Have a wild time at the library
 

Have a wild time at the library

The animals of Balsam Mountain Trust will make the rounds next week in a pair of library programs in Waynesville…
Read More

Comment

A look inside the museum
 

A look inside the museum

Step inside Cherokee’s newest museum, and the scent of freshly cut wood and tranquil lighting will immediately greet you with…
Read More

Comment

From pies to model planes, Haywood Fair calls entries
 

From pies to model planes, Haywood Fair calls entries

It’s that time again — get together your best garden produce and crafty handiwork to enter in the Haywood County…
Read More

Comment

Smokies offers hands-on science for high school interns
 

Smokies offers hands-on science for high school interns

Several local teenagers were among those who recently completed a six-week internship in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Read More

Comment

Bird flu fears trigger precautionary measures
 

Bird flu fears trigger precautionary measures

Fears that the bird flu could spread to North Carolina have prompted the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services…
Read More

Comment

Ash killer arrives in WNC, firewood must stay put in Graham
 

Ash killer arrives in WNC, firewood must stay put in Graham

Emerald ash borers recently found in a Graham County trap mark the invasive insect’s first appearance in Western North Carolina…
Read More

Comment

Panthertown gets improved parking area
 

Panthertown gets improved parking area

Improvements to the crowded trailhead parking on the east side of Panthertown Valley, a recreation area in the Nantahala National…
Read More

Comment

Public comment open for state wildlife plan
 

Public comment open for state wildlife plan

A plan to guide wildlife management in North Carolina for the next 10 years is being developed and public input…
Read More

Comment

Company for coffee
 

Company for coffee

Due to the generosity of great friends Bill and Elaine Cave of Asheville, my family has enjoyed a summer respite…
Read More

Comment

With a little help from hunters, wildlife officials hope to curb the exploding bear population in the mountains
 

With a little help from hunters, wildlife officials hope to curb the exploding bear population in the mountains

North Carolina has a bear problem, and wildlife officials hope hunters can help. The population of black bears has been…
Read More

Comment

Take a road trip on the Jackson farm tour
 

Take a road trip on the Jackson farm tour

From shitakes to goats to greenhouses, farms and gardens in Jackson County will let the public in for a behind-the-scenes…
Read More

Comment

Race Waynesville’s Main Street Mile
 

Race Waynesville’s Main Street Mile

A 1-mile race through downtown Waynesville on Friday, Aug. 21, will benefit the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Greenville, S.C.
Read More

Comment

Franklin gardens a home for wildlife
 

Franklin gardens a home for wildlife

Several Franklin property owners have made it a priority to garden with wildlife in mind, earning recognition from the National…
Read More

Comment

Feds decide to put hold on wolf program
 

Feds decide to put hold on wolf program

Reintroductions of endangered red wolves in eastern North Carolina will cease for the rest of 2015 following a decision by…
Read More

Comment

A natural fit: Balsam nature center a hub for research and education in the mountains
 

A natural fit: Balsam nature center a hub for research and education in the mountains

“Hey buddy, you about ready to come out?” Michael Skinner asks the juvenile broadwing hawk standing in the back of…
Read More

Comment

Hendersonville woman becomes 50th person to hike the MST
 

Hendersonville woman becomes 50th person to hike the MST

The tally of people who have hiked the entire 1,150-mile Mountains-to-Sea Trail reached 50 when Lorie Hansen, of Hendersonville, took…
Read More

Comment

New guide highlights the best of Haywood’s homemade
 

New guide highlights the best of Haywood’s homemade

The new agritourism guide for Haywood County is out, highlighting farmers markets, plant nurseries, pick-your-own farms, roadside produce stands, Christmas…
Read More

Comment

Sunday hunting now OK in North Carolina
 

Sunday hunting now OK in North Carolina

Sunday hunting with firearms will now be legal on private property following passage of the Outdoor Heritage Act by the…
Read More

Comment

Senior walking group forming in Haywood
 

Senior walking group forming in Haywood

Seniors interested in getting out for an early morning walk this summer are wanted for a now-forming group through the…
Read More

Comment

Food pantry training program aimed at strengthening food supply for needy
 

Food pantry training program aimed at strengthening food supply for needy

A pilot education program for food pantries and other emergency food providers will hold a series of training classes from…
Read More

Comment

Wildlife to sweep Sapphire
 

Wildlife to sweep Sapphire

Mountain Wildlife Days will return to Sapphire Valley Resort outside Cashiers July 17-18 this year, bringing plenty of opportunity to…
Read More

Comment

Bee photographer to share images and stories; Bee conference at Lake J
 

Bee photographer to share images and stories; Bee conference at Lake J

A program titled “4,000 Reasons to Love (and Protect) Native Bees” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 16,…
Read More

Comment

Hazel Creek area reopen following bear attack
 

Hazel Creek area reopen following bear attack

Backcountry trails and campsites are open again in the Hazel Creek area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for…
Read More

Comment

What is white-nose syndrome?
 

What is white-nose syndrome?

