In August 1973, I backpacked the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park with two of my buddies, Ken and Ray. The three of us, all starving college students, planned to hike the entir ...

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) — Every year in late May and early June, thousands gather to watch the spectacle of Photinus carolinus, a firefly species that flashes synchronously. The dates for the 2025 ...

Great Smoky Mountains warns visitors as snow and ice keep at least ten park roads closed and travel conditions hazardous.

This story has been updated to include information about roads reopening. Roads through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have reopened after a snowstorm, while other areas of the park are ...

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) —Full operations have now resumed at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Saturday morning, despite the ongoing federal government shutdown. This comes after a ...

The country’s most-visited national park had its lowest attendance since 2018. But the longest government shutdown in history isn’t solely to blame.

Parts of Great Smoky Mountains National Park have experienced “substantial damage” following the impacts of Hurricane Helene, according to the National Park Service, as the park continues to assess ...

For those who love the outdoors, the American Southeast is full of wonderful scenery and natural beauty. That said, one of the best spots is also America's most-visited national park — the Great Smoky ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) had more than 12 million visitors in 2024, or about 34,000 guests every day. That makes the 522,427-acre swath of mountains, streams, and historic farmland ...