Tornado Rips Through the Park 

Photo of tree uprooted by tornado and blocking a trail by NPS

On April 27 a severe EF 4 tornado damaged the northwestern portion of the park, leaving a trail of devastation 13 miles long and in some places a quarter of a mile wide.  The winds, in excess of 170 miles an hour, toppled countless trees, severely affecting 33 miles of trails. 

See Valerie Polk's video of the tornado damage.

Jim Renfro, the park's air quality specialist and one of the people responsible for recording weather data in the park, said "It's amazing how the tornado stayed on the ground from ridge to valley through this mountainous area." Describing the tornado's impacts he stated, "It's not just down trees, it's piles of down trees and root balls the size of trucks."

Park officials estimate over 1,500 acres were affected by the twister. Parts or all of the following trails remain closed: Rabbit Creek, Little Bottoms, Hatcher Mountain, Beard Cane, Cooper Road, Hannah Mountain, Wet Bottom, and Ace Gap. Abrams Falls Trail is closed beyond the waterfall. In addition to trails, the following backcountry campsites were closed: #3, 11, and 15. There were no reported injuries and no park structures were damaged.

Hatcher Mountain and Beard Cane trails are the most heavily impacted of the park's paths. The tornado perfectly followed the trails through a narrow valley for over three miles. Forest ecologist Tom Remaley surveyed the damage by air and on the ground and reported that "every tree is knocked down for miles of trail tread. You can't go 20 meters before the trail becomes impassable."

However, other than inconvenience to hikers and horse riders, Remaley said that because it was a natural disturbance "it wasn't necessarily a bad thing." Because of the dense ground cover he doesn't expect there to be a lot of soil erosion and over the next few years the affected areas should experience a rise in biological diversity.

It may be weeks before park officials know when various trails will be re-opened. The Park Service has gathered 23 workers for special crews from Joshua Tree, Kings Canyon, Grand Teton, Redwoods, Canyonlands, and other parks to tackle the enormous task.

The Smokies' tornado was part of the late April  "Super Outbreak" which spawned over 300 tornados in the Southeast (over 40 in east Tennessee), more than any other such weather event on record.   To see a map of the tornado activity, watch Valerie Polk's video. 

Famous Bear Photographer Signs Books 

May 28 at New Oconaluftee Visitor Center

Waterfalls of the Smokies Quiz!

Win Cool Prizes 

Test your knowledge of the Waterfalls of the Smokies by taking our Waterfalls of the Smokies Quiz. 

The first person to answer all 12 questions correctly will win a copy of our "Waterfalls of the Smokies" book and an Abrams Falls baseball cap.

Synchronous Fireflies - Join a Night Walk! 

Friday, June 3 

Join naturalist Wanda DeWaard on Friday, June 3, at 7:00 pm for a Walk with the Fireflies!  Wanda will not only discuss the synchronous fireflies in the Smokies, but also will give you some history of the Elkmont area and other interesting natural history and cultural facts.

Synchronous fireflies are one of 14 species of fireflies inhabiting GSMNP, and the only species in the country that is capable of synchronizing their flashing light patterns. These light patterns are part of the adult mating display. This production of light is called bioluminescence, and each species of firefly has a characteristic flash pattern that aids in the recognition of male and female individuals.

Photo of fireflies and people with flashlights by Kevin Adams

Pre-registration and payment is required and is limited to 15 participants.  The fee is $10 for adults; children 12 and under are free. Call 865-436-7318, Ext. 222 or 254 to register.

Wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants and sturdy walking shoes. Bring a small flashlight with a red or blue film (cellophane), water, rain gear, snacks, light day pack, and a pad of some sort to sit on (not a chair).

Meet at Elkmont at the Little River Trailhead at 7:00 pm. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

This should be better than fireworks on the Fourth... so come and enjoy the fun!

We have a firefly t-shirt , tote, and mug as well as poster and print. 

