What Horace Kephart can teach us about solitude, simplicity, and stillness
This article was originally published in 2020. We are sharing again in honor of Horace Kephart’s birthday, September 8, 1862. “Mountains! Think of them; speak of them; look upon them!… Here they are in all their majesty and abundance.” These words were written in 1905 by Isaiah Kephart, who supported his son Horace in a […]
Blue Ridge artist Tray Wellington builds bridges with bluegrass
Late last month, I was lucky enough to catch a special musical performance in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It was a fine morning in high summer, and on the back porch of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, North Carolina, a four-piece string band launched into the first swirling notes of an original composition. […]
Dykeman namesake among three new Smokies spiders
Although the word “spider” may elicit a “yuck” or an “ew” from many readers, the true nature of these oft-feared critters is not as icky as one might suppose. Arachnids provide essential services for humans and play key roles in balancing our ecosystems by keeping herbivorous insects in check. At the dawn of 2023, it […]
Wondering where the weasels are
Most visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park will never encounter a weasel. Yet these small members of a diverse family of stealthy carnivores are here in Southern Appalachia—and are likely watching us even when we cannot see them. The name “weasel” conjures up images of slippery, deceitful characters who often play the distastefully memorable […]
An annual checkup for salamanders
Pay a visit to Chimneys Picnic Area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the first days of spring, and chances are you’ll hear the cheerful sounds of families enjoying meals together, downy woodpeckers drumming on the bark of deciduous trees, and a few small groups of students talking intently amongst themselves as they carefully […]
Eric Mingus uncovers origins of a famous family’s saga
Eric Mingus is intimately familiar with his father’s story. For better or worse, it’s a story that has followed him throughout his life and shaped his own path as a performing artist. The story goes something like this: Born in 1922, Charles Mingus Jr. came of age in Los Angeles, California, where he received training […]
Understanding the ubiquitous bobcat
Even though you may never have seen one, the stealthy predator Lynx rufus is all around us here in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee. Wily and elusive, bobcats are not only present but pervasive both in and out of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. “Many people are surprised to learn how common they actually […]
National Parks Conservation Association connects veterans to the outdoors
Tranquil water bubbles in a cold mountain stream. In the distance, hikers can be heard making their way to the trailhead. Trees are adorned with lichens and mosses. The sun is shining, and there is not a cloud in the sky. It is a fantastic day for a hike. One of the thousands of visitors […]
An Appalachian salamander’s glow could shed light on a biological mystery
Three years ago, researchers from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota captured the attention of biologists around the world with a surprising discovery. After observing a number of frogs, salamanders, and newts under blue and ultraviolet light, the team found that every amphibian they tested could glow, or ‘biofluoresce.’ Although biofluorescence has been studied predominately […]
First Smokies Writers Conference accepts applications through April
About this time last year, I was asked to be involved with designing the first-ever conference for writers to be held within the boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The inaugural Tremont Writers Conference is the coordinated effort of two educational park partners: Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont and Great Smoky Mountains Association. […]
