kendall Chiles, Daniel Dempster and Tom and Pat Cory. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall B.
   
• 9:30 to 10:30am Camera Basics 101: Understanding Terminology and Your Camera Adjustments as Used in the Manual. Presented by Douglas Hubbard. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 9:30 to 10:30am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Ancient Ways: An Appalachian at Home in Israel and Ireland. Presented by J. Greg Johnson. Join Greg both in Galilee where Jesus walked and also in Ireland where many of our native Scots-Irish ancestors made their path before arriving in America. Taking place in the the LeConte Hall North.
   
• 9:30 to 10:30am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! LIMITED SPACE! Carve a Wildlife Stamp. Presented by Pat Thomas. Limited to 12 people ages 12+. Taking place in the Bob Hatcher Memorial Room.
   
• 9:30 to 11:30am: KIDS’ TRACK! LIMITED SPACE! Design Your Own Wilderness Wildlife Week Bandana. Presented by Louise Bales. Limited to 20 ages 8+ who will join Louise as she teaches them how to design their own Wilderness Wildlife Week 25th Anniversary commemorative bandana. Taking place in the Bob Kolb Memorial Room.
   
• 9:30 to 11:30am: Fly Fishing the Smokies. Presented by Greg Ward. Taking place in the the Bob Kolb Memorial Room.
   
• 9:30 to 1:30pm: Photography Contest On site Take in. Presented by Sherry Lutes and Event Volunteers at the Photography Exhibit. Taking place in the LeConte Hall North.
   
• 10 to 11am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! A Day in the Life of a Riverboat Captain Power Point Presentation. Presented by Captain John Farmer. See what it is like to be a Captain on a modern sternwheel riverboat. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 10 to 11am: You, Me and the Bears. Presented by Joey Holt. Find out what to do if you live or recreate in bear country, including learning what happens if bears come near your home or campsite. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall A.
   
• 10 to Noon: LIMITED SPACE! Introduction to the Mountain Dulcimer. Presented by TNT Dulcimers. Limited to 25 participants. Please bring own dulcimer as only a limited number of loaner dulcimers are available. Taking place in the South Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 11 to 11:30am: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! HERITAGE! The Ruddy Pilgrim. Presented by Tyler King doing a character portrayal of a fictional Smoky Mountain settler from Scotland. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 3.
   
• 11 to Noon: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Saving Money Using Free and Open Source Software to Edit Your Nature Photos. Presented by Burt Bicksler. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 11 to Noon: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! LIMITED SPACE! Make A Dreamcatcher Christmas Ornament. Presented by Sue Todd. Limited to 10 people ages 15+. Taking place in the Bob Hatcher Memorial Room.
   
• 11 to Noon: Old Time Hymn Singing. Presented by Tony Thomas. Taking place in the LeConte Hall South.
   
• 11:30am: Sunday Hikes and Field Trips Sign-ups. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall A.
   
• 11:30 to 12:30am: Rock Formations of the Smokies. Presented by Harry Moore. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   
• 12:30 to 1:30pm: Sanctuary: Meditations from Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Presented by J. Greg Johnson. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 12:30 to 1:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! LIMITED SPACE! Whittle a Mountain Flower. Presented by Jacki Proffitt. Limited to 10 people ages 16+. Participants must bring own sharpened pocket knife. Taking place in the Bob Kolb Memorial Room.
   
• 12:30 to 1:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Hiking in the Highland Firs: Hammered Dulcimer Adventures. Presented by Timothy Seaman. Join Timothy for a music concert celebrating the trees of the Smokies and outdoor recreation in our Parks, with dynamic original compositions and classic folk tunes. Taking place in the LeConte Hall South.
   
• 1 to 2pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! John Muir and Gifford Pinchot: Shaping Our Value of Conservation and Their Influence on the Civilian Conservation Corps. Presented by Michael and Monique Hodge. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 3.
   
• 1 to 2pm: KIDS’ TRACK! Get Your Kids Hiking: Learn How a Few Simple Techniques and Gear Can Make a Hike with Kids of Any Age Safe and Fun. Presented by Jeff Alt and Family. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall A.
   
• 1 to 2pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Black Bear Encounters in the Smokies! What to Do? Presented by retired park ranger Kim Delozier. Join Kim as he explains a black bear behaviors and how to respond to a black bear encounter. Kim will also share some of his bear encounter incidents in the Smokies. Kim is a YourSmokies favorite and always entertains and informs like no one else! Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   
• 1 to 2pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! LIMITED SPACE! The Uses of Essential Oils in Household Products. Presented by Alison Houston. Limited to 10 people ages 16+ who will learn to make a household cleaner to take home with them. Taking place in the Bob Hatcher Memorial Room.
   
• 1 to 2pm: Nature Writing for Love and Money, Part 1: Observing and Writing about Nature. Presented by Rob Simbeck. Join Rob as he teaches you how to think like a writer, as well as journaling, planning, interviewing, writing, editing and even how to deal with editors. Taking place in the South Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 1 to 2:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! What’s Wrong with This Picture? It’s the Little Things That Matter. Presented by Roger Trentham. Join Roger as he discusses what common mistakes photographers make that often ruin what could be great images of nature. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 1 to 2:30pm: LIMITED SPACE! Clawhammer Banjo Workshop 1. Presented by Boogertown Gap. Limit to 10 people who must bring their own clawhammer banjo tuned in open G. Taking place in the South Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 1:30 to 3pm: Lightroom Photo Editing Software: Come Take a Test Drive! Presented by Colby McLemore. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall B.
   
