Smoky Mountain Blog

Fishing for Rainbow's

2008-06-02T07:34:00.003-05:00

Beginning today and continuing through June 14, 2008, the National Park Service is allowing anglers and avid fisherman to fish and keep rainbow trout caught along an eight mile stretch of Lynn Camp Prong and its tributary Marks Creek.

The rainbow trout are thought to be the cause for the decline in the native brook trout and the Park Service wants to remove as many rainbow as possible before adding a fish toxin to the waters in September.

Soon after September, the Park Service will move brook trout from other areas within the Park into that same eight mile area, that will once again be closed to anglers.

Smoky Mountain Stables Extends Season

2007-12-14T15:19:00.000-05:00

The National Park Service has announced that the Smoky Mountain Stables will remain open throughout December, weather permitting. Daily from 9 am to 4 pm, the stables will offer one hour guided horseback rides for $20 per person per hour.

The weather has remained pretty seasonal, so conditions are ideal for horseback excursions through the Great Smoky Mountains. In case of unstable weather, visitors are encouraged to call 865-436-5634 before arriving.

US 441 Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Spur Under Construction

2007-11-27T09:46:00.000-05:00

Road work began November 5 and is estimated to continue through early spring of 2009 on the road known as the spur, which accommodates an estimated 11 million visitors annually.

Preliminary work has already begun with single lane closures along the north and southbound lanes, however closures will not be permitted during the holidays.

Along with paving work, three extensive projects are scheduled to be completed including repairing the drainage system and the lighting system in the northbound lane of the tunnel, slope stabilization at Norton Creek Road, where a landslide occurred on the west side of the spur, and work at the Huskey Creek overpass.

The National Park Service will pay an estimated 6.3 million dollars to complete the project.

Cades Cove Rd. Closing Dec. 5th & 6th

2007-11-16T13:47:00.000-05:00

Cades Cove Loop Road will be closed to motor vehicles on the 5th and 6th of December for hemlock woolly adelgid spraying and road work. The loop will remain open to all foot traffic on both days.

This will be a unique opportunity for photographers, bird watchers and nature enthusiasts seeking to enjoy the cove without the inconvenience of automobiles.

Ice and Snow Close Newfound Gap Road

2007-11-16T12:49:00.000-05:00

The National Park Service closed Newfound Gap Road through the Smoky Mountains Thursday afternoon due to inclement weather conditions. Winter arrived quickly with an overnight low of 19 degrees and 1 and 1/2 inches of snowfall.

The Park Service expects to re-open the road later this afternoon, weather permitting.

Buyer Beware

2007-11-14T13:30:00.000-05:00

Pigeon Forge City Commission Tuesday denied a proposed ordinance that would have prohibited the display of all hotel, motel and lodging rates within the city, but they did promise to pass an ordinance that prevents the posting of dishonorable rates on the signs.

City Attorney, Jim Gass said the ordinance he writes will state that rates posted on signs must be honored, or the consequence will be a $50 fine for each infraction. The police department will be expected to enforce the law.

We heartily endorse the new ordinance proposal and hope it is written, passed and enforced as soon as possible. Some innkeepers have been flagrant in their disregard for truth, and it gives the whole area a bad name. So visitors, question every rate you can or get a confirmed rate before you arrive in town.

Popular Areas Closing for Winter Preparation

2007-11-05T14:02:00.000-05:00

With winter quickly approaching, the National Park Service will close several popular roads, campgrounds and riding stables over the next few weeks.

The Sugarlands Visitors Center will be open 8 am to 5 pm daily, the Oconaluftee Visitor Center will be open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily and the Cades Cove Visitor Center will be open 9 am to 5 pm daily throughout November.

The Cades Cove Riding Stables will close November 5th, Sugarlands Riding Stables closed November 1st and the Smokemont Riding Stables is closed for the season. The Smoky Mountain Riding Stables will remain open until November 25th. All five horse camps, Round Bottom, Tow String, Big Creek, Anthony Creek and Cataloochee will close November 12th.

Balsam Mountain/Heintooga roads closed November 1st, Parsons Branch and Rich Mountain roads will close November 9th, Round-bottom/Straight Fork roads will close November 12th and the Clingman's Dome and Roaring Fork Motor Trail will close December 1st.

Elkmont Campground will remain open until December 1st and the Cades Cove campground will remain open all year. Balsam Mountain and the remaining self-registering campgrounds are already closed for the season.

LeConte Lodge will close November 20th and re-open in the spring.

