Calling all nature enthusiasts—Discover Life in America hosts 4th annual Great Smokies Eco-Adventure, April 21-23

Gatlinburg, TN – Discover Life in America (DLiA) has partnered with award-winning hiking company A Walk in the Woods to present the fourth annual Great Smokies Eco-Adventure. Held Sunday, April 21 to Tuesday, April 23, the event — which includes off-the-grid lodging, gourmet food and drink, and guided nature hikes — doubles as a fundraiser for DLiA, funding vital research on biodiversity in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This year’s three-day, two-night “glamping” (glamorous camping) experience, taking place just outside of Gatlinburg, will focus on the search for spring ephemeral wildflowers and will include an excursion on a section of the Appalachian Trail.

“This is the ideal time to witness the incredible diversity of Smokies wildflowers,” said DLiA Executive Director Todd Witcher. "You can see 'late spring' species in the low elevations and 'early spring' species higher in the mountains, all on the same day!"

As a nonprofit partner of the park, DLiA puts deeper connections with nature at the forefront of every excursion, encouraging participants to explore biodiversity by finding, identifying and learning about species in their natural habitats. The Eco-Adventures have proven popular with those who love the outdoors, avid naturalists, solo travelers, camping couples and families with teens. Trips are limited to just 15 participants per season, ensuring lots of one-on-one time with the expert guides.

Adventurers spend their days exploring the wilds of the Smokies on expert-led nature hikes and their evenings and nights “glamping” at Camp Atagahi, a premiere off-the-grid luxury camping facility owned and operated by A Walk in the Woods. Evening activities include a night walk to learn about bioluminescent nocturnal life in the mountains and time around the campfire with new friends. All hikes and programs are led by DLiA staffers Dr. Will Kuhn, science and research director and entomologist, and Jaimie Matzko, biodiversity program specialist and recipient of REI Adventures’ “Top Guide of North America” award.

“The Eco-Adventure gave me a new appreciation of one of my favorite places on Earth,” said Elisabeth Greene-Streeter from Alabama, who attended the event in April 2023. “As many times as I visit GSMNP, I always learn something new, but learning with like-minded folks was a whole new level. I enjoyed the hikes, the communal time together and the beautiful setting.”

Serving as REI Co-op’s Signature Camp for excursions in the area, Camp Atagahi is tucked into the woods along a babbling creek near Cosby, Tennessee, just east of Gatlinburg and bordering Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here, Eco-Adventurers stay in spacious tents atop wooden platforms, outfitted with a cozy camping cot for each guest. Though participants are invited to “unplug” at this off-grid outpost, they will not be roughing it.

All proceeds from the Great Smokies Eco-Adventure support DLiA, a Gatlinburg-based nonprofit that aims to identify, catalog and observe the park’s estimated 60,000-plus species through its flagship project, the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory. So far, around 21,800 species have been officially identified by scientists, opening up opportunities for discovery on each and every outing.

Tickets for the Great Smokies Eco-Adventure are $950 per person, which includes all food (including vegan and gluten- free options) and libations, glamping accommodations, entertainment, and transportation during the event. Tickets are limited, so those interested are encouraged to reserve their spots soon, as trips often sell out. Registration closes on April 1 or when all tickets are sold. For more information about the event, visit dlia.org/spring-adventure-2024.

Discover Life in America’s mission is connecting communities and scientists in discovering, understanding, and conserving the natural world. DLiA’s flagship project, the ATBI (All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory), is a joint effort with the National Park System to identify and understand every species within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. To date, DLiA has helped add 12,083 species to the inventory of life in the park, including 1,079 that are new to science.

Contact: Todd Witcher, Executive Director todd@dlia.org • (865) 250-1207