Because Tennessee has such rich culture and heritage, several places in the mountains have been designated as part of the Tennessee Heritage Trail. The trail was created to both preserve and share Tennessee’s culture and is divided into 3 parts. The Arts & Crafts Trail will show visitors the various creations of Tennessee’s past, including [...]
Archive for the ‘Environment’ Category
Tennessee Heritage Trail
Posted in Environment, Family Fun, Gatlinburg, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hiking on November 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Smoky Mountain Field School
Posted in Environment, Family Fun, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hiking, Outdoor, Wildlife on October 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Smoky Mountain Field School was started by The University of Tennessee to help people utilize the Great Smoky Mountains. They conduct workshops, hikes and other activities to help people learn more about the mountains. Their mission is to enhance public appreciation, understanding and stewardship of the Smoky Mountains. Some of their course offerings are [...]
Volunteers in The Park Program
Posted in Environment, Great Smoky Mountains National Park on October 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park needs volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, join the Park’s Very Important People program or VIP. A variety of areas need work, so there is something for everyone.
Visit
http://www.nps.gov/gettinginvolved/volunteer/opportunities.htm?id=grsm for a complete list of opportunities.
Tulip Poplar
Posted in Environment, Fall, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Outdoor, Winter on October 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
There is no better time to visit the Smokies than in the fall; the weather is nice, and the fall foliage is beautiful. The Tulip Poplars of the Smokies turn to bright yellow when the weather turns colder, so the mountains light up with color. The Smokies are also home to one of the tallest [...]
Albright Grove Trail
Posted in Environment, Family Fun, Hiking on October 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
If you are looking for a longer, but still easy trail, check out Albright Grove Trail. It is about 7 miles in length and takes you through a forest of tulip poplar, maples, and beech trees. The trail is named after Horace Albright, an advisor to John D. Rockefeller and conservationist. For more information check [...]
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest
Posted in Environment, Hiking, Outdoor on October 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
If you want to hike, but are inexperienced or have small children, the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest may be the place for you. The trail through the forest is only 2 miles long and has steps built into the trail. The hike should only take 1-2 hours. The forest is named after Joyce Kilmer, poet [...]
The Little River
Posted in Environment, Free Things To Do, Hiking, Photo Opportunity on September 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Little River provides around 51 miles of incredible scenery in the Southeast. It begins in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and joins the Tennessee River and Fort Loudon Lake in Knox County. Portions of the river are used for whitewater rafting and tubing while other portions are much calmer for fly fishing and [...]
Wears Valley
Posted in Environment, Family Fun, Free Things To Do, Photo Opportunity on September 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Wears Valley is considered to be one of the most scenic areas surrounding the Great Smoky Mountains. It has become a popular vacationing spot with all that it has to offer. From visiting the Smokies to whitewater rafting and tubing Wears Valley offers something for every outdoor enthusiast. The shops in Wears Valley are unique [...]
Townsend River Walk
Posted in Environment, Outdoor, Townsend on September 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Townsend–based Tuckaleechee Garden Club is proudly working on the Townsend River Walk, a short walking train established in 2004 along the Little River. The club has planted hundreds of daffodils to bloom next Spring and continues to maintain the quarter-mile trail, ensuring that walkers and cyclists have a beautiful, trash-free view of the river [...]
Tuckaleechee Cove
Posted in Environment, Fall, Free Things To Do, Outdoor, Townsend on August 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Tuckaleechee Cove refers to the area where the Little River descends from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but most people know this area as Townsend. Townsend is located between Bates and Rich mountains and the Little River runs east to west through the town. The city is about 0.9 miles in size, and as [...]
Wesley Woods
Posted in Attractions, Environment, Hiking, Outdoor on August 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Spending a week at camp is one adventure most children remember well into their adult years. Camp Wesley Woods, located in Townsend, is a Christian camp that provides children with programs such as Environmental Education, Adventure Education and Summer Camping. Tourists can canoe, fish, and tour the camp all in one afternoon if he or [...]
Popular Fishing Outfitters
Posted in Attractions, Environment on August 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Smoky Mountains, which run from North Carolina to Tennessee, are home to nearly 500 miles of fishable streams and include several fishing outfitters for tourists to enjoy. Below is a list of the most popular fishing outfitters in the smokies.
Little River Outfitters: located in Townsend. To contact, call 865-448-9459, or visit their website [...]
Nature Pods Guide Application
Posted in Environment, Family Fun, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hiking on August 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
If you’re a nature lover who feels the urge to identify animals and insects that cross your path, this little iPod application is made for you. Instead of lugging around heavy-duty nature books weighed down by colorful illustrations and information, Apple has created a downloadable application that offers the same features but with more [...]
Wildflowers Bloom Calendar
Posted in Environment, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hiking on August 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Wildflowers fill the Smoky Mountains with color and life for everyone on the trails to enjoy. However, certain wildflowers are more prevalent at certain times of the year. For a complete schedule of when specific flowers bloom in the smokies, visitthis website.
Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
Posted in Environment, Great Smoky Mountains National Park on August 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Great Smoky Mountains are such a beautiful part of Tennessee, so it’s our job to try and take care of them. There are several ways that you can help to preserve the environment and reduce your carbon footprint. You can turn off lights when you aren’t using them, do you weekly shopping in a [...]
