Skip to main content

A long-awaited reopening in the Smoky Mountains is finally here

Great Smoky Mountains National Park repairs a culvert and more at this favorite hiking spot

By Sarah Joseph May 13, 2025 6:33 AM

Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Wolfgang Kaehler / Getty Images

Ever since the devastation of Hurricane Helene, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has slowly but surely been reopening sections of the park following reconstruction efforts. The Cosby Area, which is a popular place for visitors to hike, camp, and picnic, is next on the list. As of May 12, 2025, the Cosby Area has officially reopened following the completion of a culvert replacement under Cosby Entrance Road.

This is one of many rehabilitation projects in the area aimed at protecting aquatic species and managing water flow, since flood damage has been a major concern. Heavy rainfall, flooding, and recent debris buildup have heightened risks in the area.

Recommended Videos

Fortunately, the two 14-foot culverts over Rock Creek are now restored with a single 25-foot culvert. Upgrading the culvert to a larger, more resilient design helps mitigate flood risks by improving water flow and reducing blockages, protecting both the infrastructure and the environment.

Funded by recreation fee revenue and the Federal Lands Transportation Program, the project’s scope also extends to milling and paving the road and parking areas, adding two new handicap-accessible parking spaces, improving dishes and shoulders, and installing new road signs — all things that were well overdue.

Right now, the picnic areas and the Cosby Campground still remain closed until the project’s completion, which is set to conclude in June 2025. Until then, visitors should expect potential delays due to single-lane closures. That said, the opening of the Cosby Area is a huge milestone to be celebrated as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding areas begin to heal.

With a bright sense of adventure and a heart for the mountains, Sarah is always thrilled to share nature with others through… Read Full Bio

Topics

Arc’teryx x BEAMS: The blend of Alpine tech and Tokyo style

Arc'teryx x Beams

The new Arc’teryx x BEAMS collection celebrates the brands’ 25-year collaboration and the blending of technical function with street-savvy style. The line highlights a re-creation of the 1998 Arc’teryx Theta hardshell, a Gamma softshell jacket, and Jogen bouldering pants. All come in the signature Kōyō color palette, modeled after Japan’s autumn leaves.

I wore the Gamma Jacket and Jogen pants during the fall changeover in Virginia’s picturesque Shenandoah Valley, testing for warmth, wind resistance, and style. Here’s my take.

More than a name: Meet Eddie Bauer, the true-life explorer behind your outdoor brand

Clothing, Hat, Face

From the time I was a little man, I excitedly tugged at the shirt tails of my father and grandfather every time they left the house to do anything relatively outdoorsy. They would leave the house hauling gun cases, fishing poles, camping gear, hiking packs. The men of my life loved everything adventurous, and they would do it every chance they could. When I was big enough, I would be allowed to come with them. I got my own boots. I procured my own active wear that could resist the weather. I opened my own parka for Christmas. Not only was I now in the same boat with them, in the same tent with them, and in the same deer stand with them. I also wore the same brand as them. Eddie Bauer was their go-to, and it had become my go-to.

But what was it about that brand? What was it about the man behind the brand that became the man’s best friend in the wilderness? Well, here is what you need to know about the guy who ditched the work world to open an outdoor brand simply so he could go outdoors all the time. And made it possible for my grandfather, my father, and then me.

Plug In, Ride Out: KTM’s Freeride E Gets Sharper for 2027

2027 KTM Freeride E

Austrian motorcycle company KTM’s dirt bikes have a reputation for ripping horsepower and world-title-winning performance. Across the world’s motocross tracks and enduro courses, the brand’s orange bikes win titles and provide the thrill of riding off-road. But for the most part, those bikes use 2-stroke and 4-stroke combustion engines.

Now, looking toward the future, the organization’s latest electric off-roader, the 2027 Freeride E, optimizes power, handling, and range, with a variety of improvements over prior versions. Here’s the rundown on the bike’s improved specs.