• 1 to 3:30pm: Casting a Fly Rod. Presented by Greg Ward. Participants should bring own fly rods for casting demos. Taking place in the South Multi-Purpose Room 3.
   
• 2 to 3pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! The Anatomy of a Steam Riverboat Power Point Presentation. Presented by Capt. John Farmer. Join Capt. Farmer as he shows the evolution from deep draft sailing schooners to shallow draft steamboats. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 2 to 3pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! The Songs of Stephen Foster. Presented by Tony Thomas and Judy Carson. Join Tony and Judy as they perform many of Stephen Foster 150 plus year old compositions that have remained popular. Foster was known as the father of American music and wrote more than 200 songs. Taking place in the LeConte Hall South.
   
• 2 to 3:30pm: KIDS’ TRACK! LIMITED SPACE! Booger: A Tall Tale of the Mountains. Presented by Mary Phillips. Limited to 30 kids from ages 5-10 who will join Mary as she tells the story of about a firefly, a boy named Booger and his faithful cat, Stinker. Kids learn to use the Great Smoky Mountain Wildflower guide book. Program meets curriculum standards for science, literature, life skills and art. Taking place in the Bob Kolb Memorial Room.
   
• 2:30 to 3:30pm: Update on Cougars in the Smokies. Presented by Dr. Don Linzey. Learn about cougar distribution, current range and biology, as well as an update on recent reports and sighting in GSMNP. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 3.
   
• 2:30 to 3:30pm: Discovery of the Gray Fossil Site. Presented by Harry Moore. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   
• 2:30 to 3:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! LIMITED SPACE! Making a Hand Broom for Decoration. Presented by David Ogle. Limited to 10 people ages 16+. Taking place in the Bob Hatcher Memorial Room.
   
• 2:30 to 4pm: LIMITED SPACE! Drawing to Identify Trees. Presented by Maurice Edwards and William Hurst. Limited to 12 Participants, ages 18+. Join a professional botanist and an artist to draw tree parts toward the goal of species identification. Bring own art supplies and plant material or use instructors pencils, paper and subject matter. Taking place in the South Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 3 to 4pm: Seasons and Weather: Watching the Smokies Change Video Presentation. Presented by Jerry Whaley. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 3 to 4pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! An Adventure Along the John Muir Trail. Presented by Jeff Alt. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall A.
   
• 3 to 4pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! LIMITED SPACE! Introduction to the Hammer Dulcimer. Presented by Timothy Seaman. Limited to 10 people. There will be some loaner dulcimers; however, participants are encouraged to bring their own. Onlookers are welcome to watch. Taking place in the South Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 3:30 to 4:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! The Forced Removal of the Cherokee in 1838. Presented by Chris Tipton. Join Chris as she discusses the finding of a journal that started a personal rediscovery of one of our nation’s saddest events: The Trail of Tears. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 3:30 to 5pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Making Your Nature Images "POP!". Presented by Larry Perry. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall B.
   
• 4 to 5pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Mother Nature’s Secret Garden: The Harvest You Didn’t Plant. Presented by Ila Hatter. Join Ila as she shows participants how to safely recognize what "weeds" are edibles. Some "weeds" are more nutritious than domestic vegetables so now you can have a harvest before you plant your garden! Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   
• 4 to 5:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Everest...and the People Who Climbed It. Presented by Bill Deitzer. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 3.
   
• 4:30 to 5:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Entering Photographic Competitions: The Benefits of Entering, Pitfalls to Avoid and the Image Selection Process. Presented by Douglas Hubbard. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 4:30 to 5:30pm: Our Summer in Alaska. Presented by Carroll and Michelle McMahan. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall A.
   
• 4:30 to 5:30pm: A Bodacious Snuffy Smith Chalk Talk. Presented by John Rose. Join John as he discusses his cartooning career and draws some of his comic strip’s most popular characters. Taking place in the South Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 4:30 to 5:30pm: Learn to Play the Spoons and Washtub Bass. Presented by Boogertown Gap. Taking place in the South Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 5 to 6pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Hut Hiking in the Alps. Presented by Shannon Harris. Join Shannon as he explains how best to navigate hiking around in the Alps. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 2.
   
• 5:30 to 6:30pm: Civil War in the West, 1861. Presented by Presented by Jack Carman. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall B.
   
• 5:30 to 6:30pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Colorful Characters of the Smokies. Presented by Hills-N-Hollows (Join Mike and Kathy Gwinn). Enjoy both story and song some of the snuff-dippin’, fire-spittin’, men and women of the Smokies. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   
• 6pm: Monday Hikes and Field Trips Sign-ups. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall A.
   
• 6 to 7pm: NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! Outdoor Photography: Thinking and Shooting Out of the Box. Presented by Harry Dunn. Learn how to view subjects differently, as well as how to use camera functions beyond "Auto" and several "Plan for success" ideas from Harry. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 1.
   
• 6 to 7pm: Lewis and Clark, Part 1: Before the Expedition: Presented by Peter and Gudrun Seifert. Taking place in the North Multi-Purpose Room 3.
   
• 6:45pm: The Scottish Connection to the Smokies and Bagpipe Performance by Bagpiper Charles A. Smith, Commander, TVA Police, retired. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   
• 7pm: Opening Ceremony. Presented by Butch Helton, Ken Jenkins and friends. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   
• 7:45pm KEYNOTE PROGRAM! NEW Wilderness Wildlife Week Program! The Tramp and the Roughrider: An Evening at Glacier Point: Presented by Lee Stetson and Alan Sutterfield. What did John Muir and President Theodore Roosevelt discuss around the campfire in 1903? Witness a live reenactment of this history-altering camping trip in Yosemite as the "Tramp" and the "Rough Rider" engage in lively discussion over the fate of our most wild places and swap stories about their own adventures. Taking place in the Greenbrier Hall C.
   