Cades Cove Shuttle Tours

2007-10-11T12:08:00.000-05:00

Local citizens, led by Randy Boyd, founder of Radio Systems, have teamed with the Southeastern office of the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) to provide a shuttle vehicle for tours of Cades Cove in the Smokies.

Boyd is putting up $250,000 of his own funds for the vehicle, and he says, “I just enjoy the Park and I couldn’t think of a better way to give back. The Cades Cove area has always been beautiful, but it almost to the point where I am embarrassed to try to take guests from out-of-town because it’s so crowded it turns out to be a bad experience.”

Hoping to implement the service by next summer, Allisa McMahon, NPCA program coordinator, said work remains to be done on the business plan before a “clean fuel” vehicle can be chosen for the tours.

“We’re looking at options based on mileage – the shuttle would have to run daily,” said McMahon

Visitors would have to pay a small fee to use the shuttle. The fees would be used to offset operational costs.

The NPCA/Boyd plan is unrelated to the National Park Service’s planning process for the future of Cades Cove, said Bob Miller, park spokesman.

“They (NPCA) have not approached us about a shuttle,” he said. “We’re certainly interested in seeing traffic problems mitigated whenever it’s possible, but we haven’t had any discussion about how their shuttle might work. It’s unrelated to the outcome of whatever the park will decide to come out of the Cades Cove planning process. The next public meeting on the plans will be in 2008.”

3rd Annual Passion Play on the Smokies

2007-10-08T09:35:00.000-05:00

Just as the 15th Annual Townsend Heritage Festival is winding down with Celebrity Dunking Booths, an Arts and Crafts Fair, Old Timers Day and rides on the Little River Railroad’s hand-powered steam engine, the 3rd Annual Passion Play in the Smokies is set to launch its 2007 season on October 5-6 at 7 p.m.. There will be performances each weekend throughout the month and an additional performance on Sun, October 14 at 6 p.m.

After an absence of more than a decade, the production of the timeless story of Jesus is receiving a joyous return to the Townsend Amphitheater, and producer/director Mark Pedro is once again portraying Christ, a role he starred in back in the 90s before the amphitheater closed.

“It was my feeling that we shouldn’t let the amphitheater go to waste when we could use it for the glory of God and present the Gospel through drama, music and dance,” Pedro said.

The passion play is a true feast for the senses, with the show’s authentic and colorful costumes, period sets, artistic lighting and sound design. The play showcases the talents of professional singers, dancers and actors. One of the highlights of the show is the inclusion of traditional Hebrew dance, performed by the internationally known Benote Tzion. The group is based in Knoxville and they use a form of Israeli style praise-dance to interpret many of the scenes utilizing silk worship banners and flags.

“The interpretive dance really gives a beautifully full understanding of the emotion behind the scene,” said Pedro. “Many Passion dramas simply tell the story of Christ’s last week on earth. We begin with His baptism and include many of His miracles and His parables in addition to the more traditional scenes included in all Passion drama.”

One common thread runs through all the productions past and present, and that is the beauty of the outdoor setting located on Bethel Road in Townsend, only three miles from the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The play is presented by Crown of Thorns Ministries in cooperation with the Chilhowee Baptist Association. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger. Discounted tickets for group of 10 or more are available for $8 each. For more information on schedules and tickets’, call 865-448-3505 or go online to www.passionplayinthesmokies.com

Smokies Trails Clean Up Continues

2006-12-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

Park officials continue clean-up efforts on numerous trails in the Smokies after a powerful wind storm blew through the area in November.

The following horse trail remain closed: Gregory Bald, Lower Mount Cammerer, and the West Prong trail.

Official also urge caution on Cove Mountain Trail, Grapeyard Ridge Trail, Hannah Mountain Trail, Maddron Bald Trail, Meigs Creek Trail and Rabbit Creek Trail.

Parsons Branch Road and Twin Creeks Trail areas remain closed.

Cades Cove Loop Rd. Closes Temporarily

2006-11-16T14:37:00.000-05:00

Park officials have tentatively scheduled to close the Cades Cove Loop Road on November 28th and 29th to treat Hemlock trees for the hemlock woolly adelgid.

The Park Service will confirm the closing on November 27, 2006.

Some Smokies Trails Remain Closed

2006-11-07T11:03:00.000-05:00

Ace Gap, Crooked Arm Ridge, Gregory Bald, Hannah Mountain, Indian Grave Gap, Jakes Creek, Lower Mount Cammerer, Lumber Ridge, Lynn Camp Prong, Middle Prong, Miry Ridge, Panther Creek, Rich Mountain, Rich Mountain Loop, and the West Prong trails remain closed to horseback riders.

