Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials remind visitors that Laurel Creek Road, the seven-mile access road leading from the Townsend Wye to Cades Cove, will be closed to all motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 5 through Saturday, February 29 to repair the Bote Mountain Tunnel.

RALEIGH – To reduce bicycle injuries and deaths, the N.C. Department of Transportation is encouraging people to apply to receive free bicycle helmets as part of an annual initiative the agency conducts.

The expanded seven-week session of the Cataloochee Ski Area after school program will begin Wednesday, Jan. 8.

“The Appalachian Trail: Backcountry Shelters, Lean-Tos, and Huts,” a documentary book of photographs by Sarah Jones Decker, will be released in April 2020, by Rizzoli, a major NYC publisher of fine photography books.

ASHEVILLE - With winter fast approaching, the U.S. Forest Service urges outdoor enthusiasts to 'Know Before You Go" and follow simple tips to stay safe when visiting the Nantahala, Pisgah, Uwharrie and Croatan National Forests during the colder months.

CULLOWHEE – Western Carolina University’s Hunter Library has published a re-issue edition of a book that chronicles the personal experiences of hiking, camping and adventure in a pre-park Great Smoky Mountains.

ASHEVILLE — Just in time for the holiday giving season, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is announcing a matching grant for the organization’s new Trails & Views Forever Fund. An anonymous donor is offering a challenge grant of $300,000 to jump-start this initiative to repair trails, picnic areas, campgrounds, overlooks, and other amenities on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Whether living here in Haywood County or visiting for the holiday, lots of us love to get outside and balance out some food, football and shopping while enjoying the magic that is our mountains. It’s a time for family and friends but quite often finding a hike that fits the interests and conditioning level of your whole group is a struggle. Purchase Knob can help keep you together this Thanksgiving.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that Lisa McInnis has been selected to oversee the park’s diverse natural and cultural resources as the Chief of Resource Management and Science. McInnis will lead efforts to protect and preserve the park’s remarkable biodiversity, forest health, and rich cultural connections that represent thousands of years of history.