2014 Fall Peak Leaf Season: Where To Go To See the Best Fall Color This Weekend

This weekend is the first major weekend of autumn leaf color for the 2014 peak season in the Great Smoky Mountains and luck be with us, it is going to be a weekend with great weather as well!

The Smokies have been unseasonably warm and wet so far this fall. We also had to contend with considerable rain and wind in the past week which has pushed some of the early leaves that changed into bright fall colors to the ground, especially leaves in the very high elevations as well as sycamores, sourwoods and tulip poplars in mid and lower elevations.

Since it was not really cold enough yet at night which the maples and oaks need to turn the sugars in their leaves into bright brilliant reds and oranges, and our grasses are still mostly mid to deep green, you will be able to see lots of greens still along with nice contrasting colors which all should last longer than normal this season.

The best place to be to see the most colors in a long landscape view right now is being up high. This means by car you should take advantage of places such as the Blue Ridge Parkway, Newfound Gap Road, Clingmans Dome Road, the Foothills Parkway East between Cosby and I-40 and the Foothills Parkway West between Townsend/Walland and US129, The Smoky Mountain Parkway, and the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail behind Gatlinburg.

A little off the beaten path would be taking old State Road 284 from Big Creek to Cataloochee North Carolina. Not only are many of the overlook areas simply stunning as well as many parts of this drive, it will take you right to Cataloochee where the Elk Rut is still taking place and the colors in the mountains surrounding the Valley are beautiful.

Another exception ride today is US129 from the Foothill Parkway West all the way to the Fontana Dam. You must take a trip to the damn itself as the leaves have come in full force along the mountainside and against the blue green water, with what green is left in the mountains and the fall colors, the contrast are stunning.

If you plan on hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains to see the fall colors, there are many great choices this weekend. For a moderate hike and the ability to see stunning long range views, hike Andrews Bald starting at the Clingmans Dome parking area or the Brushy Mountain hike starting at Grotto Falls off the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Both should be nice next weekend as well.

For a more strenuous hike with equally stunning color but a better long range view looking down into Cades Cove, consider going up to Gregory Bald. This is about an 11 mile round trip hike and should be fairly popular during peak fall color season so expect the trail to be a little more crowded.

Also moderately strenuous with a very outstanding view will be the Pinnacle Man-way Trail in Greenbrier off the Ramsey Cascades trail which should be very quiet and with a 9 mile round trip, or Charlies Bunion which will be much more crowded, but well worth the 8 plus mile hike along the Appalachian Trail starting from the Newfound Gap Parking area.

Some lesser know but great fall hikes would be taking the start of the Appalachian Trail in Fontana to the fire tower, the hike to the Mount Sterling fire tower from Old State Road 284 or from Big Creek, and the Mount Cammerer Fire tower from either Cosby or the Appalachian Trail.

Less strenuous great fall hikes would be would be Abrams Falls in Cades Cove, The Little River Trail Cucumber Gap Loop in Elkmont, Husky Gap Trail from Newfound Gap Road, Rainbow Falls off Cherokee Orchard Road behind Gatlinburg, Boogerman Loop in Cataloochee, and the waterfall loop in Deep Creek.

If you are a serious hiker, no matter what way you make it up to Mount LeConte this weekend you won't be disappointed, of course it will be crowded.

The Appalachian Hiking Trail still has beautiful long range views in spots, same as the Thomas Divide Trial, but the colorful fall leaves along the trail are virtually all gone.

How is the Government Shutdown Affecting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on day 8?

As day 8 unfolds of the government shutdown that closed the Great Smoky Mountains national park, we seem to be stuck in this bad situation with no immediate end in sight.

To make matters worse, if such a thing is possible, almost daily vandalism, petty theft and defiance has become an ongoing issue in the Great Smoky Mountains national park as well as in other national parks, historical sites and monuments around the nation.

Worst hurt here in the Smokies are the 2 great organizations that help support the park through the kindness and good will of donations and purchases made to support the park.

Both the Friends of the Smokies and the Great Smoky Mountains Association have had donation and cash boxes destroyed. The cost to repair or replaces 2 of the boxes damaged will easily exceed $5,000.

Why are these donation boxes so expensive? Sadly people often try to pilfer from these boxes and often when the boxes are emptied, a variety burglary tools are inside.

It takes a lot of sophisticated custom engineering and very solid box building construction to keep the thieves out and yet still let the money come in smoothly.

There also remains some confusion and what has been called by some "mixed signals" as to what is open in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and what is not during this government shutdown.

The only roads open in the Great Smoky Mountains park are the entire length of Newfound Gap Road from Cherokee to Gatlinburg and the Gatlinburg Bypass from Newfound Gap Road in Gatlinburg to the Spur.

The only road outside of the Great Smoky Mountain national park that is maintained by the national park service that remains open is the very well traveled Spur section of the Foothills Parkway which connects the city of Gatlinburg with the city of Pigeon Forge Tennessee.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Road Closures/Conditions

Weather related and seasonal park road closures normally mean that bicycle and pedestrian traffic is allowed. The government shutdown prohibits any use of the parks roads, facilities and trail systems.

The press release Sunday by Chief Ranger Clay Jordan stated:

While most overlooks and pull-offs along the roadway are open to accommodate safe traffic flow over the mountains, facilities and trails remain closed.

