Regional

Cawthorn ousted in the primary

News Staff
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Jessica Webb editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Western North Carolina’s young Congressman who quickly rose to national attention lost in the primary election Tuesday. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-11, gained an endorsement by former President Donald Trump but was also mired in controversy recently.

Overdoses increase during pandemic

News Staff
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Hannah Styles hstyles@thesmokymountaintimes.com   According to a report by the American Medical Association, the COVID-19 pandemic made the drug overdose epidemic worse.
Wesser Creek is in the Nantahala National Forest.

Wesser Creek is in the Nantahala National Forest.

Revised Nantahala and Pisgah forest plan released

News Staff
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
The National Forests in North Carolina has released the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests’ revised forest plan and the revision process has entered the final phase, a 60-day objection period for parties who submitted substantive comments during development of the plan.
Someone relaxes with a book at an overlook in the fall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which saw record visitors last year.

Someone relaxes with a book at an overlook in the fall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which saw record visitors last year.

Park sets visitation record with 14.1 million visits in 2021

News Staff
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Great Smoky Mountains National Park experienced the busiest year on record with 14,137,812 visits. Visitation exceeded the 2019 record by 1.5 million visits and 2020 visitation by more than 2 million visits.
A real looker, the scarlet tanager is a prized sight among Western North Carolina birders both for its brilliant color and for the fact it’s hard to find, as it stays in the high forest canopy.

A real looker, the scarlet tanager is a prized sight among Western North Carolina birders both for its brilliant color and for the fact it’s hard to find, as it stays in the high forest canopy.

A flock of small joys in the Smokies

News Staff
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Jessica Webb editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com   On Jan. 5, the National Park Service celebrated National Bird Day—a time dedicated to listening and watching for birds and learning about their role in nature.
Camping has been among the many ways people sought to spend more time outside since the pandemic began in spring 2020.

Camping has been among the many ways people sought to spend more time outside since the pandemic began in spring 2020.

All booked up: demand for camping grows

News Staff
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Center for Western Priorities released a report this fall titled “The Camping Crunch” showing that interest in camping has skyrocketed on public lands over the past 7 years. During the pandemic, as people sought out more socially distant ways to spend their free time, the interest grew even more.
Dry falls with a rainbow

Dry falls with a rainbow

Walk underneath a waterfall in Highlands

News Staff
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Hannah Styles hstyles@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Over a recent weekend, my fiance' and I traveled the one hour drive from Bryson City to Dry Falls in Highlands.
Soco Falls

Soco Falls

Steep hike down to stunning falls

News Staff
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
You might just drive by if you aren’t on the lookout for the pull off for Soco Falls, but a stop is well worth the reward to see this double waterfall. There is limited parking, and it’s a climb down that isn’t for everyone to see the falls as the footing is a bit difficult.