Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont

08/31/2026

Plein Air Smokies is right around the corner! 🎨

This September, artists from across the country will gather in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to paint the landscape en plein air - outdoors, in the places that inspire the work.

We're hosting five public events where you can watch artists paint, pick up a brush yourself, or take home an original piece of Smokies-inspired art. However you want to experience plein air painting, there’s a way to join in.

Every artwork sold helps extend Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont's environmental education programs, connecting more people to the beauty and wonder of the Smokies.

Learn more at pleinairsmokies.com.

08/25/2026

“The Smokies have a heart of their own. It’s the way the water flows, the way it sounds, and the way it feels when you get in it. I don’t know if it’s just because it’s my home—but I really don’t think so. I think it’s just one of those special places that God put here for us to enjoy.” - Dolly Parton

Today, we’re remembering Dolly and the deep love she carried for the Smokies throughout her life.

At Tremont, we believe that a meaningful relationship with place shapes who we are and grounds us in community, connecting us to one another and inspiring us to care for what has cared for us. Dolly embodied that sense of belonging. No matter how far her life and work carried her, she remained deeply rooted in the mountains, stories, and people of East Tennessee.

She used her voice, generosity, and influence to give back to the communities that shaped her, while sharing the spirit of the Smokies with people around the world. We’re grateful for a legacy rooted so deeply in the mountains she called home, and for the way she reminded us that loving a place means carrying it with you, investing in its people, and helping others understand what makes it worth cherishing.

📸: David Bryant

08/24/2026

We're committed to making nature-based outdoor learning a reality for more local students. Learn more: https://letsbeblount.com/2-5-million-gift-puts-blount-county-kids-at-the-center-of-tremonts-new-campus

$2.5 million just landed at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, and $500,000 of it is set aside specifically for Blount County students.

Tremont has been in our backyard since 1969, inside the most visited national park in the country. Sending a class for their three-night residential program runs about $300 per student, before you add a bus and a driver. For a lot of teachers, that math has been the whole obstacle.

Photo: Rendering of the new learning center that will be the first structure on Tremont's second campus.

Read how this gift impacts Blount County students in the comments.

08/24/2026

We've got some exciting news to share! Read the full story at https://gsmit.org/second-tremont-campus-in-smokies-gets-2m-and-a-new-plan/

A single donor has committed $2 million toward helping make the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont's expansion a reality. See link below ⬇️

📸 Provided by Hennebery Eddy Architects

08/21/2026

Tremont’s annual Celebration at Marblegate is happening this weekend - and for the first time, you don’t have to attend to take part in the silent auction.

Bid online on one-of-a-kind experiences and items including:
✦ A private monarch tagging experience
✦ Original artwork inspired by the Smokies
✦ Registration for Tremont’s 2027 programs
✦ An overnight stay in a treetop cabin
✦ And much more!

Every winning bid supports the development of Tremont’s second campus, so you can take home something special while helping build the future of outdoor education.

Bidding closes Saturday, August 22, at 8 p.m. ET. Take a look before it’s gone: https://givebutter.com/c/marblegate-auction-2026-v8qblk/auction/

08/20/2026

"This experience has allowed me to be a better educator by exposing me to new methods and allowing time for collaboration with peers outside of my school. It is often difficult for teachers to find time and opportunities to collaborate outside their school. This experience allows us to disconnect from technology and focus on improvement."

There are a few spots left for Teacher Escape Weekend on August 29-30. (September is sold out!) Sign up for professional development in the Smokies at gsmit.org/tew.

📸: Photos from last weekend's session by Rich Bryant

08/19/2026

Last year’s Autumn Brilliance Photography Workshop was full of changing light, moving water, tiny details, and plenty of reasons to slow down and really notice what’s around you.

Join us October 30-November 2 to spend time in the field, practice new techniques, and learn to see familiar landscapes in new ways, all with the support of six phenomenal instructors in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Learn more at https://gsmit.org/event/autumn-brilliance-photography-workshop-2026.

Photos by Mark Buelsing, Tim Grillot, Randy Richards, and Rich Rings.

08/15/2026

What tells you that fall is arriving? 🍂 Maybe it’s the first cool morning, a change in birdsong, seeds appearing where flowers used to be, or a shift in the color of leaves.

Scientists have a word for paying attention to these recurring changes: phenology, the study of nature’s seasonal rhythms.

On September 19, we’re spending a day doing just that. Seasonal Rhythms is an invitation to slow down, look closely, and notice how the living world is preparing for change, while practicing observation, journaling, and other skills you can carry into your everyday life.

September 19 | $90 | Register Now Be among the very first to learn, explore, and connect at Tremont's second campus in Townsend. Seasons of Connection is a limited series of hands-on workshops for adults, led by Tremont's expert educators. Discover new skills, deepen your relationship with

08/10/2026

"It was great to disconnect from modern life, embrace the quiet, and be in the present moment. I loved the physical nature of the journey. I found carrying all my belongings on my back for a couple of days challenging but also therapeutic – a reminder we don't need that much to live comfortably."

Join us this fall for an empowering adventure in the Smokies backcountry. Learn more at gsmit.org/hiking.

📸: Photos from last year's Women's Fall Backpack, taken by Annie, Jennie, Liz, and Miranda.