Alum Cave Trail temporarily closed in February for bridge replacement

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials will implement a temporary, weekday closure of Alum Cave Trail and associated parking lots during February to accommodate the replacement of two foot-log bridges near the Arch Rock area. The area will be closed weekly on Monday through Thursday from Feb. 8 through Feb. 25. The trail will be fully More...

Sochan permit applications for Great Smoky Mountains National Park are due soon
To apply online for a 2021 sochan gathering permit, please visit the EBCI Natural Resources Dept. website: Sochan Gathering If you have difficulty using the online application form, contact Maria Dunlavey More...

WCU makes adjustments to start of spring semester
CULLOWHEE – Due to a record number of COVID-19 cases, strain on critical health care resources related to COVID-19 hospitalizations, and a projected peak in cases in Western North Carolina within the next More...

Fish Cherokee 2021 schedule
The Catch & Keep Enterprise Waters will be closed to everyone from March 13-26. The Catch & Release Enterprise Waters are open all year for trophy water fly fishing only. Following is a list More...

Park recruits volunteers for Monitoring Program
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is recruiting volunteers to monitor visitor use patterns in several of the most popular locations in the park in both North Carolina and Tennessee. Volunteers may choose More...

Harrah’s Cherokee Tribal Scholarship Fund announces emergency COVID-19 funding
The Harrah’s Cherokee Tribal Scholarship Fund has announced emergency COVID-19 funding made available to qualified educational institutions in the seven surrounding counties bordering the Qualla Boundary More...

No-Kill Animal Shelters in western North Carolina
Paws Animal Shelter 57 Lemons Branch Rd. Bryson City, NC 828-488-0418 www.pawsbrysoncity.org Jackson County Animal Shelter 463 Airport Road Sylva, NC 28779 828-586-6138 Appalachian Animal More...

NPS seeks information related to Aggravated Sexual Assault case
The National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB) continues to seek information related to sexual assaults that may have occurred within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On Monday, More...

Elkmont Road section temporarily closed for bridge repair
Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that an Elkmont Road section will be temporarily closed to motorists for bridge repairs beginning Monday, Dec. 7 through Friday, Dec. 18. The closure will More...

COVID-19 spikes force WCU to shift from in-person to virtual commencements for December
CULLOWHEE – In response to concerns about the surge of COVID-19 cases across North Carolina and the U.S. and in consultation with the Jackson County Department of Public Heath, Western Carolina University is More...