Discover Life in America

POSTPONED: Great Smokies Eco-Adventure
2020-04-21 17:00 (America/New_York) | A Walk in the Woods, Gatlinburg, TN, United States
*** This event has been postponed until further notice due to health concerns regarding COVID-19. Registrants will be refunded in full. We plan to reschedule this event and will post updates here and on our Facebook page. ***

Join DLiA and A Walk in the Woods for this exclusive 3-day, 2-night adventure that will include off-grid glamping, guided nature hikes, and much more. Experience the Smoky Mountains from a unique biodiversity-focused perspective while helping DLiA continue to conserve the abundant life in the Smokies!

See the famous Smokies wildflowers at their peak!

Gain new insight into the rich biodiversity of the Smokies from local wildlife & wildflower experts!

Savor delicious local food & drink!

Enjoy s’mores around the campfire, complete with live music!

Curl up with a book, surrounded by natural wondersComfy glamping accomodationsSerene naturescapes + wine!S’mores by the campfireEnjoy fresh delights from our off-grid camp kitchenOff-grid, but with hot showers!

Rough schedule

Your Great Smokies Eco-Adventure will begin at noon Sunday, April 19th and conclude Tuesday evening, April 21st (3 days, 2 nights). Here’s a look at what’s in store…

DAY 1 (SUNDAY, APRIL 19) Guests will meet at Sugarlands Visitor Center at noon, and enjoy light snacks and a guided insect hike led by DLiA’s resident entomologist, Will Kuhn. In the late afternoon, we’ll head to A Walk in the Woods’ private off-the-grid camp located near Cosby and settle into our luxurious glamping accommodations. We’ll enjoy a cocktail party with heavy hors d’oeuvres, serenaded by local bluegrass duet, Elza Gate. We’ll finish off with s’mores around a campfire.

DAY 2 (MONDAY, APRIL 20) We’ll have fresh coffee and an early breakfast at camp made with local ingredients and pack our sack lunches. Guests will then have a choice of day hikes: for the adventurous, an exclusive guided hike through old-growth forest to see some of the largest trees in the southern US (moderate difficulty, but gorgeous), or guests may choose an easier guided wildflower hike. We’ll arrive back at camp in early evening and enjoy southern fixins around the campfire.

DAY 3 (TUESDAY, APRIL 21) We’ll start with a pancake breakfast, pack sack lunches, and pack up our gear. Guests will again have a choice between two day hikes: a more strenuous guided through-hike along Gabes Mountain Trail (8 miles) or an easier hike in the Cosby area of the Park. We’ll plan to arrive back at Sugarlands Visitor Center around 5PM where we’ll say our goodbyes and guests will depart.

Your hosts

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is co-hosted by Discover Life in America and A Walk in the Woods. As an award-winning, locally owned and operated tour guide company, A Walk in the Woods has been helping people get the most out of their Smoky Mountains experience for over 21 years, serving over 100,000 visitors along the way!

A Walk in the Woods has generously provided their camp, staff, and Smokies expertise to make this new and exciting fundraising event possible and we are so excited to work with them!

Tickets: $1500 per person

*** This event has been postponed until further notice due to health concerns regarding COVID-19. Registrants will be refunded in full. We plan to reschedule this event and will post updates here and on our Facebook page. ***

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is a fundraising event for Discover Life in America. All proceeds from this event help DLiA continue its work in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tickets are $1,500 per person, which includes your travel, accommodation, food, and alcohol during the event (details below).

What does your ticket purchase support?

Biodiversity research in the SmokiesOur biology interships……and photo/videography internshipsBiodiversity educationPublic engagement through citizen scienceConservation of creatures great and small in the Smokies

Specifically, your support funds

our continuing research work with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, aimed at discovering, understanding, and conserving all life in the Smokiesour fantastic summer internship program, where we train the next generation of conservationists through an immersive experience in the Smokiesour educational programming in and around Great Smoky Mtns NP, to bring awareness to the incredible biodiversity of the Smokies (Science @ Sugarlands, iScience, Species SnapIt & MapIt)and much more!

Travel (included during event)

Ticket purchase includes private bus transportation during the event. Guests must arrange their own travel to and from the meeting place (Sugarlands Visitor Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park) before and after the event.

Food & drink (included)

Food (including vegan options) and drinks (including beer and wine) are included. Guests should plan to eat lunch before arriving on Sunday (light snacks will be provided). Please specify any dietary restrictions during ticket purchase and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Accommodations (included)

This is a “glamping” (glamorous camping) event and accommodations are rustic, but comfortable. The camp is off-the-grid, but it has many of the amenities of home, including hot showers and running water, a well-stocked camp kitchen, and a battery pack for lighting and to charge your phone as needed. You’ll sleep in a large 2-person tent with a comfy cot. Pricing is based on double occupancy.

What to bring

Required

sleeping bag towelday packhiking shoes/bootsrain jacketwater bottlecool weather clothing and jacket

Recommended

travel pillowflashlight or headlamp with fresh batteriesinsect repellentsunscreentoiletries

Where & when to meet?

Meet at Sugarlands Visitor Center, Bus parking lot (closest to Little River Road) at noon on Sunday April 19th. We will send out instructions and follow-up information to ticket holders as the event approaches.

Cancellation Policy

Full payment is due at sign up. If you decide to cancel your spot, we are happy to refund your full payment if and only if we are able to fill your slot.

Virtual BioBlitz @ Osceola Island
2020-08-22 10:00 - 2020-09-22 23:59 | North Carolina
Virtual BioBlitz @ Osceola Island

Join DLiA and the Tennessee Valley Authority for this free, family-friendly virtual event where you can be a citizen scientist and learn about the natural wonders found at TVA’s wild lands!

UPDATE: This event has officially ended BUT you should totally check out Osceola Island, anyway! It’s beautiful and full of neat biodiversity. You can still help us to catalog the animals and plants there by posting observations of the organisms you encounter to our iNaturalist project for the site. Happy hunting!

What is this event?

It’s a bioblitz on TVA’s wild lands, but virtual!

What’s a bioblitz? It’s an effort to find and document as many species as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a citizen scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the animals, plants and other organisms that live around you!

Here’s how to participate:

(1) WATCH THE VIDEO

We’ll launch the event via YouTube on Saturday, August 22nd at 10 am EDT. Watch our video introduction to Osceola Island and see some of the neat flora and fauna that live there.

(2) VISIT OSCEOLA ISLAND

For the next 30 days (from August 22nd to September 22nd), we challenge you to visit beautiful Osceola Island. This beautiful site is located just below South Holston Dam, south of Bristol, TN in Sullivan County. The focus of our scavenger hunt (below) will be the Osceola Island Trail, a 1.8-mile loop, accessible via a footbridge. Park at the Osceola Island Day Use Area.

Osceola Island parking (Google Maps)

(3) COMPLETE THE SCAVENGER HUNT

At Osceola Island, look for these plants, animals, and other groups of organisms and post your observations of them to the free mobile app, iNaturalist.