He also stated "We ask that the public voluntarily respect the closure of the backcountry for everyone's safety," and "With less staff on duty, we do not have the personnel on hand to sufficiently respond to emergency situations in the backcountry. We understand the desire of visitors to hike during this beautiful time of year and we are hopeful that the park will soon reopen."

There are clear signage and barricades to keep people away from the Chimneys Hiking Trails where reconstruction has stopped as well as the Alum Cave Trailhead. Parking is only allowed in designated pull outs and parking areas so the intent of this extra "enforcement" is quite clear and should be headed. Tickets have been and will continue to be given out for non-compliance of closures.

Remember the Park Rangers you come into contact with are not being paid and most of their acquaintances are furloughed as well. Many working in the park are park families too meaning the loss of 2 or more incomes in the same family.

As much as I understand the heartache of those that work as a career or volunteer in the park, interviewing an employee of one of the stables last Sunday, I now really understand better the extent of the extreme hardships the employees are going through right now. Let's, hope their landlords and finance companies do as well.

Luckily for tourists, there are plenty of stables where you can go horseback riding outside the park and they all are seeing a booming business already and expect it to pick up even more in the next 3 weeks as we hit peak tourism for the Smokies during peak leaf season.

Though the National Park Service attempted to keep all 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway open from North Carolina to Virginia, further road damage to a section of roadway is closing the parkway from the from NC191/Brevard Road (about Milepost 393) to Hendersonville Road/25s in South Asheville (Milepost 389) until the Federal Highway Administration can finish repairs hopefully before the end of the month.

Even with this closure on the Blue Ridge Parkway, drivers can still enjoy about a 100 miles of uninterrupted scenic beauty all the way from Gatlinburg Tennessee to this point where you would have to detour to continue on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Best case estimates call for this section of the Blue Ridge Parkway to be repaired by the end of the week of the 21st. We would all be happier if it was sooner.

As stated before all picnic areas in the Great Smoky Mountains national park are closed, but you can eat in any of the pull-outs. Cooking, grilling and open flames are forbidden in the Great Smoky Mountains national park other than in designated picnic areas, campsites and campgrounds.

Fall color is more apparent by the day in all of the higher ridge-lines and the past 2 nights have seen temperatures just under 50 degrees in the lower elevations of the park. Add to this the light rainfall we received the night before last and we have the prime making for an extraordinary bright and along lasting peak fall right around the corner.

The next week looks like more of the same, bright sunny days climbing up into the 70s during the day and dropping down to the high 40's.

If you can believe very long range forecasts, it looks as though weather in the Smokies will be nice for the month with maybe 4 days where there is a possibility of rain.

There is even a chance of a light dusting of snow on the peaks early the week of the 20th which would make for a stunning fall photograph.

Related Government GSMNP and BRP Closure Articles:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Reopen Tomorrow at 12 Noon. - Posted 10-15-13

Great Smoky Mountains National Park May Reopen Tomorrow – Maybe - Posted 10-15-13

Government Shutdown Affecting Great Smoky Mountains National Park Day 14 - Posted 10-14-13

How Government Shutdown is Affecting Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Posted 10-08-13

Update to Government Closure of Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Posted 10-05-13

Shutdown Info Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway - Posted 10-03-13

Government Shutdown: Road + Facility Closures Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Posted 10-01-13

Local Fine Art Photographer of The Smokies has Exhibit at the Art Market in Knoxville

If you spend lots of time in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park or in the surrounding area, you have seen the award winning, local photographer Eric Gebhart at work creating his masterpieces.

From December 7th - December 30th 2012, Eric Gebhart will be one of the featured artists at The Art Market Gallery, 422 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN. 37902 (1/2 block south of the Mast General Store).

Mr. Gebhart is a nature and landscape photographer from Sevier County who draws much of his inspiration from the Smoky Mountains. He endeavors to initiate the viewer to make a connection with the natural world around them.

Mr. Gebhart is best known for his breathtaking large format panoramic prints of The Smokies. Included in this exhibit will be several 30x60 inch prints and enormous 30x96 inch prints showcasing the vibrant seasonal colors of Southern Appalachia. His images are printed with such fine detail that viewers are drawn into the artwork, feeling as if they are a part of the scene.

These prints reveal Mr. Gebhart's creative talents in composition, as well as his technical expertise. They also elicit powerful emotions from the viewer. One of his clients stated, "I am drawn to Eric's photographs because he enables me to see what I often miss on my own. I see so much more of the world's beauty when I am able to see through his eyes."

There will be an opening reception on Friday, December 7th from 5:00pm - 9:00pm. Mr. Gebhart will be on hand to greet those in attendance and share in their enthusiasm for photography and appreciation of the natural world. Join us for refreshments and live music.

I have had the opportunity to watch Eric at work numerous times and reviewed many of his finished fine art and commercial photographs and would highly recommend that if you are able to, you should attend any of his showings.

More information about Eric Gebhart and the Art Market Gallery:

www.facebook.com/smokymountainpictures
www.smokymountainpictures.com
www.twitter.com/smokiesphoto

www.facebook.com/Art.Market.Gallery
www.artmarketgallery.net

Discover Life in America Synchronous Firefly Events

Time is running out to not only support Discover Life in America, what I feel is the most important organization operating in the Smokies and to enjoy natures finest light show the Synchronous Fireflies and beat the crowds. Move fast as there are only a few slots left!

