Great Smoky Mountains Park needing volunteers for visiting monitor program

National Park Service officials are seeking volunteers to monitor visitor patterns at some of the most popular destinations within in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

A news release issued Monday says the park will allow volunteers to participate by ways that include recording observations on popular hiking trails and monitoring traffic flow patterns. Park visitation has increased over 30% in the last 10 years, causing crowding and congestion at locations like Clingman’s Dome and Cades Cove.

The monitoring data will help develop safety and access improvements. Volunteers are asked to work one four-hour shift per week between April and Nov. in both the North Carolina and Tennessee parts of the park.

For those interested in volunteering, you can email Kendra Straub, Management and Program Analyst, at kendra_straub@nps.gov.

Photo Courtesy: National Park Service