Crowds in particularly popular areas of the National Park System are challenging park managers to manage the crowds while preserving the natural resources. One solution that seems to be growing is to require reservations for access, something that's been adopted at Zion and Acadia national parks and tested at Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah national parks.

A forest fire caused by a motorcycle accident has been largely contained at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee.

The more you know, the more you care, the better you can do. It’s a naïve thought, but it’s what I choose to believe, especially in my capacity as Great Smoky Mountains Association’s 2022 Steve Kemp Writer in Residence.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park can be an explosion of rich sensations—wildflowers bursting into colorful bloom; creeks, streams, and waterfalls alternating between quiet serenades and crashing cymbals—and all perfect inspirations for haiku.