Secret Synchronous Firefly Event 7:30 pm - 11:00 pm June 10 & 11
Enjoy exclusive access to the Norton Creek Sanctuary near Gatlinburg where you will be provided heavy hors d'oeuvres and drink (beer and wine) along with a firefly expert. Next after a nighttime picnic with the fireflies, a short walk you will learn more than you ever thought imaginable about these fascinating creatures of the Smokies!

Reservations are required for this fund raising event and space is very limited. Call (865)430-4756 for tickets ($75 per person)

Secret Synchronous Firefly Event 7:30 pm - 11:00 pm June 12
This Firefly event will be much like the Norton Creek adventure on June 10th and 11th except the adventure begins at the Park Grill, and after food and drink and firefly presentation, we will carpool to a secret site in the Park. Reservations are required and space very limited. Call (865)430-4756 for tickets.

Nantahala Outdoor Center Free Firefly Festival 11am-4pm June 11
Come to the Nantahala Outdoor Center Great Outpost in Gatlinburg, TN right at the border of the Great Smoky mountains national park and celebrate for free the amazing diversity of Fireflies in the Smokies with this event.

There will be educational opportunities, art, music by Captain Firefly, an insect zoo, kids activities, a secret "dark room" to "bioluminate," and food and drink vendors. There will be presentations on the synchronous firefly phenomenon in the Smokies at 1 pm and again at 3 pm.

Discover Life in America has spent more than 10 years inventorying all the plants and animals in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and so far has identified more than 7,100 species we did not know existed in the park and more than 920 that are newly discovered species!

Synchronized Fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains

Related Smokies Fireflies News Stories

Synchronized Fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains

• 2014 Firefly Viewing Dates in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
• Where and When to see Synchronous Fireflies in the Smokies in 2013
• Synchronous Fireflies Emerge Too Early for Visitors In The Great Smoky Mountains national park
• Synchronous fireflies and their admirers are about to invade the Great Smoky Mountains national park
• Great Smoky Mountains National park synchronous firefly
• Great Smoky Mountains Fireflies has 900 visitors first night
• Synchronized Fireflies in Great Smoky Mountains national parks Elkmont a huge disappointment

Appalachian Bear Rescue Hosts 2010 Black Bear Expo at the Townsend Tennessee Visitor Center

With all the interest this year about black bears in the Smokies, the 2010 Black Bear Expo taking place Saturday June 26th from 9 am - 5 pm at the Townsend Visitor Center will be a big hit with locals and tourists alike.

You cannot think about the Great Smoky Mountains without thinking about our beloved local black bears. What you may not think about, is the almost 15 years of hard work that the nonprofit group Appalachian Bear Rescue does to help injured and orphaned black bear cubs by giving them a safe place to live and grow until they can be returned to the wild.

The great folks at Appalachian Bear Rescue are hosting a black bear expo this weekend that everyone young or old can enjoy and at the same time learn how to life safely in and around black bear habitats. Black bear management is actually people management, and this expo will give you and the family the knowledge it takes to keep our bear and your family safe, all the way enjoying music, storytelling and so much more.

The musical entertainment you can enjoy at the black bear expo will be multi-talented Appalachian musician Tony Thomas and Pistol Creek Catch of the Day. Be sure to also join in on the fun activities and take in the informative displays of black bear.

You will also learn how to set up a safe campsite and photograph black bears along with other animals in the wild. 20 people who sign in ahead of time will have to opportunity to take a guided hike to an inactive black bear den. To sign up for the hike, call (828) 524-9904.

One of the other highlights of the bear expo will be the exciting and incredibly entertaining stories given by Retired park rangers Dwight McCarter and Joe Kelley. There will also be hands on demonstrations by wildlife officers.

Besides food and soft drinks that will be available, a chainsaw carver will be on hand, and you can even purchase black bear items.

So come on out to Townsend Tennessee this Saturday June 26th and support the Appalachian Bear Rescue who in 2009 took in 23 black bear cubs - that's more than twice what they handled in 2008!

Want to find out how you can help? Contact Kathy or Anne by phone at (828) 524-9904 or email at wildscove@hughes.net. Appalachian Bear Rescue is also on Facebook and they have an Appalachian Bear Rescue Blog.

Appalachian Bear Rescue
PO Box 364
Townsend, Tennessee 37882

Rockslide closes portion of Little River Road in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

Another rockslide in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park along Little River Road forced the park service to close the section of roadway to all traffic between Metcalf Bottoms and the Townsend Wye.

Fortunately, the Sinks area is already closed to all traffic and pedestrian due to construction so no popular areas are directly affected by the closure.

This winter there have been numerous rockslides along the Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge Spur and Little River Road. While some of these rockslides have taken weeks to remove excess debris and complete slope stabilization, initial reports on this slide state that Little River Road will be open to traffic very quickly.

Rockslide Near Great Smoky Mountains National Park Keeps Part of Spur Closed a Month or More

This Monday a significant rockslide fell onto the southbound lanes of the Spur section of the Foothills Parkway (US 441) a few hundred yards south of traffic light 10 in Pigeon Forge on the way to Gatlinburg Tennessee and experts now predict that the cleanup and stabilization of the slope could potentially take at least a month.

The rockslide between Gatlinburg and Pigeon thankfully did not cause any injuries and occurred in the off-season so the traffic affected by the detour around the rockslide is minimal right now, but will affect the tourism peak that occurs on and around Valentines Day.

Yesterday morning the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) had geotechnical engineers inspect the rockslide and their determination is that the wall or rock, earth and vegetation is still very unstable and before the roadway can be reopened to traffic, significant stabilization effort is required.

Presently TDOT will need to obtain an emergency contract to stabilize this section of the mountainside along the Spur and once the work is started will be able to offer a more accurate time in which this project can be completed.