The scavenger hunt challenge: Make iNaturalist observations of organisms that you find at Osceola Island. The challenge is to observe a variety of species: find representatives from at least 10 of these categories.

Printable version of this checklist with instructions: PDF

(4) WE SEND YOU A THANK YOU GIFT!

Fill out this short form when you complete the scavenger hunt and we’ll send you a TVA BioBlitz-themed neck buff as a thank you gift!

Form for thank you gift (Google Forms)

About iNaturalist

What is it?

iNaturalist is a really useful, free tool for taking photos of lifeforms (animals, plants, fungi, etc.), identifying them, and making species observations. These observations help us learn about the world’s biodiversity.

Getting started with iNaturalist

Download the free iNaturalist app to your Apple or Android smartphone. You can also visit iNaturalist.org from your web browser. Follow the prompts in the app to create a new iNaturalist account.Find a cool bug, plant, or other organism. Open the app and tap OBSERVE or the (+) sign to take a photo of your organism (or choose an existing photo from your camera roll).Tap WHAT DID YOU SEE? to identify your organism.Make sure your location and date are recorded.Tap SUBMIT or the check-mark icon to submit your observation to iNaturalist.Repeat! See how many different organisms you can observe around you!

For more tips and tricks for using iNaturalist, check out their getting started page: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/getting+started

What life have we found at Osceola Island?

Here are the Osceola Island species that have been documented on iNaturalist so far, but there are many more waiting to be found! You can help us expand this list by adding your own observations!

Check out the full Osceola Island project page on iNaturalist to see more.

Featured in YouTube video

Shrubby St. John’s Wort (Hypericum prolificum) – This small, perennial shrub is native to eastern North America. It has beautiful yellow-petaled flowers with sprays of stamens, giving them a puffy, rounded appearance. This easy-going native makes a great yard plant: it is tolerant of a wide range of soil types and moisture levels. More infoGreat Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) – The largest heron in North America, this common, majestic bird is often found around freshwater and coastal habitats. It feeds primarily on fish, but will also munch on amphibians, small reptiles, insects, and small mammals. More infoWild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – This small pale-purple wildflower is great for attracting butterflies, bees and other pollinating insects. In fact, its genus (Monarda) is fittingly called the beebalms. It is a member of the mint family and as such, it’s leaves have a delightfully minty smell! Blooming in mid- to late summer, it can be found in open glades and along trails and roadways. More infoLichens (many species) – Lichens are fungi that form a symbiotic relationship with certain algae and bacteria. Each side in this mutually beneficial relationship gets something: the algae and bacteria make food from light (photosynthesis) and share that with the fungi, and the fungi provides a substrate and protection for its food-making partner. Lichens are everywhere–especially on trees and covering rocks–but they often go unnoticed. Check out this video about lichens from our iScience program.Witch’s Hat (Hygrocybe conica) – This beautiful red-orange mushroom bruises black when poked and prodded. We found many of these at Osceola Island in early August, which is not surprising as this species can be gregarious (forming large clusters). More infoWhite-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) – This medium-large mammal needs no introduction: the white-tailed deer is common throughout North America, particularly in the Eastern US. It feeds on a wide variety of plant life and is a surprisingly good swimmer. More infoChristmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) – This common fern is so named for its evergreen fronds that shine elegantly green among a sea of brown vegetation at Christmas time. It is one of a number of fern species found at Osceola Island. More infoBlack Ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoletus) – It is typical for this large snake to reach 6 feet in length. They are excellent climbers and are happy to seek out shelter in tree cavities. Their wide-ranging diet includes rats and other small mammals, birds, frogs, and lizards. More infoMilkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars (Euchaetes egle) – This moth species has a brightly colored caterpillar that is unusually gregarious (social) for most of it’s life as a larva. By forming brightly colored groups, they warn predators not to eat them, because like other tussock moth caterpillars they have hollow hairs that can “sting” anyone who grabs them. This species feeds on milkweed, like monarch butterfly caterpillars, feeding on several milkweed (Asclepias) and dogbane (Apocynum) species. More info

Resources

Map link to Osceola IslandiNaturalist project at Osceola IslandList of all our BioBlitzes with TVATVA RecreationVisit the Smokies? Contribute to our iNaturalist project thereLearn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8)

Have questions?

Ask Will: will@dlia.org

Virtual BioBlitz @ Johnson Ridge Trail
2020-10-10 10:00 - 2020-11-10 23:59 | North Carolina
Virtual BioBlitz @ Johnson Ridge Trail

Join DLiA and the Tennessee Valley Authority for a free, family-friendly virtual event where you can be a citizen scientist and learn about the natural wonders found at TVA’s wild lands!

What is it?

It’s a bioblitz on TVA’s trails, but virtual!

What’s a bioblitz? It’s an effort to find and document as many species as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a citizen scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the animals, plants and other organisms that live around you!

Where is this taking place? This is a virtual event that you can do at your own pace. Watch the video below then visit Johnson Ridge Trail near Bean Station, TN or any of the other 10 qualifying TVA trails in East Tennessee and Northern Alabama to complete a scavenger hunt and receive a fun thank you gift!

Here’s how to participate:

(1) WATCH THE VIDEO

We’ll launch the event via YouTube on Saturday, October 10th at 10 am EDT. Watch our video introduction to Johnson Ridge Trail and see some of the neat flora and fauna that live there.

(2) VISIT ANY QUALIFYING TVA TRAIL

From October 10 to November 10, 2020, we challenge you to visit beautiful Johnson Ridge Trail near Bean Station, TN or any of the other TVA trails listed below. There are 11 TVA trails to choose from: 9 in east Tennessee and 2 in northern Alabama. Which one is closest to you?

TrailLocationStateDirectionsTrail mapiNat project

Johnson Ridge TrailCherokee LakeTennessee

Hall Bend TrailTellico DamTennessee

Little Cedar Mountain TrailNickajack LakeTennessee

Marbut Bend TrailWheeler LakeAlabama

Melton Hill Dam TrailMelton Hill DamTennessee

Muscle Shoals Reservation TrailsWilson DamAlabama

Osceola Island TrailSouth Fork Holston RiverTennessee

Songbird TrailNorris DamTennessee

Trotter Bluff TrailDouglas DamTennessee

Whites Creek TrailWatts Bar LakeTennessee

Worthington Cemetery TrailMelton Hill LakeTennessee

(3) COMPLETE THE SCAVENGER HUNT

Look for these plants, animals, and other groups of organisms, snap photos of them with your mobile device and post your observations to the free iNaturalist app.

The scavenger hunt challenge: Make iNaturalist observations of organisms that you find along your TVA trail of choice. The challenge is to observe a variety of organisms: find representatives from at least 10 of these categories:

Printable version of this checklist with instructions: PDF

(4) WE SEND YOU A THANK YOU GIFT!

Fill out this short form when you complete the scavenger hunt and we’ll send you a TVA BioBlitz-themed neck buff as a thank you gift!

Form for thank you gift

About iNaturalist

What is it?

iNaturalist is a really useful, free tool for taking photos of lifeforms (animals, plants, fungi, etc.), identifying them, and making species observations. These observations help us learn about the world’s biodiversity.

