Smoky Mountain Long Cold Full Moon

Smoky Mountain Long Cold Full Moon is on the rise! The final full moon for 2022 will appear on Tuesday, December 7th at 11:08 p.m.. This lunar event is sometimes called the “Long Night’s Moon” or the “Full Cold Moon.” During this moon phase the moon will sit above the horizon much longer than it normally does.

Continue reading…

Smoky Mountain Parsons Branch Road Opens

Smoky Mountain Parsons Branch Road Opens after a six year closure. GSMNP officials celebrated the reopening of Parson Branch Road with a ribbon-cutting event honoring the work crew and Friends of the Smokies who provided funding. The historic gravel road, originally constructed in 1838, is now reopened to the public after a six-year closure. 

Continue reading…

Karen Pence Gets Outside Smoky Mountain Style

Karen Pence gets outside Smoky Mountain Style. Second Lady Karen Pence and Deputy Secretary of the Interior Katherine MacGregor met with park officials at Clingmans Dome recently to talk about the mental health benefits of being outdoors as the next phase in the park’s plan to restore public access to more roads and picnic areas was announced. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgent need for us to pay closer attention to our mental health and emotional well-being,” said Second Lady Karen Pence. “Our amazing national parks offer many mental health benefits and more than ever before, we must ensure that we are taking care of ourselves and each other.”

Continue reading…

Smoky Mountain Eastern Spotted Skunk

Smoky Mountain Eastern Spotted Skunks give fair warning and provide some interesting acrobatics just before sending out a cloud of noxious spray. When frightened, or angered, the Eastern Spotted Skunk engages in unique behaviors that serves as either a bluff or a warning  just prior to discharging a very unwelcome aromatic spritz. This species, the smaller of the two skunks that make their home in the park, will stomp its front feet in rapid succession on the ground. Perhaps, even more unusual, the skunk may also perform a handstand on its front feet and walk while holding its tail in the air just before aiming and spraying. So, if you encounter either of these behaviors, you have had been forewarned!

Eastern Spotted Skunks are nocturnal and active year-round. Excellent climbers, these skunks are more agile and alert than their striped counterparts, and feed primarily on small mammals, fruits, insects, birds, lizards, snakes, and carrion. The breed is easily distinguished from its Pepe LePew-looking cousin. Weighing in at under three pounds, it has black silky fur, a white triangular spot on the forehead, a white spot under each ear, and four to six undulating white stripes along the neck, back, and sides. White patches are also present on the rump, and a bushy 6-8-inch tail sports a broad white tip. Hunters often trap the species for its’ unique fur. The Eastern Spotted Skunk’s range includes Northeastern Mexico through the Great Plains to the Canadian border, and the Southeastern United States north to Pennsylvania.

Continue reading…