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Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Looking To Gain A Little Structured Education On Your National Park Trip?

Can you tell by looking at a wildflower in Yellowstone National Park what the underlying geology is? Or, while hiking through Great Smoky Mountains National Park, can you identify a bird simply by its song? Do you want to get relatively up close to the elephant seals at Point Reyes National Seashore? Here's how you can do all those things and more.

Updated: Federal Government Urged To Close Caves Inhabited by Bats on Public Lands to Stop Spread of White-Nose Syndrome

A conservation group is petitioning the federal government with a request that it close all caves and mines inhabited by bats on public lands in a bid to stop the spread of white-nosed syndrome among bats. At the same time, the Center for Biological Diversity wants the Eastern small-footed bat and the Northern long-eared bat to be listed as endangered species.

North Carolina Wildlife Officials Thinking of Reclassifying Status of Great Smoky Mountains National Park Elk

Elk populations seem to be growing satisfactorily in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But does that mean North Carolina wildlife officials should remove the protective status that prevents elk from being hunted in the area?

Work at Sinks Parking Area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Could Impact Your Trail Access

The recent blast of frigid temperatures that descended on Great Smoky Mountains National Park makes word of closure of the Sinks Parking Area in the park largely a so-what deal. But be aware that spring visitors to the park could have some trail access difficulties.

Winter Storm Closes Shenandoah’s Skyline Drive and Some Sections of Blue Ridge Parkway

A major winter storm has created hazardous driving conditions in the three major Appalachian parks. All of Skyline Drive and some sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway have been closed. Great Smoky's Newfound Gap Road is subject to closures at night due to ice.

Decades in the Making, the Uproar Over Great Smoky Mountains National Park's North Shore Road Almost Settled

In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, every trail has a history. That’s what makes hiking here so fascinating. But no trail is as historic or as controversial as the Lake Shore Trail, which skirts Fontana Lake in North Carolina. The issue surrounding it is currently the longest-running open item on the park's agenda, but there’s hope it will be resolved soon.

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