Getting started with iNaturalist

Download the free iNaturalist app to your Apple or Android smartphone. You can also visit iNaturalist.org from your web browser. Follow the prompts in the app to create a new iNaturalist account.Find a cool bug, plant, or other organism. Open the app and tap OBSERVE or the (+) sign to take a photo of your organism (or choose an existing photo from your camera roll).Tap WHAT DID YOU SEE? to identify your organism.Make sure your location and date are recorded.Tap SUBMIT or the check-mark icon to submit your observation to iNaturalist.Repeat! See how many different organisms you can observe around you!

For more tips and tricks for using iNaturalist, check out their getting started page: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/getting+started

What have people spotted at Johnson Ridge Trail, so far?

People like you have observed more than 130 species of plants, insects, spiders, fungi, and other kinds of organisms at Johnson Ridge Trail so far, but there’s plenty more to find! You can help us expand this list by adding your own observations in iNaturalist.

Check out the full Johnson Ridge Trail project page on iNaturalist to see more.

What’s been found at another TVA trail? Visit this iNaturalist umbrella project to find out!

Featured species

[coming soon!]

Resources

Map link to Johnson Ridge Trail parking areaiNaturalist project at Johnson Ridge TrailList of all our BioBlitzes with TVATVA RecreationVisit the Smokies? Contribute to our iNaturalist project thereLearn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8)

Have questions?

Ask Will: will@dlia.org

Bioblitz at Abrams Creek
2021-06-26 09:00 - 2021-06-27 16:00 | North Carolina
Bioblitz at Abrams Creek

Help DLiA sample pollinators and other insects in an under-sampled region of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This event is free, but spaces are limited. No previous experience needed, although expertise is welcome!

Sorry, registration is now closed for this event, but check out our other bioblitzes coming up soon!

Purpose

We are planning a bioblitz to inventory life in a relatively under-sampled part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We plan to sample for pollinators and other insects using various trapping and collecting techniques. We will also catalog other life we encounter by photographing organisms and posting them to iNaturalist, so they can be identified and viewed publicly.

This event is part of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, an ongoing effort managed by DLiA to catalog every species living in the Smokies. Results for this bioblitz will be reported to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and will help the park better understand and protect the rich natural resources of the Smokies.

What will we be doing?

Saturday

On Saturday, we will spend the day collecting insects using various trapping methods and also hand-collecting insects around the Abrams Creek area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We will also document other organisms, such as plants, lichens, birds, and mammals using iNaturalist. This will be a full day of sampling and may involve hiking up to several miles along marked trails.

Sunday

On Sunday, we’ll work together at Abram Creek Ranger Station to process the samples that we collected on Saturday. This will include pinning, labeling and roughly sorting insects. It will be a great opportunity to learn how to curate and identify insects and it’ll be fun to see what we caught on Saturday!

Things to know

Registration is required to participateNo prior experience is needed and children 10 and older are welcome to participatePrior experience is welcome though, particularly experience in collecting and identifying insects or other organismsLunch will be provided to all registered participants on Saturday and SundayWe are not able to provide overnight accommodations for participants, however, we strongly encourage you to attend both Saturday and Sunday’s activitiesWe will be conducting research under an NPS research permit and all participants MUST adhere to the rules and regulations therein, mainly that collecting specimens must be limited to the scope of this project and done under the supervision of bioblitz leadershipThere is no cell coverage at Abrams Creek, so please plan accordinglyMore information including specifics about meeting time and place will be emailed to participants closer to the event

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist accountPractice making a few observations of plants, insects, and other organisms around you using iNaturalistBring water and some snacks (lunch will be provided)Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Have questions?

Ask Will: will@dlia.org

Funding

This event is funded by a generous grant from the Tallassee Fund (grant number #65683).

Bioblitz @ Cave Mountain Trail
2021-07-17 08:00 - 12:00 | North Carolina
Bioblitz @ Cave Mountain Trail

Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at the Cave Mountain Small Wild Area on the south side of Guntersville Dam for a bioblitz of the Cave Mountain Trail.

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help us find as many kinds of animals, plants and other organisms as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you!

What will we be doing?

Walking the Cave Mountain Trail (a moderate 1.5 mile loop), looking for bugs, flowers, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have several experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the Cave Mountain iNaturalist project, which will be up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the site later and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

FREE REGISTRATION

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist accountBring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Where and when to meet?

Meet in the gravel parking area for Cave Mountain Small Wild Area, located on the north side of Snow Point Road/HWY 50 at 8 AM on Saturday, July 17. Cave Mountain SWA is on the south side of the Guntersville Dam near Guntersville, Alabama.

Directions to meeting spot

Helpful links

Cave Mountain iNaturalist projectCave Mountain Trail map (PDF)List of all our bioblitzes with TVATVA RecreationVisit the Smokies? Contribute to our iNaturalist project thereLearn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8)

Have questions?

Ask Will: will@dlia.org

Bioblitz @ East Lakeshore Trail
2021-07-31 08:00 - 12:00 | North Carolina
Bioblitz @ East Lakeshore Trail

Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at the East Lakeshore Trail on Tellico Lake in Tennessee.

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help us find as many kinds of animals, plants and other organisms as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you!

What will we be doing?

Walking a couple of sections of the East Lakeshore Trail, looking for bugs, flowers, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have several experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the East Lakeshore Trail iNaturalist project, which will be up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit any part of the 28.8-mile East Lakeshore Trail and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

FREE REGISTRATION

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist accountBring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Where and when to meet?

Meet in the Mizell Trailhead and Parking Area at 8 AM on Saturday, July 31.

The East Lakeshore Trail extends 28.8 miles and is divided into several sections. We’ll focus on the Canal and Baker Hollow Branches of the East Lakeshore Trail, which span 4.5 miles total. We’ll take our time looking for fun flora and fauna and may not cover that full distance.

Directions to meeting spot

Helpful links

East Lakeshore iNaturalist projectTVA’s East Lakeshore Trail information pageList of all our bioblitzes with TVATVA RecreationVisit the Smokies? Contribute to our iNaturalist project thereLearn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8)

Have questions?

Ask Will: will@dlia.org

Great Smokies Eco-Adventure
2021-08-29 12:00 - 2021-08-31 17:00 | North Carolina
Experience the Smokies like never before! Spend your days exploring the wilds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and your nights glamorously camping off the grid. DLiA is partnering with A Walk in the Woods to bring you this exclusive 3-day, 2-night adventure that will include guided hikes and nature walks, camping in a luxurious off-grid setting, great local food and drink, and much more. All proceeds from this fundraising event will help DLiA discover and conserve the rich biodiversity of the Smokies.

PURCHASE TICKETS

Gain new insight into the rich biodiversity of the Smokies from experts in local flora and fauna!

Savor delicious local food & drink!

Enjoy s’mores around the campfire with live music by Elza Gate!

Curl up with a book, surrounded by natural wondersComfy glamping accomodationsSerene naturescapes + wine!S’mores by the campfireEnjoy fresh delights from our off-grid camp kitchenOff-grid, but with hot showers!