Since the rockslide cleanup and stabilization along the spur will take so long, representatives from the Great Smoky Mountains national park and TDOT are working together to improve the traffic flow on the 1 mile detour where northbound traffic is reduced to 1 lane and southbound traffic uses 1 lane flowing south.

According to Great Smoky Mountains National Park Facility Management Chief Alan Sumeriski stated, "We are working with TDOT to improve the configuration of temporary traffic barriers and the signage to help keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible and to maximize public safety."

He went on to say "We will also be adding numerous signs in the detour area to guide residents and visitors to each of the side roads that are accessed off the Spur."

Though park rangers patrol the entire length of the Spur, the State of Tennessee owns the portion where the rockslide took place, so TDOT has sole responsibility for repairs of the slide itself.

While being restriped today there will be traffic delays along the Spur.

Landslide in Great Smoky Mountains national park cleared but clearing I-40 will take many months.

This has been some leaf season in the Smokies! Multiple rock and landslides within weeks create traffic nightmares for many, but fortunately yesterday's landslide in the Great Smoky Mountains national park took the park and Blalock Construction less than 24 hours to clear but the I-40 landslide only 3 miles from the Tennessee and North Carolina border will take until March 2010 or longer.

This summer we saw 2 rock slides occur along Little River Road which took days to clean up so that the road could be reopened so it was a very pleasant surprise to see how fast the main East West road in the Great Smoky Mountains national park reopened however those who wish to take I-40 from North Carolina will have to wait far longer before they can avoid detours. The real disaster for drivers will be when Newfound Gap Road (US 441) closes due to ice and snow in bad weather which is a very common occurrence.

There was another closure due to at potential landslide this moth along the Blue Ridge Parkway which has also cause drivers to have to deal with lengthy detours right when the fall season colors were at their peak along the parkway.

Related Landslide and Rockslides in the Smokies Stories:

• Rock Slide Closes Great Smoky Mountains National Parks Little River Road
• 2nd Rock Slide in the Great Smoky Mountains national park will keep major road closed far longer
• 12 miles of Blue Ridge Parkway in Mount Pisgah - Asheville Area Closed Due to Landslide Danger

Snow Closes Roads In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

A light dusting of snow in the upper elevations yesterday afternoon which fell through some of the evening first closed Clingmans Dome Road and then Newfound Gap Road US 441 which runs through the Great Smoky Mountains national park connecting Cherokee North Carolina with Gatlinburg Tennessee.

Other road such as the Blue Ridge Parkway, Old 284 and Cove Creek Road running to Cataloochee all saw accumulation and slushy icy conditions. Last evening a truck needed assistance to make it up and out of Cataloochee but not without fishtailing a few times and cosmetically damaging its tailgate.

Wet conditions made for numerous accidents in and around the Great Smoky Mountains national park. Drivers are reminded to obey speed limit and if conditions require, to drive even slower. During leaf season especially when there is the added beauty of snow in the mountains drivers may become distracted or even slow down and stop in the roadways to take pictures which is prohibited.

This is the first day of the season that snow has been sticking and ice has been forming on roadways as pictured below on Cove Creel Road yesterday at around 3 pm.

Right now the snow and ices is melting quite well and crews are right now sanding the Newfound Gap Road which may open up before 11:00 am. As temperatures cool down later in the day and the melting snow and ice refreezes, it may have to close again.

Gregory Bald Azaleas in Peak Bloom Right Now – So I Am Told. When Good Hikes Go Bad.

Friday was just one of those days in the Great Smoky Mountains national park that you just not be sure how the day was going to turn out for hiking. The weather man said a high chance of rain and the haze and 90 degree weather in the valley made me rethink my plans 3 times throughout the day to hike up to Gregory Bald where the azaleas would be in peak bloom and I could look down on Cades Cove and Lake Fontana.

Though Mount Le Conte was obscured from view by the haziness in Sevierville, as long as the air quality was good I was willing to take a shot and hope for as good view from Gregory Bald by hiking up to the mountain late in the day as it got cooler and returning down the mountain in the dark. The ozone level was at 38 so I felt as though the air quality was good enough to take this moderately strenuous 11 mile hike.

Driving through Cades Cove with the windows down it was still warm but comfortable as I was moving and few deer were out of the cover of the woods in the cove in the late afternoon sun. I decided as I was driving that since I was hiking back in the dark, to take the trail off Forge Creek Road rather than the one off Parsons Branch and upon arrival I could see the parking area was filled with other hikers looking to enjoy peak season on Gregory Bald.

Since it was so warm at the trailhead I threw 2 more water bottles in my backpack and I checked my water filter system in a dry bag even though I just consumed 2 bottles of water since I entered the Cades Cove. An extra flashlight got tossed into the pack along with some camera gear and I was off.

Within 5 minutes on the trail I ran into to 2 National Park employees I ironically was going to contact this week chatted for a few minutes and they confirmed it was spectacular up top and I was back on my way up the mountain to the parks pretties bald that I was sure was in peak bloom.

About another 5 minutes in and older couple was hiking down the trail. Seeing me geared up so heavily they asked me if I was a ranger and told me that and older couple was in distress up by the bald and that the man was very sick and suffering from the heat, when I asked as to the man's condition the response was "bad". He was very hot, very sick, had bad color and was unable to stand.

I told the couple to continue back down the trail carefully and to go to the Cades Cove visitor center so they could radio for help and to not rush down the trail so they don't fall and get hurt as well and I would go up and assist the couple in trouble.

