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

Visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park leave quite a bit behind when they head home after visiting the park. In fact, a study shows that in 2010 the park's 9 million or so visitors spent more than $818 million in gateway communities surrounding the national park.
Image icon NPS-System Economics 2010.pdf

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

For many national parks, their best partners are their neighbors in surrounding communities. With that in mind, the folks at Great Smoky Mountains National Park are working with Friends of the Smokies and the Great Smoky Mountain Association to strengthen connections with leaders in surrounding communities.

What's the Word at Chiricahua National Monument After Last Summer's Major Wildfire?

The news last summer from Chiricahua National Monument wasn't encouraging—a major wildfire was burning across much of the park known as the "Wonderland of Rocks." How did the park fare, and what's the situation for visitors today? Here's an update from a recent trip to the area.

Bus Bust at Petrified Forest National Park Nets Stolen Wood - and a Lot More

The theft of petrified wood is an ongoing problem at Petrified Forest National Park, so it was gratifying to learn that a tip from a visitor resulted in the apprehension of a group of thieves earlier this month. The bust of the group traveling in a converted school bus also netted some other items of considerable interest to authorities.