Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The National Parks: America's Best Idea

National parks represent a spectacular legacy handed down to today’s generations, but it is one that also carries a hefty responsibility of stewardship. That becomes quickly obvious in Ken Burns’ The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. This notion of responsible stewardship is not new at all. In many ways it’s trite.

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By Kurt Repanshek - September 20th, 2009 6:00am

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National Park Quiz 69: Camping

Camping in the national parks is a lot of fun, and so is this quiz. Answers are at the end. If we catch you peeking, we’ll make you explain the modern-day appeal of backcountry camping in the context of the classic three-stage Pastoral Retreat model elucidated by literary historian Leo Marx.

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By Bob Janiskee - October 30th, 2011 7:05am

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Fall Harvest Festival This Weekend At Great Smoky Mountains National Park

If you've ever wondered how they make sorghum syrup, head to Great Smoky Mountains National Park this Saturday to find out the process. That and other mountain arts will be on display during the park's annual Mountain Life Festival at the park's Mountain Farm Museum.

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By Kurt Repanshek - September 15th, 2009 6:00am

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With the Fall Rut Beginning, Wind Cave National Park Rangers Leading Elk Bugling Programs

One of the oddest sounds you might encounter in a national park at this time of year is the high-pitched squeal of elk. Better known as "bugling," this sound is as magical as that of a wolf howl hanging in the air.

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By Kurt Repanshek - September 12th, 2009 6:00am

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National Park Quiz 68: Fishing

Take this quiz and see if you are piscatorially competent. Answers are at the end. If we catch you peeking, we'll make you tell us where the fish are biting.

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By Bob Janiskee - October 29th, 2011 1:14pm

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Great Smoky’s Highway 441 to be Closed Temporarily for 75th Anniversary Rededication Ceremony

Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441), the only highway crossing Great Smoky Mountains National Park between Gatlinburg and Cherokee, will be closed from sunset Tuesday, September 1, until late afternoon Wednesday, September 2.

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By Bob Janiskee - August 31st, 2009 11:07am

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70-Year-Old Backpacker Airlifted Out of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Spam, fruit, and rainwater sustained a lost 70-year-old backpacker in Great Smoky Mountains National Park who was hoisted to safety Sunday morning by a Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter after being stranded atop an outcrop for the past week.

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 30th, 2009 2:29pm

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Updated: Missing Backpacker Found in Good Condition in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

A backpacker missing since Tuesday in the rugged backcountry of Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been found in good condition but will have to spend another night in the woods, officials said Saturday afternoon.

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 30th, 2009 6:09am

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Searchers Set to Resume Search For Backpacker Missing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Searchers who have been scouring parts of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in search of a missing backpacker hoped to be aided Saturday by dogs trained to pick up the human scent.

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 31st, 2009 6:50am

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Wet, Rugged Conditions Make Search Tricky For Missing Backpacker at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Wet and extremely rugged conditions were hampering a search Friday at Great Smoky Mountains National Park for a 70-year-old backpacker who had been expected to return from a trip on Tuesday.

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 28th, 2009 12:46pm

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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