Tentative schedule

The 2-night adventure begins at noon Sunday, August 29th and will last and will conclude on the evening of Tuesday, August 31st. Here’s a look at what’s in store.

DAY 1 (SUNDAY, AUG 29) Guests will meet at Sugarlands Visitor Center at noon, and enjoy light snacks and a guided insect hike led by DLiA’s resident entomologist, Will Kuhn. In the late afternoon, we’ll head to A Walk in the Woods’ private off-the-grid camp located near Cosby and settle into our luxurious glamping accommodations. We’ll enjoy a cocktail party with heavy hors d’oeuvres, serenaded by local bluegrass duet, Elza Gate. We’ll finish off with s’mores around a campfire.

DAY 2 (MONDAY, AUG 30) We’ll have fresh coffee and an early breakfast at camp made with local ingredients and pack our sack lunches. Guests will then have a choice of day hikes: for the adventurous, an exclusive guided hike through old-growth forest to see some of the largest trees in the southern US (moderate difficulty, but gorgeous), or guests may choose an easier guided waterfall/swimming hole hike. We’ll arrive back at camp in early evening and enjoy southern fixins around the campfire.

DAY 3 (TUESDAY, AUG 31) We’ll start with a pancake breakfast, pack sack lunches, and pack up our gear. Guests will again have a choice between two day hikes: a more strenuous guided through-hike along Gabes Mountain Trail (8 miles) or an easier hike in the Cosby area of the Park. We’ll plan to arrive back at Sugarlands Visitor Center around 5PM where we’ll say our goodbyes and guests will depart.

Your hosts

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is co-hosted by Discover Life in America and A Walk in the Woods. As an award-winning, locally owned and operated tour guide company, A Walk in the Woods has been helping people get the most out of their Smoky Mountains experience for over 23 years, serving over 100,000 visitors along the way!

A Walk in the Woods has generously provided their camp, staff, and Smokies expertise to make this new and exciting fundraising event possible and we are so excited to work with them!

Tickets: $950 per person

All proceeds from this event will help DLiA continue its work in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tickets are $950 per person, which includes your travel, accommodation, food, and alcohol during the event (details below).

PURCHASE TICKETS

What does your ticket purchase support?

Biodiversity research in the SmokiesOur biology interships……and photo/videography internshipsBiodiversity educationPublic engagement through citizen scienceConservation of creatures great and small in the Smokies

Specifically, your support will fund

our continuing research work with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, aimed cataloging, understanding, and ultimately conserving the remarkable diversity of life in the Smokiesour world-class summer internship program, where we train the next generation of conservationists through an immersive experience in the Smokiesour educational programming in and around Great Smoky Mountains NP, fostering nature literacy among our community (Science @ Sugarlands, iScience, Species SnapIt & MapIt)and much more!

Travel (included during event)

Ticket purchase includes private bus transportation during the event. Guests must arrange their own travel to and from the meeting place (Sugarlands Visitor Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park) before and after the event.

Food & drink (included)

Food (including vegan options) and drinks (including beer and wine) are included. Guests should plan to eat lunch before arriving on Sunday (light snacks will be provided). Please specify any dietary restrictions during ticket purchase and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Accommodations (included)

This is a “glamping” (glamorous camping) event and accommodations are rustic, but comfortable. The camp is off-the-grid, but it has many of the amenities of home, including hot showers and running water, a well-stocked camp kitchen, and a battery pack for lighting and to charge your phone as needed. You’ll sleep in a large 2-person tent with a comfy cot. Pricing is based on double occupancy.

What to bring

Required

sleeping bag towelday packhiking shoes/bootsrain jacketwater bottlecool weather clothing and jacket

Recommended

travel pillowflashlight or headlamp with fresh batteriesinsect repellentsunscreentoiletries

Where & when to meet?

Meet at Sugarlands Visitor Center, Bus parking lot (closest to Little River Road) at noon on Sunday. We will send out instructions and follow-up information to ticket holders as the event approaches.

Cancellation Policy

Full payment is due at sign up. If you decide to cancel your spot, we are happy to refund your full payment if and only if we are able to fill your slot before the event.

BioBlitz @ Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge
2021-09-11 09:00 - 13:00 | TNWR Headquarters and Visitor Center, 1371 Wildlife Drive, Springville, Tennessee, United States
BioBlitz @ Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge

Join DLiA, the USFWS and the Tennessee Valley Authority for this free, family-friendly event where you can be a citizen scientist and learn about the natural wonders found at the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge near Springville, TN!

REGISTER HERE

What will we do?

A BioBlitz is an effort to document all the plants, animals, and other lifeforms that live in a place. DLiA partners with TVA to conduct a series of fun and educational BioBlitzes that help us better understand all the biodiversity on public lands.

The goal of this event is to catalog as many species (plants, insects, birds, fungi, everything) as we can around the Visitor Center and Britton Ford Trail area of TNWR. When we find a new organism, we’ll document it by taking a photo (or recording a sound) with our smartphones and posting it to iNaturalist, a cool community science app.

We’ll have experts on-hand to lead participants and to talk about the biology of the organisms that we encounter. This is a fun and easy way to help gather real scientific data and to learn about all the cool creatures that live all around us!

Can’t make it to the event? We still need you help! You can contribute before and after the BioBlitz by making observations around the TNWR project area (or any of our other BioBlitz sites) in iNaturalist. Your observations will automatically be added to our iNaturalist project, helping us learn more about what species occur at this site, where they occur, and when they are active. It’s that easy! Thanks in advance!

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist accountBring a mask – participants will be required to wear masks at all timesBring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water to refill your water bottle)Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Details

Timing: Saturday, September 11, 2021 from 8:00 AM to noon CT

NOTE: This event was rescheduled twice due to COVID, but we are hopeful that the September date will be a go. Previous dates were May 16, 2020 and May 22, 2021.

Location: We’ll focus our efforts around the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters and Visitor Center and the nearby Britton Ford Hiking Trail (east on Wildlife Dr), both within TNWR’s Big Sandy Unit.

WHERE TO MEET: Meet in the parking lot of the TNWR Headquarters and Visitor Center, located at 1371 Wildlife Drive, Springville, TN.

Meeting location (Google Maps)

Other things to know:

We’ll have extra masks if you need one but please bring your own if possiblePorta-potties will be provided on siteThere will be some walking on paved and trail surfaces

Registration: This is a free event, but we do ask that you register using the button above.

Requirements: No experience necessary. Adults and children 10 and up are welcome to participate! Please download the iNaturalist app to your smart device beforehand and follow the prompts to create an iNaturalist account (App Store , Google Play ).