Park official also have closed the following trails to horseback riders, hikers and bicylists due to fallen trees, sinkholes and debris:

Albright Grove Trail, Chestnut Top Trail, Cove Mountain Trail, Grapeyard Ridge Trail, Maddron Bald Trail, Meigs Creek Trail, and the Old Settlers Trail.

Crews are working to clear the trails as quickly as possible, but some trails will continue to be closed throughout the winter.

Hiking Not Recommended on Certain Trails

2006-11-03T12:41:00.000-05:00

Albright Grove Trail, Chestnut Top Trail, Cove Mountain Trail, Grapeyard Ridge Trail, Maddron Bald Trail, Meigs Creek Trail, Old Settlers Trail, Sugarlands Mountain Trail and Rainbow Falls Trail are not recommended for use due to the large number of trees down.

The Appalachian Trail between Doe Knob and Spence Field, as well as Crib Gap have been re-opened.

Damage to the Smokies Costly

2006-10-30T16:54:00.000-05:00

Campgrounds, roads and trails damaged by the 106 mile per hour winds in mid October on the Tennessee side of the National Park is expected to cost over half a million dollars.

Officials have submitted a request to the National Park Service for storm damage relief totaling $350,000 and extra labor costs are expected to be an additional $200,000.

Fire fighters and clean up crews removing debris and clearing trails have been asked to work through Christmas to re-open some of the 24 trails currently closed to horseback riders.

Park officials have about six more weeks to complete most of the repairs until the winter weather arrives and they say that several trails will remain closed until next spring.

Gatlinburg has Great New Digs!

2006-10-29T16:45:00.000-05:00

Gatlinburg was originally named White Oak Flats, and now developer Marc Postlewaite, along with local craftsmen, architects and designers from Disney and MGM, is putting the moniker on a new settlement on Glades Road, right in the heart of the Arts and Crafts Community and just 3 miles from downtown, Gatlinburg.

The $50 million 14-acre, European themed White Oak Flats Settlement and Lodges will feature a retail area, offering everything from artisans studios, a wedding chapel, 50 retail shops, a winery, fine dining establishments, and perimeter parking, as well as a residential area with 84 condos in mountain lodges, meeting facilities, a pool, spa, fitness center and club.

The mountain lodge condos are going on sale in just two days, and the turn key rental program will allow owners to receive a 60% return on the rentals of their condo, plus benefit from the natural appreciation of property in this mountain settlement.

Sales for the first 33 condos will begin October 30th and construction is scheduled to begin in April of 2007. Postlewaite expects completion of the residential construction to be completed within a year. For additional information visit www.whiteoakflatstn.com.

The Wonderland Hotel to be Preserved

2006-10-24T12:32:00.000-05:00

According to Park officials, the Wonderland Hotel, one of 70 buildings in Elkmont that were once part of the bustling railroad community, will be carefully removed from the site and historically preserved.

Beginning November 1, Moran Construction Company of Abingdon, Virginia will begin dismantling the two-story hotel and has set a completion date of December 8th, 2006. Artifacts and significant pieces will be removed by hand and taken to the park’s archival storage area at the Department of Energy’s Office of Scientificant and Technical Information Storage facility in Oak Ridge.

Officials stated that the work will not affect the Elkmont Campground, however the area around the hotel will be closed to the public.

Equestrian Trail Closures in the Smokies

2006-10-21T07:28:00.000-05:00

Due to the amount of debris, fallen trees and erosion after hurricane strength winds hit the Smoky Mountains, the National Park Service has officially closed several trails to horseback riders between Elkmont and Cades Cove.

The trails closed include Ace Gap, Anthony Creek, Rich Mountain, Rich Mountain Loop, the Appalachian Trail between Doe Knob to Spence Field, Crib Gap, Crooked Arm Ridge, Finley Cane, Gregory Bald, Boat Mountain, Hannah Mountain, Indian Grave Gap, Jakes Creek, Lead Cove, Lumber Ridge, Lynn Camp Prong, Meigs Mountain, Middle Prong, Miry Ridge, Panther Creek, Russell Field, Schoolhouse Gap, Turkey Pen Ridge, and West Prong.

Hikers may still navigate the trails, but are encouraged to use extreme caution.

The Smokies Continue to Recover from Powerful Wind Damage

2006-10-20T12:18:00.000-05:00

Park officials have re-opened the entire 11 mile Cades Cove Loop Road and the Cades Cove Picnic Area, however the Cades Cove Campground is operating on a limited basis throughout the rest of this week and weekend.

