Great Smoky Mountains National Park recently received help to restore key elements of the historic Palmer Barn. Asheville building contractor Sean Perry and his crew partnered with the park and Friends of the Smokies to preserve the structural integrity of the barn and improve visitor safety through the renovation project in Cataloochee in the North Carolina section of the park.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park may have experienced an eclipse in 2017, but the support the park received from one of its largest retail partners was anything but eclipsed, with more than $2 million contributed to a vast array of activities during the year by Great Smoky Mountains Association.

Mark your calendars for one of the most famous light displays at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That's right, the synchronous blinking of the park's fireflies.

With more than a few national parks straining to cope with heavy visitation, and some groups hoping to see more lodging made available in some parks, it seems a little odd to know that once upon a time the National Park Service considered itself the "parent of the concept of eliminating overnight accommodations (except campgrounds) inside the parks to minimize intrusions and lessen impact."