Have questions? Ask Todd: todd@dlia.org or (865) 430-4757

Resources

Map link to meeting location: https://goo.gl/maps/AzD4DwEjMYTw3YXy7iNaturalist project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/bioblitz-tn-natl-wildlife-refuge-dlia-tvaList of all our previous BioBlitzes: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/dlia-bioblitzes-with-tva Visit the Smokies? Contribute to our iNaturalist project there: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/discover-life-in-america-atbi Learn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8): https://dlia.org/iscience

Great Smokies Eco-Adventure 2022
2022-04-10 12:00 - 2022-04-12 16:00 | North Carolina
Great Smokies Eco-Adventure

Experience the Smokies like never before! Spend your days exploring the wilds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and your nights glamorously camping off the grid. DLiA is partnering with A Walk in the Woods to bring you this exclusive 3-day, 2-night adventure that will include guided hikes and nature walks, camping in a luxurious off-grid setting, great local food and drink, and much more. All proceeds from this fundraising event will help DLiA discover and conserve the rich biodiversity of the Smokies. Book now! Registration deadline extended to March 31!

PURCHASE TICKETS

The Eco-Adventure was a great experience! The Smoky Mountains are a significant natural resource and we learned so much more about them because our expert guides Will and Todd were there to answer our endless questions. The group size was small, which made it so that we all got lots of contact with the guides and with each other. Thank you! Patrick from Raleigh

Get a backstage pass to the Smokies! Learn about the park’s wildflowers, trees, birds, insects and other life from experts that study it every day.

Savor delicious locally-sourced food & drink!

Comfy glamping accomodations

Rustic, but not too rustic!

Enjoy hand-made, locally sourced cuisine from our off-grid camp kitchen

Off-grid, but with hot showers!

Learn about trees, wildflowers and more!

Scenic, guided hikes among the lush green forests of the Smokies

Tentative schedule

The 2-night adventure begins at noon Sunday, April 10th and will conclude on Tuesday afternoon, April 12th. Here’s a rough schedule, which is flexible depending on the interests of the group…

SUNDAY Guests will meet at Sugarlands Visitor Center at noon and enjoy light snacks and a guided insect hike led by DLiA’s resident entomologist, Will Kuhn. In the late afternoon, we’ll head to A Walk in the Woods’ private off-grid camp located near Cosby and settle into our not-too-rustic glamping accommodations. We’ll have drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres. We’ll finish off with s’mores around a campfire.

MONDAY We’ll have locally-sourced coffee and a hot breakfast at camp and pack sack lunches. We’ll then take a moderately difficult hike to see spring wildflowers. We’ll arrive back at camp in late afternoon and enjoy southern fixins around the campfire. If you’re up for it, we’ll go for a night hike at the camp to look for nocturnal critters. We might even see blue ghost fireflies!

TUESDAY We’ll start with a hot breakfast, pack sack lunches, and pack up our gear. Guests will again have a choice between two day hikes: a more strenuous guided through-hike along Gabes Mountain Trail or an easier hike in the Cosby area of the park. We’ll finish up around 4 pm. We’ll say our goodbyes and guests will depart.

Your hosts

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is co-hosted by Discover Life in America and A Walk in the Woods. As an award-winning, locally owned and operated tour guide company, A Walk in the Woods has been helping people get the most out of their Smoky Mountains experience for over 23 years, serving over 100,000 visitors along the way!

A Walk in the Woods has generously provided their camp, staff, and Smokies expertise to make this new and exciting fundraising event possible and we are so excited to work with them!

You’ll meet Will Kuhn and Todd Witcher from DLiA, who can tell you all about different kinds of Smokies biodiversity and who will assist with the guided hikes.

Tickets: $950 per person

This is a fundraising event for DLiA. All proceeds will help DLiA continue its work in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tickets are $950 per person, which includes your accommodation, food, and alcohol during the event as well as expert-led hikes (details below).

REGISTRATION CLOSES: Deadline extended to March 31st!

CANCELLATION POLICY: Full payment is due upon ticket purchase. If you decide to cancel your spot, we are happy to refund your full payment if and only if we are able to fill your slot before the event.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All attendees are required to show either proof of COVID-19 vaccination (at least one dose) or a negative COVID-19 test result taken no earlier than 3 days prior to the event. No exceptions.

PURCHASE TICKETS

What does your ticket purchase support?

Biodiversity research in the Smokies

Our biology interships…

…and photo/videography internships

Biodiversity education

Public engagement through community science

Conservation of creatures great and small in the Smokies

Specifically, your support will fund

our continuing research work with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, aimed at cataloging, understanding, and ultimately conserving the 21,000+ species that call the Smokies homeour world-class summer internship program, where we train the next generation of conservationists through an immersive experience in the Smokiesour educational programming in and around Great Smoky Mountains NP, fostering nature literacy among our community (Science @ Sugarlands, iScience, Smokies Most Wanted)and much more!

What’s included?

Food & drink

Food is included with your ticket purchase, including vegetarian and vegan options, as are drinks, including local beer and wine. Guests should plan to eat lunch before arriving on Sunday though we will provide light snacks. We will ask you about dietary restrictions and drink preferences when we send out your welcome information close to the event. We will do our best to accommodate all your needs.

Lodging and other

This is a “glamping” (glamorous camping) event and accommodations are rustic, but comfortable. The camp is off-the-grid–no municipal power or water–but it has many of the amenities of home, including hot showers and running water, a well-stocked camp kitchen, and a battery pack for lighting and to charge your phone as needed. You’ll sleep in a spacious 2-person tent with a comfy cot topped by a thick sleeping pad. Pricing is based on double occupancy.

Guided hikes led by the experts

You’ll have full access to experts from Discover Life in America, who will take you on guided hikes and answer your questions about life in the Smokies, the history and natural history of the region, and much more. We’ll point out all the incredible spring wildflowers that should be in bloom during the event as well as the fascinating insects that pollinate them.

What to bring

Required

sleeping bag towelday packhiking shoes/bootsrain jacketwater bottlecool weather clothing and jacketwell-fitting face mask

Recommended

travel pillowflashlight or headlamp with fresh batteriesinsect repellentsunscreentoiletries

Where & when to meet

Meet at Sugarlands Visitor Center, Bus parking lot (closest to Little River Road) at noon on Sunday. We will send out instructions and follow-up information to ticket holders as the event approaches.

FAQs

Q. What is the expected weather?

April in the Smokies is usually mild, with daytime temperatures reaching the 50s and 60s, and nighttime sometimes approaching the freezing mark. It’s best to wear layers that you can shed if it’s warm or pile on for those cool nights. But this of course varies dramatically from year to year. The region does receive lots of rain (which fuels the growth of all those wildflowers), so be sure to pack a rain jacket or poncho.

Q. What COVID precautions will be in place?

Each attendee is required to show either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or to present a negative COVID-19 test result taken no more than 3 days prior to the event. Attendees should bring a mask for times when we’re together inside a vehicle or other indoor spaces. These precautions aside, the nature of this event—being mostly outdoors—renders it fairly low-risk in the COVID era. All activities will take place in covered open-air facilities or on open trails with lots of airflow.

Q. How many people will be in attendance?

Space is limited to 20 attendees at the eco-camp where we’ll be staying (2 people per tent with 10 tents). This is a nice group size that permits lots of one-on-one interaction with your guides.