I decided to run up the trail as quickly as possible as I would be the first responder at least an hour ahead of the parks EMS crew and that's if they were in Cades Cove which was doubtful. As I was working my way uphill I decided to hang some of the gear in my pack on the bear lines once I could reach campsite 12.

I passed a hiker leisurely coming down the mountain who I had seen a few months before on the same trail. I asked him the condition of the couple as well as their present location and he casually respond they were just above the campsite and the man was sick.

Still rushing up the trail I eventually ran into the couple slowly descending the trial. He was a tall fit gentleman who recognized me from the Porters Creek Trail. He was standing in the trail with a wet cloth on his head and swaying.

Apparently he and his wife went up the mountain with small packs, heavy camera equipment and about 2 liters of water. They were given more water when he wasn't feeling well and worked their way down to a stream where he rested and they refilled at least one container of water from the stream and wet the cloth on his head.

As he and his wife were telling me the story I observed his respiration, skin color and demeanor. When I asked him about nausea, dizziness, headache and other symptoms he didn't have kept saying he felt "real bad" and didn't feel that good on the way up either.

I told him help was on the way but we could see that he was feeling way better now that he started hydrating. He decided he was well enough to work his way down the trail and didn't want the park to execute a full blown rescue. As he was talking I was finishing off my last bottle of water and I set my stopwatch.

Since the trailhead was full and people would be working their way down I told him I was going to update the park as to his condition and to keep one of the people coming back down the trail close by him and his wife.

I worked my way down the trail quickly making note of the time at the trailhead and drove to the Cades Cove Visitors Center and advised them of his condition and returned to the trailhead to hike back up to the couple with more water I had in the car as well as Gatorade powder.

I dumped some gear back into the car to lighten my back for the trip uphill and just at the time and Park Ranger with EMS training arrived. I updated on the gentleman's improved condition and last know location and he notified dispatch and stared packing out his emergency pack as I rushed back up the trail.

When I caught up with the couple they were far further down and were accompanied by a kind middle aged couple watching out for him. We all stopped by a stream to cool off and wait for the ranger who arrived about 5 minutes later.

The ranger conducted a quick field exam checking for signs of dehydration, heat cramps and heat exhaustion. The ranger was thorough and had a fantastic bedside - make that streamside manor.

At this point the gentleman was drinking a light Gatorade mixture I had made for him and when asked how he was feeling responding clearly and emphatically "lousy". Since his balance was still in question we all accompanied him back down to his car carrying his pack for him with his precious camera gear.

Back at the car I unloaded my soaking wet backpack and finished off my 5th bottle of water in under 2-1/2 hours. Since it was too late to get good lighting I knew the day was over for me.

I have since heard from the gentleman who was very thankful and in great spirits.

Proper hydration and moderation in strenuous activities are especially crucial when hiking for an extended time in high temperatures. What appeared to be a mild case of dehydration and heat exhaustion could easily become deadly heat stroke if left untreated.

The couple left with far too little water and no way to safely treat more water if they needed it. When first not feeling well they should have stopped and cooled off - even going as far as soaking clothes with water or just sitting in a stream. Hydration and moderation are keys to comfortable safe hiking.

If this gentleman was not in such good general health, this story would had have a far more tragic ending rather than me not being able to see the peak in the azaleas on Gregory Bald.

Plan on hiking? Check out our new first aid pages for hiking listed below:

• Dehydration First Aid for Hikers


• Heat Cramps First Aid for Hikers


• Heat Exhaustion First Aid for Hikers


• Heat Stroke First Aid for Hikers

More Hiking Trails Closed due to Wildfire activity in Great Smoky Mountains national park

Wildfire activity on the Great Smoky Mountains national park prompts the immediate closing of more hiking trails between Gatlinburg and Elkmont in the Metcalf area and Wears Valley

The Hiking Trails now closed in the GSMNP are:

• Cove Mountain Hiking Trail
• Laurel Falls Hiking Trail
• Little Brier Gap
• Little Roundtop Hiking Trail
• Little Greenbrier Hiking Trail
• Metcalf Bottoms Hiking Trail

We are on our way to the area for a first hand look and will report form the scene.

Clingmans Dome Road will close today until Tomorrow evening for GSMNP 75th

A Governors' Proclamation Ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains national park attended by state officials from Tennessee, and North Carolina, local counties and municipalities as well as tourism representatives and conservation associations will require that Clingmans Dome Road to be closed from public visitors access from 7 pm today until 5 pm tomorrow afternoon.

Conspicuously absent from this historical occasion kicking of the parks 75th anniversary will be Governor Beverly Perdue from North Carolina.

The hiking trails on an around Clingmans Dome Road will remain open to hikers including the Appalachian Trail which goes up to Clingmans Dome Observatory Tower and runs down along Clingmans Dome Road

All trailheads along Clingmans Dome Road will not have vehicle access as long as the road is closed. Hikers would be able to park or get picked up at the Newfound Gap Parking Area which will be more crowded than usual. A better alternative is to avoid the area.

The 75th anniversary celebration will be ongoing throughout the year and the kickoff open to the public will take place as a ticket event in Cades Cove June 13th at 3:00 pm. Since Cades Cove has such limited parking and access a vehicle access pass will be entered the Cove at that time. As of this morning good number of tickets for this event are still left and can be obtained by calling (865) 291-3310. More information can be found at The Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestras web site.

Your Smokies News will be at the Governors Proclamation Ceremony at Clingmans Dome and will reporting live as long as the spotty wireless signal holds up.

Guns No Longer Allowed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Again.

Concealed, loaded weapons are no longer allowed in any of the nations National Parks since U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kennedy granted a temporary injunction late Thursday restoring rules that ban loaded, concealed firearms in national parks such as the Great Smoky Mountains.

The court ruling stated that the Bush administration failed to follow federal environmental laws and the safety of park visitors and their experience would be compromised by allowing guns into any of our national parks.

As of this January 9th to the dismay of many environmental organizations, law enforcement personnel and both the Association of National Park Rangers and the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees there was a change in law allowing loaded guns into the GSMNP.

I wish to make clear that I own guns and have done so for more than 30 years but I vehemently appose allowing guns into parks such as the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Very simply the environment of our national parks such as the Great Smoky Mountains national park does not need armed citizens running around using guns as "protection" against other park visitors or the natural inhabitants.

An argument however can be made that being armed in is some wildlife refuges where there is a dense population of Polar Bear may be of some benefit to visitors. There is no logical need for an across the board allowance of loaded weapons in our nations national parks, wildlife refuges and historical landmarks.

The United States Government has until April 20th to state its "intended course of action" regarding this ruling. If the government is listening to those who work in and around the park and the majority of those who volunteer or visit the park, loaded guns other than those carried by enforcement personnel would never be allowed back into the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

As always I welcome any comments and only delete those that are spam.

Related New Stories on Guns in National Parks:

• Guns now legal in Great Smoky Mountains national park as of 02-22-10
• Guns are still not allowed in the Great Smoky Mountains national park
• Guns stay out of the Great Smoky Mountains national park but may soon enter TN State parks
• Guns No Longer Allowed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Again
• Bear Spray is now legal in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

Wildnerness Week is starting now in Pigeon Forge

Wilderness Wildlife Week part of the the Winterfest celebration in the Great Smoky Mountains is kicking off today in Pigeon Forge.

Cades Cove Deer are starting to rut in the GSMNP

It's that time of the year again for the male deer in the Great Smoky Mountains national park to rut and Cades Cove is the place to see them.

Most of the time when you drive around or hike in Cades Cove you can see a few bucks (male deer) carousing around with each other in the company of many Doe (female deer).

Now during rut the males are collecting their harems and sparring with each other which will increase in activity over the next few weeks.

Deer can be dangerous animals if provoked and during the rut male deer are far more aggressive. Contrary to popular belief it is the deer's hoofs that are more dangerous that there antlers.

This is a great time to watch the deer in the GSMNP but bring along binoculars or use a telephoto lens and keep your distance for the deer's safety, your safety and to observe national park regulation in keeping 50 yards away from wildlife.

Rough weather for drivers and hikers in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Rain, heavy fog and high winds are creating hazards for drivers and hikers in the Smokies this morning with gusts exceeding 45 miles per hour on some ridgelines.

Since we have been getting light rain on and off for the last 48 hours and the ground is wet, the high winds are creating a major blow down hazard and the high wind advisory which expires in a few hours will still be in effect in some isolated areas.

It is advised to stay off of ridge lines as hikers should avoid hiking in areas of high winds as this may pose and extreme danger.

Drivers must also use extreme caution on less traveled roads that may have a large accumulation of fallen wet leaves that may pose a skidding hazard.

Hikers must also use caution on hiking trails with heavy leaf accumulation as leaves may obstruct tripping hazards such has tree roots and protruding rocks and may be floating on water hiding this hazard as well as slippery rocks underneath.

If unsure of footing hikers should be probing the ground with hiking poles or a walking stick.

Rain is dampening spirits of leaf peepers and barely helping drought in the Smokies

Today marks the second day of light rain in the Great Smoky Mountains, just in time for one of the heaviest weekends of peak leaf season visitation and damping the spirits of some leaf peepers, but not enough to put a dent in the water shortage caused by 2 years of drought.

The rain though light, is knocking many leaves that turned in the trees onto the ground making hiking and driving on the wet slippery leaves a little more hazardous than normal.

As more and more leaves fall to the ground the threat of wildfires increases especially given the huge numbers of trees that have died in the past 2 years due to the stresses of drought, last years late freeze and the massive hemlock kill off caused by the invasive exotic pest the Hemlock woolly adelgid which is decimating the hemlock trees throughout the Great Smoky Mountains.

All of this excess fuel is creating the potential for a huge wildfire situation and we need to make sure that we clear as much brush as possible from around our homes and make firebreaks.

Last week a cabin rental company America Mountains Rentals had just cleared brush from the sides and behind a cabin for rent on Bluff Mountain in Wears Valley just days before a brush fire broke out threatening the entire mountainside.

A total of 5 local fire departments fought the wildfire day and night and were able to put it out that to the fact that there was a firebreak that slowed the fire down.

That entire section of Bluff Mountain was evacuated and fortunately American Mountain Rentals had a large enough inventory of cabins that they were able to give the evacuees alternate accommodations for the rest of their vacations.

Another cabin fire a few days ago burnt a large 4 bedroom luxury rental unit to the ground and luckily everyone was able to escape without injuries.

It is also crucial that we don't treat fire carelessly in the backcountry only making a fire when absolutely necessary in within a safe campfire containment area in designated campsites. More than once, I have come across a deserted campsite in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and found a fire still smoldering in a fire pit or ring.

It is also important that if you have been driving for a while that you do not park on top of a pile of leaves as your hot exhaust system can actually cause the leaves to ignite setting the leaves and your car on fire.

Light rain is expected to fall on and off throughout much of the Smokies today, and the weather should return to bright sunny skies by tomorrow.