Smokies Life

10/16/2026

Whether your favorite trail winds through a forest, follows a river, or connects the mountains to the sea, make it part of your day on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Great Trails State Day invites residents and visitors across North Carolina to get outside and celebrate the trails that connect our communities. Learn more about Great Trails NC at the link in comments.

10/15/2026

Nothing says "fall in the mountains" quite like a fresh batch of old-fashioned pumpkin butter 🎃

Homemade for Smokies Life, this treat is a must-have for your autumn pantry. Elevate your morning biscuits, toast, and corn muffins with a single swipe! Every jar bought helps fund educational and historical programs in Great Smoky Mountains National Park ⛰️

Grab it now in the comments below! 👇

10/15/2026

The North Carolina Wildlife Federation Wildlife Habitat Steward Training Certification Program is designed to help you build the knowledge and skills to protect, conserve, and restore habitat for local wildlife. Join NCWF for three days of learning from conservation experts, exploring wildlife habitat topics, and discovering ways to put that knowledge into action.

🗓 November 6-8
📍Waynesville, NC
⏰ October 18 registration deadline

Learn more and apply at the link in the comments.

10/14/2026

Above the clouds from our Kuwohi store location watching SpaceX head for the stars ⛰️✨ Who knew you could see a jellyfish in the Smokies? This 'space jellyfish' only occurs at dawn/twilight and in certain kinds of weather. 🌙

10/13/2026

Whether in poetry, novels, or short stories, Ron Rash is unarguably a leading voice in Southern Appalachian literature. But his success was far from inevitable. We sat down with Rash to talk about how early experiences with failure and with the beauty of the Blue Ridge helped him become the writer he is today. Link in comments.


Photo of Rash family in 1962 with Ron Rash pictured front and center.

10/11/2026

Calling all 5th grade students, teachers, and parents! Win a trip to Dollywood while learning about science at the same time.

✨Explore: Watch a short video to learn about bioluminescence and biofluorescence
✨Learn: Use the free educational resources including two lesson plans, vocaublary slides, and flashcards
✨Demonstrate: Make a creation of your own exploring and reflection on what you’ve learned.

Five classes will win a spring 2027 trip to Dollywood where students can experience the new NightFlight Expedition, a ride that celebrates the bioluminescence found in Great Smoky Mountains National park. Find more details at the link in comments.

10/10/2026

New insights into the life of famed Smokies photographer George Masa have reached his homeland, Japan. In late September, Paul Bonesteel, coauthor of our biography “George Masa: A Life Reimagined,” screened his new documentary about Masa at three locations in Japan. While there, he’s continued the research that he and fellow coauthor Janet McCue started into Masa, whose iconic photos and enigmatic life are generating interest abroad. Link in comments.

10/09/2026

Beginning at 8 p.m. today, October 9, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will close U.S. 441/Newfound Gap Road due to expected strong winds associated with Hurricane Isaias and the potential for downed trees and debris. Additionally, Balsam Mountain Campground will close today at 5 p.m.

The park advises visitors to prepare for weather impacts from Hurricane Isaias this weekend. Be sure to follow updates from the National Weather Service and check the park website for information on current conditions and closures.

U.S. 441/Newfound Gap Road is now open. Access to Balsam Mountain Campground remains closed.

Please stay up to date on current conditions and closures by checking our website (linked in the comments).

-

Closure update: U.S. 441/Newfound Gap Road will remain closed for the rest of today, Oct. 10, due to forecasted weather conditions. The road will be reassessed tomorrow.

Please stay up to date on current conditions and closures by checking our website (linked in the comments).

-

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will close U.S. 441/Newfound Gap Road at 8 p.m. due to expected strong winds associated with Hurricane Isaias and the potential for downed trees and debris. Additionally, Balsam Mountain Campground will close today at 5 p.m.

Visitors are advised to prepare for weather impacts from Hurricane Isaias this weekend. The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for the area starting Friday, with potential for 70 mph wind gusts forecast for the Tennessee side of the park.

Trailhead access may be limited this weekend due to road closures and storm damage, and emergency response may be delayed.

Please stay informed by following updates from the National Weather Service and checking the park website for information on current conditions and closures.

➡️ Link to the closures and alerts page is in the comments.

NPS Graphic

10/09/2026

A big thank you to the Society of American Travel Writers SATW for allowing us to be a part of the 2026 Conference this past week! Fifteen attendees joined the Smokies Life elk outing led by Liz Domingue and had the opportunity to learn about the Cataloochee area—and see some wildlife. If you're interested in participating in a similar outing, there are still spaces available for our Elk in the Smokies Branch Out event on Saturday, October 17. Find more information at the link in the comments.

10/09/2026

**We appreciate our Lookout League partners, including Roamstead.**

Fall is in full swing at Roamstead in Cosby, Tennessee. Join them for trick-or-treating, costume contests, and site decorating every Saturday in October! Book your autumn getaway today at roamstead.com.