Q. If don’t consider myself a serious hiker, will I be able to keep up?

Our hikes are very much tailored to the abilities and interests of the group and generally follow a leisurely pace as we stop and look at flowers, insects, mushrooms, and lots of other sites to see. As long as you are able to walk around 5 miles over several hours, you should be fine.

Q. If I come to the Eco-Adventure alone, will I have to share a tent?

The ticket price for this event is based on double occupancy, so expect that singletons may be paired with another same-gender singleton. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet a fellow nature lover and future friend!

Q. What is included in the ticket price?

The ticket price includes all accommodations, food (including vegan options), alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and expert-led hikes from noon Sunday through Tuesday afternoon.

Q. What do I need to bring?

Tents, cots, sleeping pads, and other basics are all provided. Please bring a sleeping bag, towel, day pack and wear sturdy hiking shoes, rain gear and cool weather clothing. Also, please bring a well-fitting face mask. You can find a full list of required and recommended items above on this page. Attendees will receive additional information prior to the event via email.

Q. If I have any other questions, who should I contact?

Please contact Todd Witcher (todd@dlia.org) and he’ll be happy to answer your questions about the Eco-Adventure. You can also visit dlia.org to learn more about this event and DLiA’s work in the Smokies.

Bioblitz @ River Bluff Trail
2022-05-06 17:30 - 2022-05-07 12:00 | North Carolina
Bioblitz @ River Bluff Trail

Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at the River Bluff Trail below the Norris Dam in Rocky Top, Tennessee.

WEATHER UPDATE: Unfortunately, the weather outlook for Friday is not looking great so we are cancelling the Friday night session and extending the Saturday May 7th session from 8 AM – 2 PM (we previously planned to end at noon). Registrants are welcome to join us on Saturday no matter which day you originally signed up for; no need to change your registration. We will provide water, but please bring your own snacks or lunch if you think you’ll get hungry before 2 PM.

Register

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help document as many kinds of animals, plants and other organisms as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you.

What will we be doing?

Walking part of the River Bluff Trail, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the River Bluff Trail project on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the River Bluff Trail and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist accountBring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Two chances to ‘blitz!

Join us Friday (May 6) night 5:30-9:30 pm to see what evening critters we can find, or join us Saturday (May 7) morning 8 am-noon, or come for both! We’ll meet at the same location for both. See update below.

WEATHER UPDATE: Unfortunately, the weather outlook for Friday is not looking great so we are cancelling the Friday night session and extending the Saturday May 7th session from 8 AM – 2 PM (we previously planned to end at noon). Registrants are welcome to join us on Saturday no matter which day you originally signed up for; no need to change your registration. We will provide water, but please bring your own snacks or lunch if you think you’ll get hungry before 2 PM.

Where to meet?

Meet at the River Bluff Trail parking lot.

The River Bluff Trail is a 3.2-mile loop that traverses TVA’s River Bluff Small Wild Area, located just below the Norris Dam in Rocky Top, TN. We’ll take our time looking for fun flora and fauna and may not cover that full distance.

Google Maps directions to meeting spot

Helpful links

River Bluff Trail iNaturalist projectRiver Bluff Trail map and informationList of all our bioblitzes with TVATVA RecreationVisit the Smokies? Contribute to our Smokies Most Wanted projectLearn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8)

Have questions?

Ask Will: will@dlia.org

Bioblitz @ Nottely Tailwater Trail
2022-06-24 18:00 - 2022-06-25 12:00 | North Carolina
Bioblitz @ Nottely Tailwater Trail

Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at the Nottely Tailwater Trail at Nottely Dam, in Blairsville, Georgia.

Register

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help document as many kinds of animals, plants and other organisms as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you.

What will we be doing?

Walking the Nottely Tailwater Trail, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the Nottely Tailwater Trail project on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the trail and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist accountBring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Two chances to ‘blitz!

Join us Friday night (June 24) 6-10 pm to see what evening critters we can find, or join us Saturday morning (June 25) 8 am-noon, or come for both! We’ll meet at the same location for both.

Where to meet?

Meet at the BOTTOM of the Nottely Tailwater Trail (not the trailhead at the top). Park along the road near the picnic tables that mark the end of the trail.

Meet at the orange X at the river end of trail.

Nottely Tailwater Trail is a mile long trail that follows a babbling creek. It exits along Nottely River (where we’ll meet).

Google Maps link meeting spot

Helpful links

Nottely Tailwater Trail iNaturalist projectNottely Tailwater Trail map and informationList of all our bioblitzes with TVATVA RecreationVisit the Smokies? Contribute to our Smokies Most Wanted projectLearn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8)

Have questions?

Ask Will: will@dlia.org

Conservation on Tap, May 2023
2023-05-10 19:00 | Albright Grove Brewing Company, 2924 Sutherland Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919
Conservation on Tap

Wednesday, May 10, 2023. 7:00 p.m.

Albright Grove Brewing Company, Knoxville

FREE!

652 Miles of Riverside Bliss!

Call them crazy, but Lila Honaker and Tennessee RiverLine are working to create a continuous system of paddling, hiking and biking experiences along the Tennessee River’s 652-mile reach from Knoxville, TN, to Paducah, KY. Tennessee RiverLine reframes the river, adjacent public lands, and river communities as a 1.2 million acre “river park.” By elevating the region as an international destination for long-distance flatwater paddling and outdoor recreation, the Tennessee RiverLine is a catalyst for economic development, public health, resource stewardship and equitable access to river spaces and experiences.

What’s not to like about that?!

Bioblitz @ Lady's Bluff Trail
2023-05-19 18:00 - 2023-05-20 08:00 | TVA Lady Bluff Trail, 398 Lady's Bluff Road, Linden, Tennessee, 37096
Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at Lady’s Bluff Trail.

Lady’s Bluff Small Wild Area offers views of unique gnarled old cedars, limestone outcrops and sinkholes as well as spectacular views of the Tennessee River and the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge’s Busseltown Unit on the opposite shore. If you are a wildflower hunter, this is a great place to be in the spring.

Two chances to ‘blitz!

Friday, May 19th: 6pm to 10pm Central: Join us for an evening of discoveries…we will continue in the dark, as we will set up a black light to monitor insect populations!

Saturday, May 20th: 8am to 12pm Central: The morning is a great time to look for birds and we will continue to look for other flora and fauna throughout the morning!

REGISTER HERE

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help document as many kinds of animals, plants and other organisms as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you.

What will we be doing?

Walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the Lady’s Bluff Trail project on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the Lady’s Bluff Trail Project and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)

Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist account

Bring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)

Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Meeting Location: Lady’s Bluff Trailhead Parking Lot in Linden, TN 37096

GPS Coordinates to the meeting location: 35.688261 -88.012921

Website: TVA Lady’s Bluff Trail

Bioblitz @ Loyston Point
2023-06-23 18:00 - 2023-06-24 12:00 | North Carolina
Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at Loyston Point at Norris Lake.

Two chances to ‘blitz!

Friday, June 23rd, 6pm to 10pm: Join us for an evening of discoveries…we will continue in the dark, as we will set up a black light to monitor insect populations!

