GATLINBURG, TN – Smokies Life has announced its August through November 2026 schedule of Branch Out events, offering 12 unique opportunities to explore, learn and connect with Great Smoky Mountains National Park. From hands-on workshops and guided hikes to wildlife encounters and cultural storytelling, Branch Out programs invite participants to experience the Smokies through the eyes of expert naturalists, artists and historians.
“These programs are a prime opportunity to cultivate one’s connection to the park,” said Smokies Life CEO Jacqueline Harp. “Led by experienced naturalists and guides, including a newly added event led by our current writer and illustrator in residence, Laurie McDowell, these fun and educational events highlight the Smokies’ ecological diversity and cultural legacy.”
Membership in Smokies Life, a nonprofit partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is required to attend; annual Park Keeper memberships start at $40. Today, more than 29,000 Park Keepers help Smokies Life support the perpetual preservation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park by funding efforts that foster greater public understanding and appreciation through education, interpretation and research.
Fall 2026 Branch Out event schedule
Discover one of the Smokies’ most fascinating residents during Sensational Salamanders on Aug. 18, where participants will search for and identify amphibians at various locations throughout the park while learning about their habitats, diets and role in the park’s ecosystem.
Looking to learn more about the Smokies with an online session from home? The Wildlife Tracking Webinar on Aug. 24 teaches participants to identify animal tracks and uncover the stories they tell.
Seasoned birdwatchers and casual bird enthusiasts alike can witness the spectacle of fall migration during Look Rock Hawk Watch on Sept. 17, then experience an evening of “owl-ology” during Regal Raptors & Short-eared Owls on Nov. 30 in Cades Cove, where participants will learn about these remarkable birds of prey.
Artists of all skill levels are invited to sharpen their observational skills along the Fighting Creek Nature Trail in the Sugarlands area of the park near Gatlinburg during the Ecological Illustration Workshop on Sept. 19, hosted by this year’s Steve Kemp writer and illustrator in residence, Laurie McDowell.
Explore the incredible diversity of wildlife in Great Smoky Mountains National Park through two naturalist-led experiences. Monarch Butterfly Tagging & Education—offered twice this fall on Oct. 3 and 7 in Cades Cove—gives participants a chance to join local conservation efforts to track the monarch butterfly population during its expected annual migration. Elk in the Smokies, offered on Oct. 9 and 17, features a naturalist ramble in the Oconaluftee Visitor Center area near Cherokee during the height of the elk rut, when these iconic animals are most active.
Slow down and reconnect with nature during a Forest Bathing Guided Walkalong the Kephart Prong Trail, on the North Carolina side of the park near Bryson City and Cherokee, on Oct. 30. This immersive experience is designed to highlight the restorative benefits of spending time in the forest.
History comes alive through two engaging storytelling programs at the Great Smokies Welcome Center in Townsend. Grandma Gatewood’s Walk on Nov. 4 explores the inspiring story of the first woman to solo hike the Appalachian Trail in 1955, while the Aunt Liddy Monologue on Nov. 12 introduces audiences to Lydia Kear Whaley, a midwife, healer and Civil War widow who lived in Sugarlands from 1840 to 1926.
Cost for Branch Out events: For Park Keepers, $45; to join and attend, $85 (Park Keeper basic membership $40 + event registration $45). Participation fees are essential in helping to cover the costs associated with planning and hosting. All additional revenue supports the projects and services of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. For more info, see SmokiesLife.org/branch-out-eventsor email membership@smokieslife.org.
Smokies Life is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the scientific, historical and interpretive activities of Great Smoky Mountains National Park by providing educational products and services to park visitors. Smokies Life depends on the generous support of its members to fulfill its mission, preserving the Smokies for generations to come. Proceeds from members’ dues and retail stores also support dozens of seasonal rangers and interns who protect and interpret the 800 miles of trails, 100 historic structures and 21,000 documented species of life preserved in the park. For more information about Smokies Life and to join, visit SmokiesLife.org.
Calendar listings:
Sensational Salamanders – Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, 8 a.m.–2 p.m.
Learn why the Smokies is called the “Salamander Capital of the World” while searching for different species. Smokies Life Branch Out event. Sugarlands Visitor Center, Gatlinburg, Tenn. Cost: For Park Keepers, $45; to join and attend, $85 (Park Keeper basic membership $40 + event registration $45). Info – SmokiesLife.org/branch-out-events or email: membership@smokieslife.org.
