Great Smoky Mountains National Park

27/01/2023

We hope that you're enjoying the sunshine this weekend as much as we are! Don't forget to bring a flashlight, snacks, plenty of water and dress in layers so you can be Smokies Smart and enjoy your hike in the park! What great hikes have you done recently?

25/01/2023

Photos from Harry S Truman National Historic Site's post

25/01/2023

Red-tailed hawk: "I’m not an eagle, but I play one on TV.⁣"
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Did you hear that? Must’ve been a soaring bald eagle! Wait. You say the loud screech associated with a bald eagle may belong to a different bird? True story.

Whether on a hike or watching a bald eagle soar across your TV screen, you're most likely hearing the call of the red-tailed hawk. The smaller hawk has a mightier voice than its larger cousin. Our eagle friend usually goes with a series of high-pitched whistling or piping notes, while the hawk makes the familiar hoarse, screaming kee-eeeee-arr! Do it with us. ⁣KEE-EEEEEe-ARR!!!! Now that everyone in the house is awake, go tell them about the red-tailed hawk.

What's a bird call that you know instantly who it belongs to?

Image: Young red-tailed hawk stares at camera at Colonial National Historical Park, VA. NPS/Linda Williams⁣

24/01/2023

Photos from Capulin Volcano National Monument's post

24/01/2023

Beginning March 1st all vehicles parking for more than 15 minutes will require a valid parking tag. All funds from the parking tag program will stay in Great Smoky Mountains National Park for its protection and preservation. Enjoy million dollars views all day for $5, all week for $15 or all year for $40. You’ll never see more for less. For more information, visit our website go.nps.gov/GRSMfees

24/01/2023

Is the road from Cherokee to Gatlinburg called the Parkway, Highway 441, or Newfound Gap Road to you? Old or alternative names of places bring to mind different memories or significance, and Myrtle Point’s name is no exception.

Myrtle Point used to be named Mt. Safford, after Tennessee State Geologist James Safford. Safford created the first geological map of Tennessee in 1855, with a color-coding depicting different rock formations. This map was no small feat, requiring hiking through not only the Smokies, but 10,000 miles of Tennessee with a compass and pocket level.

Pictured is a handy guide to help you identify Safford’s peak and others on Mt. Le Conte from Gatlinburg.

Photo Credit: NPS Photo

23/01/2023

Photos from Reconstruction Era National Historical Park's post

23/01/2023

Although the Smokies are famous for our salamanders, we have a few other unique amphibians hanging around! Wood frogs are a very special species here in the Smokies. They are the first breeding amphibians you'll hear in the spring due to their tolerance to freezing temperatures. Keep an eye and ear out for these special amphibians in vernal pools throughout the park!

📷 Source: NPS Photo

22/01/2023

Ever wonder what these black, palm-sized leathery cases are that sometimes wash up on Gateway beaches?

Sometimes known as “mermaid’s purse,” these pouches are the egg cases of skates, a wide, flat fish that resemble rays. Each species of skate has differently shaped egg cases. These egg cases are probably from the Little Skate (Leucoraja erinacea), a skate commonly found along the Jersey shore.

Skates lay eggs year-round, so these egg cases can be found at any time of the year along Gateway’s beaches. Each egg case has four “horns” on each corner, which help anchor the case to seaweed on the bottom of the sea floor, as well as facilitate with gas and waste exchange of the growing skate embryo. When the skate embryo has finished developing, the pouch opens on one end, and the skate emerges. Most of the time, the egg cases you find washed up on shore are empty.

The egg cases pictured above were found on Sandy Hook after the Christmas Eve flooding, most likely washed ashore by the rough surf and tall waves.

NPS image: 4 black, leathery egg cases lying in the sand

LT

22/01/2023

Photos from Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area's post

21/01/2023

I believe I can fly….

Aww, nuts!!!

Flying squirrels are found in many national parks. But this is a rock squirrel. Although the rock squirrel belongs to the ground squirrel family, it can be seen reaching for the sky by climbing boulders, rocks, and trees. Although they may look cute and come right up to you, please remember that squirrels are wild animals—don't feed them, and keep your distance—because they can bite, usually from the front, or “bitey end.”

Image: A rock squirrel attempting to sploot but ending up with a splat at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM. NPS/Anthony Mazzucco

21/01/2023

Happy New Clear!

Park staff are thankful for the help of Keep Sevier Beautiful and volunteers in cleaning up litter along the Spur. Together we were able to remove over 40 bags of trash!

We’re especially grateful to Connor Fad from Keep Sevier Beautiful for his recruitment of volunteers and everything he did to help organize this event.

Thanks to all who joined us!

20/01/2023

Just horsing around...

Have an “itch” to travel? Come on over to Assateague Island!

Make sure to stop into the National Seashore visitor center to check out the exhibits, aquariums, and bookstore before grabbing a map and heading out to explore!

The Maryland District visitor center is open daily from 9am-4pm and the Tom’s Cove visitor center is open Fridays through Mondays from 9am-4pm.

NPS Photos: C. Cook

19/01/2023

Cool story, Poe.

