Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Groups Will Need Permits To Visit Whiteoak Sink At Great Smoky Mountains National Park

In a bid to reduce trampling of wildflowers, a group permit system for visits to the Whiteoak Sink area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be in place next month.

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By NPT Staff - March 9th, 2021 1:45am

National Parks Quiz And Trivia #26 – Superlatives

The National Park System is full of superlatives: the biggest, the smallest, the longest, the deepest, the rarest, the tallest, and on and on. National Parks Quiz and Trivia #26 takes a look at some of these superlatives while testing your knowledge and teaching you a little something you might not have known.

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By Rebecca Latson - March 9th, 2021 6:20am

8 comments

Groups Push For Eastern Hellbender To Be Protected By ESA

"Hellbenders," massive salamanders that can reach 2 feet in length, have not had it easy in recent decades. Back in 2011 the Ozark hellbender, which have been found in Ozark National Scenic Riverways, was designated an endangered species. And now conservation groups want the Eastern hellbender protected by the Endangered Species Act as well.

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By NPT Staff - March 5th, 2021 1:45am

Autopsy Could Tell Whether Bear Killed Great Smoky Mountains Backpacker Last Fall

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials hope results of an autopsy on a backpacker whose body was being scavenged by a black bear will tell whether the man was killed by the bear.

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By NPT Staff - March 2nd, 2021 1:45am

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Great Smoky Mountain National Park Visitors Want...Space

What type of experience do Great Smoky Mountains National Park visitors want? One with less congestion, according to visitor feedback.

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By Kurt Repanshek - February 12th, 2021 1:30am

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Vehicle-Free Wednesdays At Cades Cove In Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Navigating the 11-mile loop around Cades Cove at Great Smoky Mountains National Park can be trying during the summer season, with traffic at times inching along bumper to bumper. Beginning in May, though, Wednesdays in the cove will be vehicle-free.

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By NPT Staff - February 11th, 2021 1:30am

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New National Park Service App A Work In Progress

The National Park Service has a new app that's intended to cover all the units of the National Park System, but that's a tall order for parks that lack staff to provide robust content.

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By Kurt Repanshek - February 10th, 2021 1:51pm

1 comment

How Deadly Is Your Favorite National Park?

A review of accident reports from 54 national parks points to falls as the leading cause of death in those parks, with Yosemite and Grand Canyon national parks ranked one and two for falling fatalities. When all causes of death are counted, Grand Canyon comes out ahead in terms of fatalities recorded in the parks since 2010.

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By NPT Staff - January 19th, 2021 9:53am

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2nd Annual Threatened And Endangered Parks: Overcrowding And Visitor Management

There are, across the National Park Service, a number of parks that draw large crowds of visitors, crowds that in some places are stretching the shoulder seasons and challenging park managers to get creative when it comes to protecting natural resources and dealing with the heavy visitation.

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By Kurt Repanshek - January 3rd, 2021 2:00am

4 comments

Year-End Quiz: Musicians And National Parks, The Answers

So, how well do you know your musicians and their national park connections?

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 30th, 2020 1:45am

1 comment

INN Member

The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks