Quiz on Late Summer & Fall Wildflowers    

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Join Us for a Hike to John Oliver's Cabin 

Saturday, August 13    

Photo of John Oliver Cabin by John Northrup

John and Lucretia Oliver arrived in the Cove in 1818.  If you'd like to learn more about them, join Park volunteer Jim Burbank who will lead a hike to the John Oliver homeplace in Cades Cove on Saturday, August 13. 

The hike will be via the Rich Mountain Loop Trail. It is a 1.3 mile walk to the cabin.  Participants will meet at 10 am at the Cades Cove Information Shelter just before the entrance to the one-way road through the Cove.

Register for this informative walk and let Jim fill you in on the details of this first permanent white family to settle the Cove.

It is requested that you park a little distance away from the shelter to allow room for others visiting the information center to park. 

Wear good hiking boots, bring water, rain gear, and a light lunch or snack to eat upon arrival at the cabin.

This program is limited to 20 people and you must pre-register by calling 865-436-7318, ext. 222 or 254. There is a nominal fee of $10 per adult; children 12 and under are free.

This promises to be a great introduction to the Cove's history whether you've visited several times or if this is your first visit!

Old Time Acoustic Music Jam Session

Every 3rd Saturday of the Month   

Banjo Playing by Donna Eaton

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is starting up an acoustic old time jam session every third Saturday of the month starting July 16 at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, NC, from 1-3 p.m.

"Musical expression was and still is often a part of daily life in the southern mountains, and mountain music is strongly tied to the Smokies history and culture," said Lynda Doucette, Supervisory Park Ranger, Oconaluftee Visitor Center.  "We would like to invite musicians to play traditional Appalachian tunes such as gospel songs and traditional ballads as they were played on the porches in the old days."

The jam will be held on the porch of the new Oconaluftee Visitor Center which offers nice roof cover for shade and protection from rain in a beautiful setting.  "We would like to grow this event so that it becomes part of the experience of the many visitors who come to the visitor center. We hope to perpetuate the customs of handing down songs and music through the generations.  Visitors have an opportunity to learn and observe these traditions first hand."

Anyone who plays and would like to share their talents can join in the music gathering regardless of their playing level. The jams will follow an "around-the-circle" format, where folks may lead tunes/songs or pass the tune choice to the next person. "We hope people will get their instrument and come on out to enjoy a step back in time with us."

GSMA Annual Meeting 

Weekend of September 9, 10 & 11    

Photo by Scott Hotaling

Another hot and humid summer is moving on and once again members of GSMA are looking forward to their Annual Membership Weekend. This year members can expect to enjoy the coolness of the Little Pigeon River in the Greenbrier area of the park and the numerous shady trails to be explored.

The dates are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, September 9, 10, and 11. Friday evening kicks the event off with a BBQ and music by the Old Mill String Band at Greenbrier pavilion.

Saturday's indoor programs include the following topics: the Avent Cabin at Elkmont, Cherokee Heritage, and Bears 101 (taught by Appalachian Bear Rescue), all held at Pittman Center Elementary School.

Hikes for the day include a native plant stroll on Porters Creek with "Granny Franny", a hike to the CCC camp and Sugarlands Cemetery on Old Sugarlands Trail, a big tree walk to Albright Grove, a "Step Back in Time" with Glenn Cardwell on Injun Creek, and visiting old home sites on Old Settlers Trail.

The day ends with the annual meeting itself, followed by a buffet dinner and some mountain and hammered dulcimer music. These events will be held at Mills Conference Center in downtown Gatlinburg.

Sunday winds down the weekend with a half-day hike on a portion of Ramsey Cascades Trail with naturalist Wanda DeWaard.

Fortunately, the Greenbrier area of the park is accessible via I-40 and Exit #443. This allows you to bypass all of the heavy traffic of Sevierville, Highway 66, and Pigeon Forge. Instead you can enjoy views from the Foothills Parkway east as you make your way toward Cosby and the Greenbrier area.  

Members can expect an invitation to arrive in their mailbox in the next week or so. For fees and to register, call 865-436-7318, ext. 222 or 254 no later than September 2. Let's get together for a great time... done "mountain-style"!

