Smokies Life

08/31/2026

Blow flies are more often associated with causing disease than preventing it. But researchers from the University of Tennessee believe these common insects may hold the key to detecting developing outbreaks before they erupt. Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers the perfect outdoor laboratory to test their methods. More on our blog. Link in comments.



📸 Judy Gallagher

08/28/2026

Remember that unforgettable Smokies fall view? 🍁

This sublimation artwork cap brings the vibrant colors of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to your everyday adventures. Explore this design and other Smokies Life hats to find your favorite style. Best of all, your purchase supports the park's educational, historical, and scientific programs. Link to shop in the comments.

🍂

08/28/2026

See below for tips on what to do if you cross paths with a bear.

08/25/2026

Happy 110 years to the National Park Service!

The Smokies is putting its party hat on today because the National Park Service is turning 110! 🎉

Though Great Smoky Mountains didn’t become a national park until 1934, people have been working to protect these mountains for well over a century. To honor this legacy, no parking tag is required today as we celebrate more than a century of conservation, resilience, and connection.

🎂 So tell us… does the Smokies get a 10/10 for its birthday?

Happy 110th, NPS!



Original Photo by Jim Bennett

08/21/2026

Quilting traditions in Appalachia combine craft, utility, and history. To commemorate 250 years of American independence, Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Fabric of Appalachia project celebrates this heritage by offering context about the art form. Join an in-person “stitching bee” this Saturday at the training room by Sugarlands Visitor Center, starting at 10 a.m. Bring a sewing project or start a new one with the friends you’ll make. Link in comments.

#250

08/21/2026

This Saturday, August 22, join the second stitching bee at Sugarlands Visitor Center. The free event will take place in the training room beside the visitor center at 10 a.m.

Join us for the first day of National Park Week at our second Stitching Bee!

Looking for a creative way to connect during the quilt-along? Stop by one of our Stitching Bees—a traditional sewing circle where anyone can join in. Bring your own project, get help with a block, or try stitching for the first time. Stop by one of our stitching bees—a traditional sewing circle where anyone can join in. Bring your own project, get help with a block, or try stitching for the first time.

These casual gatherings are a chance to sit together, sew, ask questions, and enjoy the tradition behind quiltmaking.

Upcoming Stitching Bees

• August 22 — Sugarlands Visitor Center Training Room (beside the visitor center)
• September 19 — Oconaluftee Visitor Center Porch
⏰ Time: 10 AM to 2 PM

Whether you’re following along with the weekly blocks or just curious to try stitching, we'll have supplies on hand if you want to give it a try. Come stitch with us!



NPS Photo from first Stitching Bee in Cades Cove

08/20/2026

Discover Life in America is recruiting an Executive Director to lead the next chapter of science-based conservation and partnership work in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Southern Appalachia. Visit dlia.org/search to apply!

Discover Life in America (DLiA) is recruiting an Executive Director to lead the next chapter of science-based conservation and partnership work in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Southern Appalachia. Visit dlia.org/search to apply!

DLiA is the park’s nonprofit science partner, best known for the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory and for connecting communities and scientists as they discover, understand, and conserve biodiversity in the Smokies and beyond.

DLiA is seeking a mission-driven leader with:
-Scientific literacy (biodiversity, ecology, or related fields);
-Nonprofit or organizational leadership experience;
-Strong communication and partnership-building skills; and
-Fundraising, financial, and operational management experience.

The role offers hybrid flexibility, with a regular in-person presence in Gatlinburg, TN, at Great Smoky Mountains National Park required multiple days per week. If someone comes to mind—from conservation, environmental NGOs, research, science communication, or mission-driven nonprofits.

08/19/2026

For families planning a fall adventure in the Smokies, the Junior Ranger program is a great way to turn leaf-peeping into hands-on discovery! 🍁

Get ready before your trip—or in anticipation of National Junior Ranger Day on August 30—with the official Junior Ranger Activity Guide and a classic Junior Ranger Vest complete with pockets for treasures, pins, patches, and badges. Kids can explore, learn, and even be sworn in as official Junior Rangers during their visit. Shop Junior Ranger gear at the link in the comments.

Every Smokies Life purchase supports Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

08/17/2026

The Great Smokies region has been dealing with invasive hogs ever since the 1920s, when a herd of wild boars escaped from a Graham County, North Carolina, game preserve. By the 1970s, they had spread to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Clever, prolific, and remarkably destructive, hogs present a constant challenge for wildlife managers. Our newest blog explores the surprising story behind their arrival and how the park’s efforts to control hog populations have changed over time. Link in comments.


📸 Bill Lea

08/14/2026

The ~1,900 black bears found in the park are a beloved and iconic species, but they need our help to keep them wild: never feed or approach bears, and maintain your distance—stay a minimum of 50 yards away.