From Blue Ghosts to White Squirrels, you never know what you might find in the mountains From Big Foot to Feral People, there are plenty of tall tales of strange creatures that live in the shadows of the Great Smoky Mountains and surrounding forests. But as they say, the truth can be stranger than fiction. There are several odd, bizarre
Where Is the Best Place To See Bears in Gatlinburg? What’s the number 1 question from visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Is that bathroom locked? No, but I like what you’re thinking. The most popular question is: Where is the best place to see a bear in the Smoky Mountains? Honestly, we don’t know. If we did,
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.
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
Tennessee has a few bizarre laws on the books which range from rollerblading at the state Capital to owning pet raccoons I’ve covered Tennessee politicians for more than 20 years. As a result, I know that they are much better at putting new laws on the books than they are at removing old ones. For instance, for years both atheists
A few tips and tricks on what not to do when you see wildlife in the Smoky Mountains Warmer weather has returned to the mountains and with it, wildlife in the Smokies is more active. As someone who has lived near the mountains for more than 30 years, I’ve seen my fair share of people who have surprisingly little awareness
Wildlife spotting is part of the fun when visiting the Smoky Mountains, but you’ll need to keep your distance from these dangerous animals As someone who has run around the mountains of East Tennessee for over three decades, I know dangers lurk in the mountains. No, I’m not talking about Bigfeet or feral people or witches or haints. Mother Nature
Calling all arachnophobes – 3 new species of spiders have been found in the Great Smoky Mountains Last year, a pair of scientists announced they’d identified 10 new species of spiders, three of them residing in the Smokies. Some are surprised when they announce a new species in the park. However, as someone who has lived around the mountains for
Get a good look – these animals will likely never be seen again in the mountains of East Tennessee As someone who has lived in the Smoky Mountains for nearly 35 years, I often think about the mountains’ history. What was it like when red wolves roamed the hills? Or what would it have been like to see a flock
What you should know about armadillos As an East Tennessean, I have seen plenty of armadillo carcasses. But I’d never found myself face-to-face with one of the nocturnal mammals until recently. I had assumed that armadillos are essentially possums with chain mail. However, it turns out that armadillos have more in common with the anteater than they do the possum,