Liles Acres Organic Farm
Posted in Attractions, Environment, Family Fun, Townsend on August 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Located just outside Maryville, Tenn., the Liles Acres Organic Farm is a year-around working farm and educational facility. Liles Acres, owned and operated by Sheri and Russell Liles, works with the local community to provide healthy, organic food and energy alternatives. The farm produces eggs, fruit, vegetables and honey, as well as llama and Angora [...]
Low- impact Vacation
Posted in Environment, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Outdoor on August 2, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Whether you’re a conservation-minded traveler or looking to go green on your next vacation, Townsend, Tenn. has hundreds of ways you can be eco friendly while appreciating nature in the Smokies.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park contains several campsites for visitors to enjoy the outdoors. Campers have the opportunity to camp under the stars in [...]
Update of Fireflies in Elkmont
Posted in Environment, Outdoor, Summer on July 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Every year an amazing synchronization occurs with fireflies in Elkmont in the Great Smoky Mountains. During June 6-14, the natural phenomenon continues to baffle scientists with thousands of fireflies blinking in unison. As a growing attraction, hundreds flock to Gatlinburg to visit the only place in the world that this occurs. This year the crowd [...]
Sugarlands Visitor Center
Posted in Environment, Family Fun, Free Things To Do, History, Outdoor, Photo Opportunity, Summer, Uncategorized on June 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
During your vacation around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, be sure to stop by the Sugarlands Visitor Center. Before you decide on what trail to hike or where to picnic, you can pick up a park map and have your questions answered by a ranger. There is a 20-minute orientation film that provides an in-depth [...]
Mills Park in Gatlinburg
Posted in Environment, Family Fun, Free Things To Do, Hiking, Outdoor, Sports, Uncategorized on June 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Want to make your family vacation as memorable and fun as possible? Mills Park, off of Mills Road, has a variety of amenities to help make your vacation one to remember. They have a playground area for the kids, football and softball fields, horseshoe pit, jogging trails, basketball court, a track, 9-hole disc golf course, [...]
Douglas Lake
Posted in Environment, Family Fun, Free Things To Do, Outdoor, Uncategorized on June 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Douglas Lake, located outside Sevierville, has more to offer than you may expect. The Lake offers activities such as camping, swimming, and boating. For the fisherman in your family, Douglas Lake is perfect. It is ranked top 5 in the nation for Crappie and top 10 for Large Moth Bass. If fishing is not for [...]
Smoky Mountain Climate
Posted in Environment, Outdoor on June 8, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Our environment is going through a series of negative changes. These changes will continue to get worse if we do not educate the younger generations of small, important ways of helping out the environment. The Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont helps to do this by connecting people to nature and educating children about climate and global [...]
Tarantulas in The Great Smoky Mountains
Posted in Environment, Outdoor, Safety, Wildlife on May 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
When you think of tarantulas, you most likely think of the big, furry, scary ones that you see on National Geographic or in movies. Most of these species of tarantulas live in the southwestern parts of the U.S. However, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park there is a species of tarantulas, most-commonly known as [...]
Going Green With Water Conservation
Posted in Environment on May 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
With hot summers well on their way, cooling off with water can be very tempting, but instead try “going green.” Here are some ways you can help conserve water: (1) Take brief showers and turn off the water in the shower when you don’t need it (for instance lathering up shampoo). Try to keep your showers [...]
The Wetlands of The Smokies
Posted in Environment, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Outdoor on May 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
When you think of a wetland, you may think Florida or the Outer Banks with swamps and beaver ponds. But the wetlands of the Appalachian Mountains that are spread throughout Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia are rare communities technically called non-alluvial wetlands. You may not even recognize them as wetlands as you hike through the [...]
A Smoky Mountain Rainforest in Sevierville, TN
Posted in Environment, Family Fun, Free Things To Do, Outdoor, Wildlife on May 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Many Sevierville visitors don’t know that a Rainforest is only a hop skip and a jump away from them. At the Rainforest Adventures Discovery School, in Sevierville, TN, visitors can view over 130 species within the 400+ animals from the Rainforests around the world. Familys and visitors have a chance to see the exotic with [...]
A Field of Dreams at Smoky Mountain Field School
Posted in Environment, Family Fun, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Outdoor on March 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Team up with The University of Tennessee’s Smoky Mountain Field School to enjoy, appreciate, and understand the Smokies and the great outdoors. The field school offers visitors numerous opportunities for workshops, hikes and adventures. Take in the unspoiled mountains, cool forests, clear streams, and wildlife the Smokies have to offer. There is a wide range of course categories [...]
Air Quality in the Great Smoky Mountains
Posted in Environment, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Outdoor on March 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
As you drive through the Great Smoky Mountains you might notice the number of damaged plants and shrinking scenic views increasing throughout the years. Research shows that human-made pollutants that are emitted from mainly outside the park are the reason that there is noticeable change in the park’s resources. The mountains were named the “Great [...]
Junior Park Ranger Kids
Posted in Environment, Family Fun, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Outdoor on March 9, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
No need to wait till adulthood to be a park ranger. While visiting the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, your child (ages 5-12) can become an official National Park Service Junior Ranger. Your child will be able to explore different aspects of the park as well as gain an appreciation for the beautiful park. Visit [...]
Tuckaleechee Caverns in Townsend
Posted in Environment, Outdoor, Photo Opportunity, Townsend on March 8, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Tuckaleechee Caverns located in Townsend, is known as the “Greatest Site Under the Smokies.” It has taken between 20 and 30 million years of growth and formation to make up the caverns. Tuckaleechee Caverns is not only a fun way to spend your day, it is also an educational experience as you learn about stalactite’s [...]