Appalachian Bear Rescue  

June 25, July 16, August 6 

Bear peeping across vegetation from Facebook by Pam Autry

Hiking Trail Recommendations

Flora and Fauna Updates

Hiking Trails of the Month

June is an excellent time to enjoy the Catawba rhododendron blooms at the park's higher elevations. From Clingmans Dome, either the 3.6 mile round trip hike to Andrews Bald (on Forney Ridge Trail) or the 6.5 mile round trip hike to Double Springs Gap shelter (on the Appalachian Trail) are highly recommended. Both hikes are described in Day Hikes of the Smokies published by Great Smoky Mountains Association. 

June Wildflowers

Often times we think of April as wildflower time in the Smokies. But June also has dozens of showy species in bloom. Many of the best early summer wildflowers are found at the higher elevations. Watch for: galax, bluets, Canada mayflower, wood lily, fly poison, wood sorrel, small purple-fringed orchid, and Catawba and rosebay rhododendron. Learn more about summer wildflowers in our full color field guide Wildflowers of the Smokies. It's organized by color to make flower identification quick and easy. 

Catawba Rhododendron

The park's famed Catawba (purple) rhododendron blooms started early this year. The heath bald near Chimneys trailhead is already at peak. Higher up, they will be peaking in mid June this year. The upper reaches of Alum Cave Trail to Mt. Le Conte are always a good place to enjoy them.

Flame Azalea

These bright orange blooms still linger in the dry woods on the park's west side. They should be starting on Gregory Bald in mid to late June.

Elk Calves

Elk calves are being born near Cataloochee Valley, Balsam Mountain, and Oconaluftee now. Last year 25 calves joined the Smokies' growing elk population. Cows generally have one calf per year and newborns weigh about 35 pounds. The young can stand within minutes of birth. Mother and child rejoin the herd after a couple of weeks.  The best time to see elk is from dawn to 9 am and the last hour before dark.

Great Father's Day Gift  

Membership in GSMA 

Andy Huff's father with his dog from Andy Huff

It's a gift that keeps on giving throughout the year! Here are just some of the benefits of membership:

1. A discount on sales items purchased at any of our sales locations or through mail order (amount of discount depends on membership level)
2. Discounts from other park associations around the country when traveling
3. Subscriptions to:
• Our acclaimed Smokies Life magazine (Spring & Fall)
• Smokies Guide park newspaper (quarterly)
• Bearpaw newsletter (Spring & Fall)
• Cub Report e-newsletter (monthly - need e-mail address)
• Opportunity to take part in our annual meeting weekend and other events, for example, guided hikes and seminars
• Special discounts at participating area hotels, restaurants, and other attractions

Call 865-436-7318, Ext. 222 or 254 for more information or to purchase a membership for yourself or someone special in your life! You'll have the satisfaction of knowing you're supporting the park! 

Park Buildings Getting Greener

Workers replace the roof at Sugarlands Visitor Center

Park visitor centers are being upgraded with green technology.  The Oconoluftee and Sugarlands visitor centers now have "cool roof" systems which involve adding an additional layer of plywood decking, backed with furring strips to create a 1" gap between the 2 layers of decking.  A ridge vent is installed and ventilation ports are drilled under the eaves to allow the heat from the sun to easily escape. 

Also, Sugarlands roof shakes are being replaced with shakes made of recycled rubber with a 50-year life.  And solar tubes were installed to provide additional lighting without needing electricity. 

The Clingmans Dome Information Center is "off the power grid" due to its remote location.  So, GSMA recently installed a propane-fueled generator coupled with a bank of 24 2-volt batteries and sophisticated electronic components that provide power needs throughout the day from the batteries.   

The generator runs about 2 hours each evening, instead of 9 hours a day, to charge the batteries for the next day.  This reduces propane costs by 70%.  The system is monitored remotely by NPS through a satellite internet connection.

Other green features at the new Oconaluftee include:

    - No-flush urinals

    - 6500-gallon rainwater capture system used to flush toilets 

    - extensive use of cement-fiber boards for exterior siding & trim

    - solar tubes to reduce lighting needs

    - low VOC paint, glues, and caulking

    - reclaimed American Chestnut

    - recycled rubber tile, and carpet

    - reclaimed oak planks to make store fixtures

    - Trex planks for the porch

    - geothermal HVAC system with 12 wells at 300 ft/each

    - high efficiency lighting

    - remote monitoring system for HVAC & security systems