Saturday, June 24th, 8am to 12pm: The morning is a great time to look for birds and we will continue to look for other flora and fauna throughout the morning!

See the schedule for the bioblitz below. All sessions led by DLiA’s resident Entomologist, Dr. Will Kuhn, DLiA Biodiversity Program Specialist, Jaimie Matzko and expert Naturalist, Jason Carpenter.

Friday, June 23rd: 6pm to 10pm

6pm Intro to iNaturalist: Learn how to use the free app, iNaturalist to record life and become a community scientist!7pmFinding Fungi: Learn how to find, identify and record fungi, lichens and more!8pmNight Prowl: We’ll look for nocturnal creatures, like owls, bats, fireflies, and we’ll have a limited supply of blacklight flashlights to see what glows in the dark.9pm Blacklighting for “Bugs”: We’ll set up a blacklight to attract all sorts of a wide variety of insects, including moths, aquatic insects, beetles and maybe a few true bugs too.

Saturday, June 24th: 8am to 12pm EST

8am Intro to iNaturalist: Learn how to use the free app, iNaturalist to record life and become a community scientist.9amBirding Basics: We’ll go over how to ID birds by sight and sound by getting out there and observing a variety of birds. Warning, birdwatching can be habit forming!10amPlant and Tree ID: We’ll share some great tips on how to identify a variety of different plants and trees in the area.11amExplore with iNaturalist: Get out and explore on your own with iNaturalist

REGISTER HERE

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help document as many kinds of animals, plants and other organisms as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you.

What will we be doing?

Walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the project on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the Loyston Point trails and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)

Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist account

Bring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)

Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

TVA Loyston Point Trails Website

Bioblitz @ Deep Creek in GSMNP
2023-07-14 18:00 - 2023-07-15 12:00 | Deep Creek Picnic Pavilion, 2431 W Deep Creek Rd #2027, North Carolina, 28713, United States
Join Discover Life in America and our co-host, Save Our Smokies to celebrate our 25th Anniversary with a bioblitz at Deep Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science AND clean up the Smokies!

Two chances to ‘blitz!

Friday, July 14th, 6pm to 10pm: Join us for an evening of discoveries…we will continue in the dark, as we will set up a black light to monitor insect populations!

Saturday, July 15th, 8am to 12pm: The morning is a great time to look for birds and we will continue to look for other flora and fauna throughout the morning!

REGISTER HERE

Get the iNaturalist app.

iOS

Android

Save Our Smokies, Inc is an all volunteer organization that removes litter and graffiti from public lands. We partner with USFS, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) and local and state parks. Since our founding in 2020, we have been determined to make an impact. The core of our efforts is to bring volunteers together to reduce the negative impact human overuse and destruction has on public lands.

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help document as many kinds of animals, plants and other organisms as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you.

What will we be doing?

Walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the Deep Creek trails and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)

Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist account

Bring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)

Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Join us to “record life and remove litter” with our co-host, Save Our Smokies!

Save Our Smokies

Save Our Smokies, Inc is an all volunteer organization that removes litter and graffiti from public lands. We partner with USFS, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) and local and state parks. Since our founding in 2020, we have been determined to make an impact. The core of our efforts is to bring volunteers together to reduce the negative impact human overuse and destruction has on public lands.

Bioblitz @ Great Smoky Mountains Association's Members Weekend
2023-09-16 10:00 - 16:00 | North Carolina
Join us for the Great Smoky Mountains Association’s Members Weekend retreat to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. This year’s event will include a bioblitz in Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the Cosby Picnic area led by Discover Life in America!

Register here

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help document as many kinds of animals, plants and other organisms as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you.

What will we be doing?

Walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the Cosby Bioblitz project on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit GSMNP and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)

Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist account

Bring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)

Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Rocky Top BioBlitz
2023-10-12 09:00 - 15:00 | University of TN- in front of Ayres Hall, 1403 Circle Dr, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37916, United States
Join us on the University of TN campus for the Rocky Top BioBlitz—a biological survey focused on identifying as many species as possible in a defined area over a short period of time—from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, October 12. Look for our tent outside Ayres Hall.

During the Rocky Top BioBlitz, participants will walk around campus looking for any kind of life: birds, insects, plants, and even fungi. They will document what they find by taking pictures and uploading them to an app called iNaturalist. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices.

Make sure to download the iNaturalist app before the event!

Get the iNaturalist app.

Download the app. Log in. Try it out.

ANDROID

iOS

Cane Creek Canyon BioBlitz
2023-10-13 18:00 - 2023-10-14 12:00 | Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve, 251 Loop Rd, Tuscumbia, 35674, United States
Land Trust of North Alabama will host a Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve BioBlitz conducted by Discover Life in America (DLiA), a nonprofit organization out of Tennessee that specializes in biodiversity inventory and conservation, and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

A BioBlitz is a citizen science event where participants learn about the plants and animals in a specific place as they look for and document them for research purposes, and we’d like to invite you to be a part of ours! This event is for both newbies and experts as well as amateurs and professionals in the various fields of natural science.

Participants will move through the southern part of the preserve using the iNaturalist app to document observed flora and fauna. There will also be short presentations on a variety of natural science topics conducted by DLiA as well as the Land Trust, Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve regulars, and possibly students and faculty from University of North Alabama. These same people will serve as subject matter experts as participants document their findings.

Event Website

Location: Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve – 251 Loop Rd, Tuscumbia, AL 35674

What to Wear/Bring: Dress appropriately for the weather. This is a rain or shine event, though thunderstorms will cause cancelation. Set up your iNaturalist account in advance. Please note, there is limited (or no) cell service at the preserve.

Registration: Please register to join the bioblitz. You can sign up to attend one or both days. Please register for each day you plan to participate.

Friday, October 13 from 6-10:00 PM

Sign-up

Saturday, October 14 from 8 AM – 12 PM

Sign-up

Great Smokies Eco-Adventure: April 21-23
2024-04-21 12:00 - 2024-04-23 16:00 | North Carolina
Mark your calendar for an immersive Smokies experience like none other! Spend your days exploring the wilds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and your nights glamorously camping off the grid. DLiA and partner A Walk in the Woods bring you an exclusive 3-day, 2-night adventure, with expert-led nature hikes, camping in a luxurious off-grid setting, mouth-watering, local food and drink, and much more. All proceeds from this fundraising event will help DLiA discover and conserve the rich biodiversity of the Smokies.

A Walk in the Woods has generously provided access to Camp Atagahi, their staff, and their Smokies expertise to make this event really shine!

DLiA’s Will, Jaimie, and Todd will be your guides for the duration of the Eco-Adventure. They’re excited to be your gracious hosts and share their expert knowledge of the natural and cultural history of the Smokies!

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is a truly unique experience!

Guided hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to learn about local flora and fauna, including wildflowers and other plants, pollinators and insects, fungi and more!

Hike on a section of the legendary Appalachian Trail (AT)

Morning bird-watching at camp

Guided night hike to look for nocturnal creatures, using a bat detector and UV flashlights.

Evening campfires to share stories and s’mores

Freshly prepared meals, including beer and wine.