If you’ve heard rumor of an ecological catastrophe called white-nose syndrome, a lecture at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 23, at…
Read More

Comment

Tribe earns award for greenhouse project
 

Tribe earns award for greenhouse project

A newly completed greenhouse project in Cherokee earned the tribe recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency this summer. 
Read More

Comment

Trail work causes closures in the Smokies
 

Trail work causes closures in the Smokies

Trails in the Forney Creek area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park outside Bryson City will be closed this…
Read More

Comment

Summer skies
 

Summer skies

My family and I made a quick run up to Waterrock Knob on the Blue Ridge Parkway around dusk last…
Read More

Comment

A hidden gem: Waynesville vet can’t get away from biking mountain roads
 

A hidden gem: Waynesville vet can’t get away from biking mountain roads

For veterinarian Brian Birthright, what would become a lifelong passion for biking began in the most fitting of ways —…
Read More

Comment

The low-down on lightning
 

The low-down on lightning

Lightning is one of nature’s most ephemeral forces, but scientists are still able to detect and measure these electrical displays.…
Read More

Comment

Ginseng lottery open
 

Ginseng lottery open

Ginseng collectors have until July 15 to put their names in the hat for the U.S. Forest Service’s annual lottery…
Read More

Comment

Cherokee welcomes four-legged athletes
 

Cherokee welcomes four-legged athletes

DockDogs to be held in Cherokee July 10-12, will showcase three days of leaping dogs doing tricks in mid-air while…
Read More

Comment

Man dies in kayaking accident
 

Man dies in kayaking accident

A man paddling in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last Wednesday (July 1) died after his kayak capsized. Kenneth…
Read More

Comment

Lake Junaluska shoreline to become more stable
 

Lake Junaluska shoreline to become more stable

A $3,360 grant from The Fund for Haywood County will allow Haywood Waterways Association to do some work on the…
Read More

Comment

To each his own: Nature week allows age-stratified exploration for families
 

To each his own: Nature week allows age-stratified exploration for families

It’s day four of the Family Nature Summit, and the troops are working hard on a wooded piece of land…
Read More

Comment

Remembering the old ways
 

Remembering the old ways

By Wil Shelton • SMN Intern For Whittier resident Anne Hill, sharing the history of Appalachia goes far beyond the realm…
Read More

Comment

Take a Hike: Author encourages parents to get their kids outside
 

Take a Hike: Author encourages parents to get their kids outside

By Wil Shelton • SMN Intern For Jeff Alt and his family, hiking is more a lifestyle than a hobby. “After…
Read More

Comment

Chopping his way to victory: HCC student takes national timbersports title
 

Chopping his way to victory: HCC student takes national timbersports title

Ben Kniceley’s pretty sure his dad had a good laugh after the Haywood Community College graduate came away with a…
Read More

Comment

Color on high
 

Color on high

I occasionally see The Smoky Mountain News’ Garret K. Woodward’s Facebook posts about hitting the trails around WNC for a…
Read More

Comment

A voice from the past leads to new adventure
 

A voice from the past leads to new adventure

Well, it wasn’t really a voice — it was an email. I received an email from Bruce Lampright back in…
Read More

Comment

Here for the long haul: New Smokies superintendent settles into park leadership
 

Here for the long haul: New Smokies superintendent settles into park leadership

Asked what a typical day for the head guy at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park looks like, new Smokies…
Read More

Comment

Get the scoop on native plants
 

Get the scoop on native plants

Registration is now open for the 2015 Cullowhee Native Plant Conference at Western Carolina University, a four-day event featuring more…
Read More

Comment

Canton riverbank gets a makeover
 

Canton riverbank gets a makeover

A much-used riverbank in the Canton Recreation Park is now a lot more stable, thanks to a protection project recently…
Read More

Comment

Become a Junior Ranger
 

Become a Junior Ranger

A lineup of summer programs in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will give young park-lovers the chance to earn…
Read More

Comment

Queen honored for environmental advocacy
 

Queen honored for environmental advocacy

The N.C. League of Conservation Voters named Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, as its 2015 Representative of the Year in…
Read More

Comment

Cause of hiker’s death still unknown
 

Cause of hiker’s death still unknown

The National Park Service is still waiting on the results of an autopsy looking into the cause of hiker Jenny…
Read More

Comment

Family Nature Summit comes to Lake J
 

Family Nature Summit comes to Lake J

Each year, the Family Nature Summit is held in some part of the country known for its special beauty and…
Read More

Comment

Farmers market season launches
 

Farmers market season launches

Growing season is upon us, and that means farmers of all stripes are harvesting produce to sell. Farmers markets around…
Read More

Comment

Volunteers sought to maintain trails
 

Volunteers sought to maintain trails

Volunteers willing to work hard in the backcountry are sought to form this year’s Smokies Wilderness Elite Appalachian Trail Crew,…
Read More

Comment

Albinism in plants
 

Albinism in plants

The other day, while chasing birdies for the Forest Service, I encountered a pretty wildflower along an abandoned logging road.…
Read More

Comment

Parkway programs start up for summer
 

Parkway programs start up for summer

A ranger-guided hike along the Blue Ridge Parkway this Friday will mark the beginning of summer for the high-elevation road…
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.