Smokies Educator Settles in to New Position

Dupree, New Chief of Resource Education 

Elizabeth K. Dupree was selected as the new Chief of Resource Education at Great Smoky Mountains National Park and has been in her new post since April.  Dupree replaces Cathleen Cook who took a new position as Superintendent of Chickamauga/Chattanooga Military Park in Chattanooga, TN.

Dupree, 55, came from Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in New Orleans, LA as Chief of Resource Education, overseeing six separate locations and educating the public on the cultural and natural resources of the Mississippi delta region.  A significant achievement at Jean Lafitte was the opening of a new visitor center at Chalmette Battlefield where Dupree played a major role in both the design and construction of the facility, as well as the planning, fabrication, and installation of the exhibits and interactive computer programs.

Dupree has a wealth of knowledge and experience in park interpretive operations, having worked in key leadership roles in a number of national park units over a 30-year career with the National Park Service.  "This experience will be an asset to the Smokies in providing interpretive and educational activities to the millions of visitors who come to the Park, a primary function and important responsibility for protecting and preserving the flora, fauna, and cultural resources," said Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson.

A majority of the Park's Resource Education Division's operation is providing direct contact with the public through:  three popular year round visitor centers inside the Park hosting about 2 million visits annually; weekly ranger-led walks, talks, and tours; environmental educational programs such as Parks as Classrooms and Parks in Classroom, reaching thousands of students annually; and the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center, bridging educational opportunities with real science research.

Dupree's diverse work experience included other assignments throughout the country at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, TX; Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV; Big Cypress National Preserve, Canaveral National Seashore, and Gulf Islands National Seashore, FL; Herbert Hoover National Historical Park, Iowa; Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and Wright Brothers National Memorial, NC; and Cumberland Island National Seashore, GA.

Two of her earliest field assignments were at Great Smoky Mountains National Park where she worked in the Oconaluftee and Cades Cove Districts as a Park Aid and Park Technician.  Prior to entering into the interpretation field, Dupree performed a variety of duties in law enforcement operations and resource management activities.

"Being back in the Smokies is like coming home, and I look forward to continuing the great community connections the park has with local schools and partners who help us educate the public about this beautiful and unique place," said Dupree.

Dupree is a native of North Carolina and a graduate of East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Parks, Recreation and Conservation. She enjoys hiking and photography among her hobbies.

Special Events In the Park in September 

September 3-5
Sorghum molasses making at Cades Cove Visitor Center

September 16-18
Sorghum molasses making at Cades Cove Visitor Center

September 17

Mountain Life Festival at Oconaluftee Visitor Center with sorghum molasses making, music, crafts, and demonstrations. 

Reservations for Backcountry Sites 84 & 85   

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have announced a decision to transition backcountry campsites 84 and 85, along the Hazel Creek Trail in North Carolina, from non-reservation campsites to reservation only.  This change takes effect on August 1, 2011.  The decision was made as a result of repeated bear-human conflicts, which have necessitated lengthy closures of these two sites in the past couple of years.

Campsites 84 and 85 are currently available on a first-come first-served basis, which very often results in the sites being overcrowded.  One consequence of overcrowding is lack of space on the food storage cables for everyone to properly store their food and other odorous items that tend to attract bears.

Park officials expect that limiting the number of people at these campsites to the actual capacity will help ensure all campers have access to the food storage cables.  When food and odorous items are properly stored bears have less incentive to visit campsites, which means fewer opportunities for bear-human conflicts.  Fewer bear-human conflicts will, in turn, reduce the likelihood of campsite closures and allow more visitors to enjoy use of these sites during the season.

The reservation requirement will not affect the current capacity which allows a maximum number of 6 campers per night at campsite 84 and 10 people and 6 horses per night at campsite 85.

To make a reservation, campers must call the Backcountry Reservation Office at 865/436-1231.  The office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily and reservations may be made up to one month in advance.  In addition, campers must obtain an overnight backcountry camping permit, available at 16 backcountry permit stations throughout the Park.

For more information about proper food storage, backcountry regulations or trip planning, click here  or call the Park's Backcountry Information Office at 865/436-1297. The office is open 7 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to noon.