Federal authorities are bringing charges against a North Carolina man in connection with the shooting of one of Great Smoky Mountains National Park's bull elk, an animal that was one of the largest bulls in the herd.

There are places in Great Smoky Mountains National Park that the old timers called "hells" they were such a tangle of vegetation. Well, a young trio of hikers realized that the hard way when they wandered off a marked trail and quickly found themselves lost.

Orange will be highly visible in Great Smoky Mountains National Park early next year, as road work ramps up around the park thanks to an infusion of funds via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as well as the Federal Lands Highway Program. While that work will produce some long-needed improvements, it also means getting around the park could be difficult at times.

It could take three months or longer to clean up a rock slide and reopen a section of Interstate 40 on the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That means getting to the park from some areas will be a bit tricky. It also means don't rely on your GPS units to find a shortcut, as that could spell trouble.