Wildlife Tracking Webinar – Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, 6–8 p.m.
Learn to identify wildlife tracks and discover what information can be gathered from the traces left behind. Smokies Life Branch Out event. Online webinar. Cost: For Park Keepers, $45; to join and attend, $85 (Park Keeper basic membership $40 + event registration $45). Info – SmokiesLife.org/branch-out-events or email: membership@smokieslife.org.
Look Rock Hawk Watch – Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Collaborate with other participants to identify, count and report raptors and other bird species during this special fall migration event. Smokies Life Branch Out event. Foothills Parkway West Overlook 6, Tallassee, Tenn. Cost: For Park Keepers, $45; to join and attend, $85 (Park Keeper basic membership $40 + event registration $45). Info – SmokiesLife.org/branch-out-events or email: membership@smokieslife.org.
Ecological Illustration Workshop – Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, 9 a.m.–11 a.m.
Depict the beauty of the Smokies with the current Steve Kemp writer and illustrator in residence, Laurie McDowell, during a hands-on workshop in ecological illustration. Smokies Life Branch Out event. Sugarlands Visitor Center, Gatlinburg, Tenn. Cost: For Park Keepers, $45; to join and attend, $85 (Park Keeper basic membership $40 + event registration $45). Info –SmokiesLife.org/branch-out-events or email: membership@smokieslife.org.
Monarch Butterfly Tagging & Education – Saturday, Oct. 3, and Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, 10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Learn about the monarch butterfly and join local conservation efforts to track the species during its expected annual migration through the Great Smoky Mountains. Smokies Life Branch Out event. Great Smokies Welcome Center, Townsend, Tenn. Cost: For Park Keepers, $45; to join and attend, $85 (Park Keeper basic membership $40 + event registration $45). Info –SmokiesLife.org/branch-out-events or email: membership@smokieslife.org.
Elk in the Smokies – Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, 12:30–6 p.m.
Enjoy a short naturalist ramble during prime elk mating season while learning about the species and its reintroduction to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Smokies Life Branch Out event. Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Cherokee, N.C. Cost: For Park Keepers, $45; to join and attend, $85 (Park Keeper basic membership $40 + event registration $45). Info – SmokiesLife.org/branch-out-events or email: membership@smokieslife.org.
Forest Bathing Guided Walk – Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, 1–4 p.m.
Join certified guide Debby Singleton for a therapeutic stroll to experience the restorative benefits of the forest. Smokies Life Branch Out event. Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Cherokee, N.C. Cost: For Park Keepers, $45; to join and attend, $85 (Park Keeper basic membership $40 + event registration $45). Info – SmokiesLife.org/branch-out-events or email: membership@smokieslife.org.
Grandma Gatewood’s Walk – Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, 1–2 p.m.
Actress Anne Van Curen transforms into Emma "Grandma" Gatewood to describe what it was like to be the first woman to solo hike the Appalachian Trail in 1955. Smokies Life Branch Out event. Great Smokies Welcome Center, Townsend, Tenn. Cost: For Park Keepers, $45; to join and attend, $85 (Park Keeper basic membership $40 + event registration $45). Info –SmokiesLife.org/branch-out-events or email: membership@smokieslife.org.
Aunt Liddy Monologue – Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, 1–2 p.m.
Join actress Anne Van Curen for a portrayal of Lydia Kear Whaley, a midwife, healer and Civil War widow who lived in Sugarlands from 1840 to 1926. Smokies Life Branch Out event. Great Smokies Welcome Center, Townsend, Tenn. Cost: For Park Keepers, $45; to join and attend, $85 (Park Keeper basic membership $40 + event registration $45). Info – SmokiesLife.org/branch-out-events or email: membership@smokieslife.org.
Regal Raptors & Short-eared Owls – Monday, Nov. 30, 2026, 1–6:45 p.m.
Learn to spot and identify raptors and participate in some evening "owl-ology" in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Smokies Life Branch Out event. Cades Cove Orientation Shelter, Townsend, Tenn. Cost: For Park Keepers, $45; to join and attend, $85 (Park Keeper basic membership $40 + event registration $45). Info – SmokiesLife.org/branch-out-events or email:membership@smokieslife.org.