Welcome th the Great Smoky Backwoods web site. There is news and information about camping and hiking and enjoying the Mountains
 
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Skinny Dippin'
USGS Maps of Trails
Fishing Area fishing regulations
Backwoods Area Hiking Clubs and Links to the National Park plus camping information.
Camping Commercial Campgrounds  
Greenbrier Images of nature near Porters Creek
Mt. Le Conte Area Hiking Trails
Wilderness  Wilderness Interests 
Contact by Phone in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Skinny Dippin' Thoughts and precautions
Smoky Mountains On The Fly fly fishing guide service
Hiking the Carolinas Great information on Trails in the GSMNP
Arts and Crafts
Winter Fir Images of snow in the park
Bloom Schedule of the Blue Ridge Area
Blue Ridge Parkway Motor through the wilderness
Lovers Friends in the National Park
A Walk in the Woods area guide and shuttle service
Knox Ham Radio Local Hams
Outdoors Appalachian Mountain Club
Savvy Traveler public radio's nationally broadcast travel show
Smokies Traveler What to do in the Smokies
Waterfalls Link to area waterfalls
National Park Great Smoky Mountain National Park website
Rafting Area rafting on three local rivers
Trails.com Link to Tennessee trails
Gorp Smokies Information about the Smokies from Gorp
One Day Hikes Best one day hikes worldwide. 
Adventure News

ShaConage is the name the Cherokee people entitled The Great Smoky Mountains. It roughly means "Like Blue Smoke" New article coming soon.

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The Map will expand with a click of your mouse.

 

Red-bellied woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus [Female]

Originally a southeastern species, indigenous to the Smoky Mountains, the red-bellied woodpecker has extended its range into New England. It lives in forests and backyards. It eats insects and fruits. Both males and females work to dig a nesting cavity five to seventy feet above the ground in a tree, utility pole, or building. It has zebra-like stripes on its back and grows to about nine inches. The male has more red on his head.

 

 Female Red Bellied Woodpecker cleans it's bill after devouring suet in the feeders at the outofyourway cabin GreatSmoky.com

Cougar in the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains

Ray, I stumbled onto your site and was so happy to find someone else who has seen a cougar in the Smokies. Years ago I was coming back across the mountain and just to the G-burg side of the Clingman's Dome parking lot, a cougar leaped across the road in front of our car. 

 Cougar or Mountain Lion live in the Great Smoky Mountains. I personally saw one in 1986, and there are reports of deer and llama kills.

Probably @ 8 feet from nose to tail and bounded about twice to completely clear the two lanes. People said we didn't know what we saw but we sure did. Happy to know someone else has witnessed the beauty of one of these big cats other than me! Mike

Cougar at Alum Rock Park with Picture

I was hiking alone August 17 on the Balsam Mountain Trail. I was hiking down from the AT and had passed the trail split. A cougar walked across the trail about 35 feet down from me. I reported it to the ranger on Sunday. I had a can of bear spray and picked up a rock just in case. None of this was necessary since the cougar did not pay any attention to me. (unsigned)

 

LeConte Trail

The image to the right is the trail headed up Mt. LeConte at Alum Cave Bluffs parking area. Soon, wildflowers and lightening bugs will become alive for the season, offering everyone the chance to visit the wilderness areas and experience the Great Smoky Mountains in full bloom. Wildflower walks will be best between April 10th and 20th in lower elevations then climbing up the mountain thereafter. Late May and June is the time to find Mountain Laurel and Rhododendron. 

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 THE PARK: With 10 million visitors yearly, this most-visited national park protects a delicate ecosystem of rare plants and wildlife as well as structures representing traditional Appalachian culture.

 

 

Biosphere reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use.

More detailed information on biosphere reserves to be found here.

In the UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory you will find information on all the biosphere reserves, using the following links:


Little Blue Heron

The many streams of the Great Smoky Mountains offer environmental ecosystems for the Great Blue Heron as well as the Little Blue Heron. 

Great blue heron Ardea herodias

Little blue heron Egretta caerulea

 

 

It takes more than big trucks to bring elk to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
"We've been discussing releasing elk, an elk program in the Park, for 10 years," said Park spokeswoman Nancy Gray. The talk becomes reality Feb. 2 when 25 elk will be brought to the Cataloochee area after a 150-year absence. The project started out with three questions, Gray said. Is the project biologically feasible? Politically feasible? And if so, where is the funding going to come from?

»Quarantine Notice: Firewood from the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey and New York can not be brought into the national park. The United States Department of Agriculture has quarantined firewood from these states to prevent the spread of highly destructive insects that may be living in the wood. ~~~}Bundles of firewood are available for sale in the communities surrounding the national park. In addition, the following campgrounds have on-site sales of firewood:

  • Firewood Available Here:
  • Balsam Mountain
  • Cades Cove (at Cades Cove Campground Store)
  • Elkmont
  • Smokemont (at Smokemont Riding Stables)
  • Many local grocery and quick stop stores
    •

    Shop for recommended reading and camping supplies from Great Smoky Backwoods and Amazon

    Peak to Peak Trail and Wilderness Links
    Visit The Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce

     

    Click to view Ray's Family 027 guage Lionel Train Collection

    Ray's Lionel® Model Train  Collection 1949-2008

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