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Second Lady Karen Pence Visits Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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Second Lady Karen Pence and Deputy Secretary of the Interior Katherine MacGregor open the gate to Clingmans Dome Road.

Second Lady Karen Pence (right) and Deputy Secretary of the Interior Katherine MacGregor open the gate to Clingmans Dome Road./Official White House Photo by Amy Rossetti.

It was not the best day for a walk in the park, but Second Lady Karen Pence nonetheless appeared at Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Tuesday amid showers and fog to discuss the benefits of fresh air for physical and mental health.

Her appearance at Clingmans Dome along with Deputy Secretary of the Interior Katherine MacGrego was a preview of increasing access coming to the park that straddles the North Carolina-Tennessee border.

Mrs. Pence is the Lead Ambassador for PREVENTS, an interagency task force that stands for the President's Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide. The task force launched a public health awareness campaign called “More Than Ever Before” to highlight the importance of checking in with family, friends and loved ones during the pandemic. During her visit, Mrs. Pence talked about this campaign, the holistic benefits of being outside, and the importance of public access to our country’s incredible national parks and public lands.

“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 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."

However, her appearance was criticized by the National Parks Conservation Association, which said now is not the time to encourage visitation to national parks as the country continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic.

“With its cascading waterfalls and blooming wildflowers, Great Smoky Mountains National Park in springtime draws so many crowds that it’s become the most-visited park in the nation. Unfortunately, crowds come with incredible risk right now," said David Lamfrom, the group's Southeast regional director. "Karen Pence’s visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park downplays the risks of visiting a crowded park. When people learn that the vice president’s wife visited the park, they may believe it is safe for them to visit over the long weekend. It’s not."

The NPCA official pointed out that COVID-19 cases in both North Carolina and Tennessee have spiked over the past week.

"Before planning a trip to the park, we urge you to please consider your health, family, community, and the well-being of the tireless National Park Service staff," said Lamfrom. "Park managers are working diligently to safely reopen the Smokies, but without adequate PPE for staff at the park and a guarantee that visitors can properly social distance, it is not yet safe for the park to operate with an influx of visitors. We all miss visiting our national parks, but we cannot allow Great Smokies National Park to become a vector for COVID-19.”

Park Superintendent Cassius Cash accompanied Mrs. Pence to the top of the park in weather that was less than ideal -- rain showers and fog were in the forecast -- to open the Clingmans Dome Road, an opening that marked the first step in the next phase of the park’s reopening plan. Plans to open the following areas on Saturday, May 23, were also announced: 

  • Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
  • Big Creek Road and Big Creek Picnic Area
  • Cosby Road and Cosby Picnic Area
  • Greenbrier Road (to Ramsey Cascades Trailhead only)
  • Tremont Road
  • All park trails
     

“With nearly every state in the nation taking some action to reopen, what a joy it is to be in Tennessee with Second Lady Karen Pence to reopen areas of our most visited National Park for the enjoyment of the American People,” said Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor.

The Great Smoky Mountains offer more than half-a-million acres to relax and enjoy some fresh air and Vitamin D.Today we are thrilled to expand access for Americans to enjoy the mental and physical benefits of this stunning landscape.”

Great Smoky offers more than 800 miles of hiking trails, quiet walkways, and self-guiding nature trails where visitors can disperse for a safe hiking experience, a park release noted. The health and safety of visitors, employees, and volunteers is the No. 1 priority for the National Park Service. Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for this pandemic includes social distancing and wearing face coverings when social distancing cannot be maintained. By restoring access to additional roads this week, the Smokies offers even more opportunities for visitors to spread out and responsibly recreate across the park, the release said.

“We appreciate the patience of our visitors as we work together to safely share this space,” said Superintendent Cash. “When you’re planning your trip, have several options in mind so that you switch plans if you find an area congested. We want your Smokies experience to offer you a place to safely relax and recharge during these challenging times.” 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park continues to increase recreational access and services across the park in alignment with guidance provided by the states of Tennessee and North Carolina, White House, CDC, and public health authorities.

To try to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the park has developed a range of mitigation actions that include new disinfection procedures and increased cleaning frequency for facilities; installation of protective barriers in visitor contact facilities; new employee practices for shared workplaces and vehicles; and focused messaging to prepare visitors for safe outdoor recreation.

Visitors are encouraged to follow social distancing guidelines and to wear facial coverings in busy areas like the Clingmans Dome Observation Tower when other visitors are present. Visitor centers and campgrounds will remain closed. These facilities will open when safe and appropriate mitigation measures are in place.

Park managers urge visitors to follow public health guidance for a safe and responsible visit: choose trails and overlooks without congested parking areas; visit early in the morning; stay in your vehicle while viewing wildlife and allow traffic to proceed; follow Leave No Trace principals by packing out everything you bring into the park; maintain social distance from other visitors; and wear face coverings where social distancing is not possible.

Comments

No crowds on almost all trails in the Smokie.

I walked up Chasteen Creek Trail on Saturday May 23 and saw ... nobody.

The horse concession had taken visitors up to a waterfall - about a mile in. Further up the trail, there was no one.

Danny Bernstein

www.hikertohiker.com


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