Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Your Own Eastern National Park Road Trip

Several years ago we wrote “The Best National Park Trip,” an article that described the wonders of visiting Zion, Bryce Canyon, and the Grand Canyon during a tour of the West. This is indeed a great trip that can be extended with visits to Lake Powell, Cedar Breaks, and other nearby units administered by the National Park Service.

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By David and Kay Scott - June 18th, 2010 3:15am

2 comments

ReserveAmerica Can't Find a National Park Campground It Likes

ReserveAmerica, the company that manages camping reservations for the National Park System and other federal agencies, can't seem to find a national park campground it likes. In listing its "Top 100 Family Campgrounds," the company doesn't cite a single national park campground.

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By Kurt Repanshek - June 16th, 2010 3:15am

5 comments

Mountains-to-Sea Trail Weaves Through North Carolina's National Parks

Every state wants to have a long-distance hiking trail to show off the best of its natural features. The Long Trail in Vermont that meanders from the Massachusetts border to Canada is the oldest, having been created in 1910. Farther south, the Mountains-to Sea Trail runs from Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the Atlantic.

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By [email protected] - June 15th, 2010 8:36am

6 comments

Updated: Phone App Reviews: Chimani's Acadia and Nomad's Great Smoky Mountains

The number of national park phone applications recently grew by two, with Chimani's Acadia National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park guide(s) recently sent to market by Nomad Mobile Guides. We recently test drove both. Here's what we found.

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By Kurt Repanshek - June 15th, 2010 8:11am

2 comments

With A Growing Number of National Park Phone Apps, What Should You Expect?

Like it or not, we are indeed becoming a society tethered to our electronics. If anyone doubts that this is the "information age," know that recent surveys estimate that nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population carries a smart phone in their pocket or purse.

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By Kurt Repanshek - June 14th, 2010 2:15am

1 comment

Interpreting National Park Settings Is a Skill, Not Something You Wing

In National Park Service lingo, interpretation is the process of providing each visitor an opportunity to personally connect with a place. We interpret for the visitor informally when we talk to them in the visitor center or on the trail and formally when we give a program.

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By [email protected] - June 7th, 2010 9:57am

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Got Time to Volunteer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Great Opening At Clingmans Dome

Do you have an encyclopedic knowledge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and like to volunteer? If so, there's a great opening in the park at Clingmans Dome this summer.

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By Kurt Repanshek - June 1st, 2010 3:15am

1 comment

Ever See Fireflies All Blink In Unison? It Happens at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

There are few places where you can see fireflies all flicker at the same time, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of them.

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By Kurt Repanshek - May 30th, 2010 8:26am

5 comments

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Roadwork Taking Longer Than Anticipated

It's taking a wee bit longer than expected to complete some road projects in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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By Kurt Repanshek - May 29th, 2010 2:15am

Reader Participation Day: Which Is Your Favorite National Park Gateway Town?

If you had to pick a gateway town to live in -- not because of its associated national park, but because of its atmosphere -- which would you choose?

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By Kurt Repanshek - May 19th, 2010 2:15am

25 comments

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