On this day in 1809, Edgar Allan Poe, notable writer, poet, editor, and literary critic best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre, was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Poe lived in several places where he left his mark, including Richmond, Virginia, Baltimore, Maryland, and New York City. Have you visited a site connected to Poe?

The Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site in Philadelphia preserves the home once rented by Poe. The site is managed part of Independence NHP, Edgar Allan Poe NHS & Thaddeus Kosciuszko NM. Though he lived in many houses over several years in Philadelphia (1838 to 1844), it is the only one which still survives. While living in Philadelphia, Poe published some of his most well-known works, including "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," and "The Gold-Bug." What’s your favorite literary work written by Poe?

Are you an avid reader? Did you know the National Park Service preserves the work and world of many great writers, poets, and storytellers? Explore the places and stories that inspired their most-notable works at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/literature

Epilogue: Did you know Poe enlisted in the US Army in 1827? During his time with the Army, he was assigned several different posts, including Fort Moultrie and Fortress Monroe which today are managed by the National Parks Service as Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park and Fort Monroe National Monument.

Image: The home once rented by American author Edgar Allan Poe, located at 532 N. 7th Street, in the Spring Garden neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

19/01/2023

19/01/2023

Teachers, would you like to bring your class on a virtual field trip to the Smokies? We are offering FREE, distance learning, Smokies programs for K-12 classrooms across the country. Homeschool students are welcome!

Email [email protected] to learn how to sign up!

NPS Photo

19/01/2023

Photos from Yosemite National Park's post

18/01/2023

📣 If you’re interested in biology, fisheries, aquaculture, ecology, or environmental science, this new Fish and Feathers program might interest you! The program is funded by the National Park Service (NPS) and administered by Environment for the Americas! Interns will focus on supporting, implementing, and possibly leading community outreach programs that focus on fishing and birding activities. The overall goal is to increase diverse community engagement with NPS partners during the program and in years to come.

Through this program, interns will get to:
✅ Reach out to local communities to increase engagement in fishing and birdwatching
✅ Understand regulations regarding fishing and ethical birding and communicate this information to program participants
✅ Lead and/or support the implementation of fishing and birding program
✅ Manage and maintain program equipment

Apply by Monday, February 6th to work as a Fish and Feathers intern at national parks, such as Niobrara National Scenic River, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, Indiana Dunes National Park, Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River, Cane River Creole National Historical Park, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Everglades National Park, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, American Memorial Park, Gateway National Recreation Area, Grand Portage National Monument, Big Thicket National Preserve, War in the Pacific National Historical Park, and Bandelier National Monument ➡️ https://environmentamericas.org/diversity-internships/available-internships/

📸 Courtesy of Environment for the Americas - Fish and Feathers program flyer

18/01/2023

Thank You!

Volunteers braved snowy conditions on Monday, 1/16, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service.

Twenty-five volunteers and two NPS staff were able to get a jump on needed grounds maintenance in Elkmont Campground to prepare for a great opening day in early March. To learn more about similar, hands-on volunteer opportunities in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, please reach out to Trails and Facilities Volunteer Coordinator [email protected] to be added to our email mailing list.

NPS Photos

17/01/2023

When you leave a bag of potatoes in the pantry for a month…

The walrus spends almost its entire life in the sea, primarily relying on sea ice for resting spots. Several adaptations help them with this aquatic lifestyle. Air pouches located in their upper necks keep them afloat when they are sleeping. Their head is small in comparison with its heavy body, and the upper lip is thick and fleshy with a stiff moustache made up of bristles which are important sensory
organs. Although there are other teeth in the upper jaw, it is the greatly enlarged canine teeth, called tusks, that give the walrus its distinctive “spout-like” appearance. Spudtacular!

Image: A group of walrus with long tusks at Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, AK.

17/01/2023

Arrowhead Jazz Band Presented by the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park

Arrowhead Jazz Band Presented by the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park

17/01/2023

Beginning March 1st all vehicles parking for more than 15 minutes will require a valid parking tag. There’s nothing like the sights, sounds, and sensations of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Did you know that 100% of all proceeds from the new parking tag program are used to protect and preserve the park for generations to come? You can purchase your annual tag now and have it shipped right to your house or come pick one up at a visitor center. Get ready to ! For more information, visit our website go.nps.gov/GRSMfees

17/01/2023

How did you learn to do laundry?

In the first undated photo, Minnie (Reed) Quilliams is boiling clothes in an iron pot. In the late 1800s/ early 1900s, it was common for mountain folk to wash their laundry in pots and tubs. White clothes were soaked with lye soap and then boiled in a kettle to whiten them. Other clothes may have been cleaned using a crank roller or scrubbed by hand in a wash tub, like those in the second 1935 photo of Ella Caldwell and her daughters, Betty and Ruby.

Though we might not still wash clothes this way, many of us use similar techniques or remember family who did. Perhaps you line-dry your washed wool socks after a hiking trip in the Smokies or maybe you hand-wash that blouse you wore on your anniversary trip. Regardless, we aren’t always as far removed from the past as we might think!

