News

a city limits sign to pigeon forge

US 441/Newfound Gap Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will reopen tomorrow

National Park Service continues to follow impacts from Hurricane Helene The National Park Service (NPS) will reopen US 441/Newfound Gap Road by 8 am tomorrow morning, Oct. 2, 2024, to allow for access between Tennessee and North Carolina communities. Once US 441 reopens, all major roads, trails and facilities on the Tennessee side of the park will be open to

15 New Attractions in the Smoky Mountains for 2024, 2025

These are the most anticipated new attractions that are now open or coming soon Change is the nature of the business in the Smokies. Attractions come and go. Restaurants follow one after the other. Sites that used to be go-cart tracks become T-shirt shops or pancake palaces or whatever the next great thing is. And all the while there is

kuwohi in the smoky mountains with blue sky

Clingmans Dome in the Smokies Receives Surprise Name Change

Kuwohi name restored to the highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains Today, the U.S. Board of Geographic Names voted to change the name of Clingmans Dome to Kuwohi. This decision is in favor of the formal request submitted by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). The National Park Service strongly supported the name restoration and applauds today’s decision, and added

rendering of brand new water slide

SNEAK PEEK: Soaky Mountain Reveals First-of-Its-Kind Water Slide for 2025

Soaky Mountain reveals plans for new six-person water slide, Rafter’s Rage Soaky Mountain Waterpark is one of the newer attractions in the Smoky Mountains. And yet, they seemingly never cease to add new features. Now, just a few short years after debuting The Edge water coaster, the park has now announced yet another new water slide: Rafter’s Rage. The new

a red wolf in a forest

Be on Alert, Red Wolves Are Returning to the Smoky Mountains

Efforts are being made to reintroduce the endangered population to North Carolina Of the countless amazing experiences visitors can find in the Smokies, perhaps one of the most unique and memorable are animal sightings and encounters. Watching a mama bear cross the road with her twin cubs was certainly one of the highlights of our recent trip to the Smokies.

Now You Can See an Interactive Tennessee Fall Foliage Map (2024)

View a data-driven map with 7 fall tips from a local They say the beauty of fall in Tennessee is due to the diversity of trees in the forest. Local flora – depending on what part of the state you’re visiting – may include oak trees, hickories, maples, American beech and hobblebush – just to name a few. But where

Creepy Looking Toxic Slime Coated Worm Spotted in East Tennessee

TVA has indicated that Hammerhead worms have been spotted around Norris, Tennessee, just north of Knoxville and may thrive in rainy summer weather As someone who has been digging in the East Tennessee earth for more than 30 years, I thought I had a handle on most of the creepy crawlies one might encounter. I’ve turned over rocks and scared

marker of the state line of north carolina and tennessee

There Are Big Changes Coming to This Popular Road in the Smoky Mountains

What you need to know about Newfound Gap Road in the Smokies When my family visits the Smokies, we prefer taking the scenic route through Western North Carolina. My husband prefers driving on winding mountain roads. When the weather is warm, my kids love to stop in Cherokee and visit Oconaluftee Islands Park to play in the river. From there,

black bear climbs out of jeep cherokee

The Shocking Damage a Black Bear Can Do to Your Car in the Smokies

Couple gets huge surprise when they wake up to find a black bear in their Jeep on their honeymoon Millions of people visit the Great Smoky Mountains each year hoping to see black bears in the wild. But these two honeymooners from the Atlanta area got a unique encounter they could bear-ly believe was possible. After they married back in

Smoky Hollow Outdoor Resort's covered wagons and a firepit

The Stunning Smoky Hollow Glamping Resort in TN You Need To See

A look inside these magical glamping tipis and wagons The road to Smoky Hollow – a “glampground” located in Sevierville, TN – was a long one. More than four years ago, Rebecca Turner and her husband sold their Central Florida home and packed up with their kids to live life on the road full-time in an RV. “We would not