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and Anthony Creek Horse Camp remain closed, but officials expect to have the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail re-opened this afternoon.

Backcountry campers and horseback riders are encouraged to use extreme caution on trails after finding numerous trees down on Trillium Gap Trail. For saftey reasons, officials are urging horseback riders to not enter the backcountry.

Debris is still visible around all the roads, but officials expect to have everything cleared up in the next couple of weeks.

Roads to the Smokies are Opening Back Up

2006-10-19T09:47:00.000-05:00

Newfound Gap Road, Clingmans Dome Road and the Little River Road all re-opened Wednesday, however half of the Cades Cove Loop Road, Roaring Fork Motor Trail and Upper Tremont Road remain closed.

The Cades Cove Loop is open only to Sparks Lane, but Park officials expect to have the remaining portion of the Cades Cove Loop Road open later today.

The Cades Cove Campground, the Cades Cove picnic area, Anthony Creek Horse Camp and Metcalf Bottoms picnic area are still closed.

Horseback riders and backcountry hikers should be aware of potential damage and use caution on all trails.

More Roads Re-Open in the Smokies

2006-10-18T10:25:00.000-05:00

The National Park Service has re-opened the Gatlinburg bypass, Greenbrier Road and the Cosby entrance road.

Crews are furiously working to clear other roads in the area that remain closed and expect to have most roads re-opened by the end of the afternoon.

Little River Road Re-Opens from Gatlinburg to Townsend

2006-10-18T10:01:00.000-05:00

The National Park Service has cleared the Little River Road running from Sugarlands Visitor Center in Gatlinburg to Townsend. However, the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area and bathroom facilities remain closed due to no power and lack of water.

The Foothills Parkway West, Greenbrier Road, Cherokee Orchard Road, Clingman's Dome Road, Laurel Creek Road and Newfound Gap Road remain closed, however Park officials expect the roads to be cleared and opened by the end of the day.

Powerful Winds Close Roads into the Tennessee Side of the Smokies

2006-10-17T15:13:00.000-05:00

A powerful low pressure system pushed through East Tennessee and the Tennessee side of the Smoky Mountains last night with hurricane strength winds and has closed roads into the National Park during its peak season. The Little River Road between Towsend and Gatlinburg, the Newfound Gap Road and the Laurel Creek Road into Cades Cove all remain closed this evening.

Although the Park Service expects to have the roads into the Park re-opened tomorrow, they are urging campers to vacate the Smoky Mountains, saying emergency services may not be able to reach campers in need.

Two campers in the Cades Cove Campground were taken to a nearby hospital after a tree fell onto their camper. Both have been treated and released. Cades Cove will remain closed through tomorrow and possibly longer.

Nearly 8,000 homes were without power last night and early this morning, however officials say that 3,100 homes remain without power. Park officials are also watching rising waters, which may cover some roads.

Parsons Branch Road Closed Beginning Oct. 17, 2006

2006-10-05T14:13:00.000-05:00

The National Park will begin repairs due to the flood damage on Parsons Branch Rd. beginning October 16, 2006. The road had been closed to motor vehicles, however it remained open for hikers, horseback riders and bikers.

The road will be closed to the public until construction is completed. The firm hired to make the repairs has a June 15, 2007 deadline.

Townsend Beverage Referendum

2006-10-03T18:18:00.000-05:00

After Townsend residents received special legislation, the residents held a meeting on whether to allow restuarants to sell cocktails and wine.

Although no wine or liquor stores will be permitted as part of this referendum, the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau insists that to allow such a referendum to pass would greatly increase tourism to the "Peaceful Side of the Smokies".

Other cities nearby have seen liquor by the drink get voted in, but the issue remains in Townsend.

Results should be reported soon...check back for the latest updates!

Cades Cove Riding Stables Update

2006-08-28T13:45:00.000-05:00

The riding stables at Cades Cove have re-opened after closing for roughly a week due to liability insurance.

Under the new policy, all riders under the age of 16 must now wear an equestrian helmet, adult riders must wear a helmet or sign a release form, children under the age of 6 may no longer ride alone, and riding double is no longer allowed.

The average horseback ride is 1 hour long, depending on conditions. Cost is $20 per person for horseback rides, $7.50 per person for carriage rides, $6 per person for hayrides and $8 per person for guided hayrides.

The stables located in Cades Cove at 10018 Campground Dr. in Townsend, may be reached at 865-448-6286. Open 9 am - 5 pm daily. Closed November 7 - March 15th.