Photo Credit: NPS Photo

17/01/2023

“So you better make that call to the Plow King!” - Barney Gumble and Linda Ronstadt

Barney, how could you? When not using their large head and massive neck muscles to upend tourists who get too close, bison also use their head as snow plows to forage and make some extra “d’oh” by clearing their neighbor’s driveway.

During the cold winter season, bison also develop thick, woolly coats that help protect them from freezing temperatures and harsh winds. It’s said that a bison's winter coat is so thick and provides insulation so effective that when snow accumulates on its coat, it will not melt from the heat of the bison's skin. Their skin also thickens in response to cold temperatures and fatty deposits appear to insulate the animal.
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⁣Image: When the snow starts a'falling, there’s a bison you should be calling! Bull bison make their way through snow in Yellowstone National Park’s Lamar Valley. NPS/Neal Herbert

16/01/2023

When we celebrate , we honor Dr. King’s legacy in the Civil Rights Movement, as well as his dedication to public service.

What will we do for others today? Join the thousands of volunteers giving back at the National Park Service on this fee-free day by visiting our website: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/mlk-day.htm.

Anacostia Park

16/01/2023

The National Park Service is responsible for the care and preservation of 424 National Park Units, including the one dedicated to the great man we celebrate today. Pictured here is Dr. King's birth home at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in Georgia. Let us all take today to celebrate and embrace the life and work of this extraordinary man.

Learn more at nps.gov/malu.

📷 Source: Gary Tarleton, NPS

15/01/2023

Park Rangers wear many hats, literally and figuratively. The summer straw hat that we call a flat hat is part of our signature look, but did you know there's also a felt flat hat that's part of the winter uniform? On extremely windy days, flat hats transform into frisbees and we turn into track stars 🏃‍♂️.

Park Rangers have a variety of responsibilities and job titles. Need hiking trail information or Junior Ranger books? Does a trail require maintenance? Notice someone off-trail? We've got it covered! No matter what hat a park employee wears, it's an invitation to start a conversation. What does the flat hat symbolize for you?

15/01/2023

The house at 501 Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia was where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. The home is one of several buildings at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park that preserves where Dr. King was born, lived, worked and worshipped. Dr. King’s influence reached far beyond his Atlanta neighborhood. In many locations, people have preserved places that are associated with King. Many of these sites are managed by the National Park Service.

The Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail in Alabama commemorates the historic 1965 march led by Dr. King and other leaders after the tragic events surrounding “Bloody Sunday.” Dr. King’s most famous speech, “I Have A Dream,” was given on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., a short walk from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial part of National Mall and Memorial Parks. These places -- and many others -- are tributes to Dr. King and all who took part in the Civil Rights Movement. Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/civilrights/parks.htm

In honor of the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., all national park sites will offer free admission on Monday, January 16, 2023. Join parks across the country in honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through special programs and a day of service. Learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/mlk-day.htm

Image: The two-story house at 501 Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia is where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born.

14/01/2023

Photos from Great Smoky Mountains National Park's post

14/01/2023

Good evening from the Smokies! This weekend's winter storm left more than 16 inches of snow on the ground in some places. Thanks to our roads crew for their hard work on Newfound Gap Road today.

📸: Stoney Mulford

14/01/2023

Photos from Harpers Ferry National Historical Park's post

14/01/2023

Weekend Mood ☃

If your weekend plans include visiting the Smokies, be sure to:

❄️Check road conditions at http://nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm or on Twitter at

❄️Be weather aware and plan for changing conditions

❄️Make sure someone knows your plans, as many areas do not have cell service

📷 : NPS Photo (Dec. 2017)

13/01/2023

In honor of the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., national parks will waive entrance fees for everyone on Monday, January 16, 2023, as the first fee free day of the year. It is also a day of service when thousands of volunteers participate in service projects across the country, including at national parks.

Learn more about Dr. King’s legacy and stay updated on volunteer events near you at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/mlk-day.htm



Image: NPS/Kurt Moses

13/01/2023

Camping on Friday the 13th? What’s the worst that could happen?

Nah. You got this. Camping can be “in-tents,” but there are lots of ways you can be prepared and plan ahead for a safe and memorable experience. Always remember to:

⛺️ Plan for your park visit—careful planning will prevent many safety issues.

⛺️ Research and learn about possible risks with the park environment and your camping trip before you go.

⛺️ Don't poke things with sticks.

⛺️ Seek and listen to the information, advice, and ALL warnings provided by park staff.

⛺️ Know your physical and mental limits.

⛺️ Wear comfortable shoes.

⛺️ If you’re running in the woods and trip, get back up.

⛺️ Avoid cornfields. But I really like corn?

⛺️ Use good judgment and avoid reading out loud from old books in order to summon otherworldly forces. Keep it to yourself. Manners.

⛺️ Check the weather forecast.

⛺️ If you're in the woods and see someone wearing a hockey mask, resist the urge to ask them to explain the offsides rule.

⛺️ Be realistic and always stay within your swimming abilities.

⛺️ Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Unless its a doll asking if you wanna play.

⛺️ Have fun!

Find more camping tips at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/camping/staying-safe.htm

Image: Two tents under tall pines, along a sandy beach with a swimming area and dock at Lake Roosevelt NPS. NPS/ Chelsea Brauner