Outdoors

 

Over the hills and far away: Tsali Ultra race returns to WNC

Returning for its 15th installment, the annual outdoor race, the Tsali Ultra, will be once again held at Tsali Recreation Area on Fontana Lake in Graham County. 

Read More

Comment

 

The Joyful Botanist: A smile for the briars

I get asked questions a lot about plants, nature and the woods. People will walk up to me, take out their phones and show me a picture of a leaf or flower they found on their last hike or growing in their back yard and ask, “Hey Adam, what’s this plant?” I love it when this happens, every time. It brings a big smile to my face and joy to my heart. 

Read More
 

Word from the Smokies: Volunteer roles critical to park operations

After years of vacationing in the Smokies, Scott and Jayne Young had no trouble deciding where they wanted to retire. In 2016, they sold their lakeside home in Ohio and moved to Gatlinburg.

Read More

Comment

 

Planning board opposes flood plain ordinance change

In a turn of events for the volunteers and members of the public that have been showing up in an effort to preserve Macon County’s floodplain ordinances, the planning board has opposed the third and final recommended change up for consideration. The move comes after months of outspoken opposition to the measure and a two-month delay in addressing the proposed ordinance revision due to canceled meetings.  

Read More

Comment

 

Up Moses Creek: ‘Blow wind like you’re never gonna blow again’

On Saturday morning, Dec. 14, Becky reminded me that she was going to hear Darren Nicholson and his band play at the Tuckasegee Trading Company’s annual holiday open house, and she hoped I’d go too.

Read More
 

Haywood Waterways

Haywood Waterways Association sent word last week that its staff and vounteers are hearing from one of their partners that they are working with the state to assess damage to private roads from compromised culverts or bridges. 

Read More

Comment

 

Wildfire danger high in WNC

The N.C. Forest Service has designated the fire danger for the state’s far western counties as high.

Read More

Comment

 

Bears are denning; what to and what not to do

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) advises the public that black bears in North Carolina are in their “winter homes,” which could be anything from a pile of brush, a hollowed-out tree, a rock cavity, an excavation under a fallen tree or even under the deck or in the crawl space of your home. 

Read More

Comment

 

Fisheries update offered next month

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park fisheries department is offering an informative and educational workshop from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 22, in the Old Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee. The workshop is open to any interested folks at no charge. 

Read More

Comment

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.