Luxury Camping Accommodations, including spacious tents with cots and mattress

Enjoy hot showers after a day on the trail

Purchase Tickets

Yo

Camp Atagahi

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is co-hosted by Discover Life in America and A Walk in the Woods. As an award-winning, locally owned and operated tour guide company, A Walk in the Woods has been helping people get the most out of their Smoky Mountains experience for over 23 years, serving over 100,000 visitors along the way!

All meals are included with your ticket price, prepared on site with local produce, cheeses, and other ingredients. Vegan and vegetarian options are available. Beer and wine are also provided as well as soft drinks of your choice. (We’ll inquire about your dietary restrictions and beverage choices close to the event.)

Camp Atagahi is A Walk in the Woods’ premiere off-grid camping facility located in a small valley just north of the National Park boundary between Pitman Center and Cosby, Tennessee. It features a well-stocked off-grid commercial kitchen and excellent bathroom facility with running water, flush toilets, and hot showers. Guests are lulled to sleep at night by the babbling creek that flows through camp. Tents are spacious, mounted on wooden platforms, and feature a covered “front porch” area where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine, listening to the sounds of nature.

Guided Hikes in the Smokies

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure in April features guided hikes during peak wildflower season in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (a short drive from Camp Atagahi). We’ll keep it slow and easy-going, with lots of stops to admire and talk about the Smokies’ incredible biodiversity, including native trees, pollinating insects, birds, and more. We’ll also share our expert knowledge of the cultural history of the landscape.

Our one-of-a-kind hikes will leave you with a new appreciation for the incredible variety of life in the Smokies region and they’re really fun, too!

Eco-Adventure Itinerary

Sunday, April 21: Guests will meet in GSMNP at noon and enjoy light snacks and introductions. We’ll go on guided hike led by DLiA staff on the Twin Creeks Trail (Total trail mileage under 2 miles) In the late afternoon, we’ll get load up our gear and get transported to A Walk in the Woods’ private off-grid camp located near Cosby and settle into our not-too-rustic glamping accommodations. We’ll have drinks and a wholesome dinner. We’ll finish off with s’mores around a campfire.

Monday, April 22: We’ll have locally-sourced coffee and a hot breakfast at camp and pack sack lunches. We’ll then head to the Greenbrier area in GSMNP on our hike to Fern Branch Falls on the Porter’s Creek trail. This hike is 4 miles round-trip and is considered moderate. We’ll arrive back at camp by late afternoon and enjoy southern fixins’ around the campfire. If you’re up for it, we’ll go for a night hike at the camp to look for nocturnal critters.

Tuesday, April 23: We’ll start with a hot breakfast, pack sack lunches, and pack up our gear. If the conditions and views are favorable, we head up to the high elevations in the park for a hike along the infamous Appalachian Trail. We’ll finish up around 4 pm. We’ll say our goodbyes and guests will depart.

Please note: The itinerary may change due to weather conditions, park closures or at the discretion of DLIA.

Purchase Tickets

Tickets: $950 per person

Your ticket purchase supports Discover Life in America (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization), helping us continue our work as a partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tickets are $950 per person, which includes accommodations, food and alcohol, as well as expert-guided nature hikes.

Pricing is based on double occupancy of tents, so if you are traveling alone, you may be assigned to share a tent with someone of the same gender.

REGISTRATION CLOSES: April 1, 2024

CANCELLATION POLICY: Full payment is due upon ticket purchase. If you decide to cancel your spot, we will refund your ticket only if we are able to sell your ticket. No refunds will be given after registration closes on April 1st.

What will your ticket purchase support

Biodiversity research in the Smokies

Our biology interships…

…and photo/videography internships

Biodiversity education

Public engagement through community science

Conservation of creatures great and small in the Smokies

Specifically, you’ll help support

research with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, aimed at cataloging, understanding, and ultimately conserving the 21,000+ species that call the Smokies home

our world-class summer internship program, where we train the next generation of scientists and nature advocates through an immersive experience in the Smokies

our educational programming in and around Great Smoky Mountains NP, fostering nature literacy among our community ( iScience and Smokies Most Wanted)

and much more!

ELECTRICITY AND CELL SERVICE: There is no electricity at Camp Atagahi other than a battery back that you may use to charge your phone. There is little to no cell reception at the Camp and in the National Park. Please plan accordingly. If you use a CPAP machine to sleep, you may consider purchasing an appropriate battery pack to power that device during the event.

FAQs

Q. What is the expected weather?

April in the Smokies is usually mild, with daytime temperatures reaching the 50s and 60s, and nighttime sometimes approaching the freezing mark. It’s best to wear layers that you can shed if it’s warm or pile on for those cool nights. But this of course varies from year to year. The region does receive lots of rain (which fuels the growth of all those wildflowers), so be sure to pack a rain jacket or poncho.

Q. How many people will be in attendance?

Space is limited to 15 attendees at the eco-camp where we’ll be staying (2 people per tent with 10 tents). This is a nice group size that permits lots of one-on-one interaction with your guides.

Q. If don’t consider myself a serious hiker, will I be able to keep up?

Our hikes are very much tailored to the abilities and interests of the group and generally follow a leisurely pace as we stop and look at insects, mushrooms, and lots of other sights to see. As long as you are able to walk around 4 miles over several hours, you should be fine.

Q. If I come to the Eco-Adventure alone, will I have to share a tent?

The ticket price for this event is based on double occupancy, so expect that singletons may be paired with another same-gender singleton. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet a fellow nature lover and future friend!

Q. What is included in the ticket price?

The ticket price includes all accommodations, food (including vegetarian and vegan options), alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and expert-led hikes from noon Sunday through Tuesday afternoon.

Q. What do I need to bring?

Please bring a sleeping bag, towel, day pack and wear sturdy hiking shoes, rain gear and cool weather clothing. Also, please bring a well-fitting face mask. Tents, cots, sleeping pads, and other basics are all provided. You can find a full list of required and recommended items above on this page. Attendees will receive additional information via email prior to the event.

Q. Will there be electricity or cell service at the camp?

Camp Atagahi does not have grid electricity, however, we will provide a battery back that you can use to charge your cell phone and other small electronics. There is little to no cell signal in the area. The Eco-Adventure is a great chance to step away from the busy world and enjoy some screen-free time in nature!

Q. If I have any other questions, who should I contact?

Please contact DLiA’s Biodiversity Program Specialist, Jaimie Matzko, at jaimie@dlia.org and she’ll be happy to answer your questions about the Eco-Adventure. You can also visit dlia.org to learn more about DLiA’s work in the Smokies.

Needmore BioBlitz
2024-05-17 08:00 - 2024-05-19 17:00 | North Carolina
WANDER THE NEEDMORE WITH AN ENTOURAGE OF LOCAL EXPERTS!

This spring, Mainspring is hosting a Bioblitz in the Brush Creek area of the Needmore Game Lands in partnership with Highlands Biological Station, Highlands Biological Foundation, and Discover Life in America! A Bioblitz is a sort of “biological census,” aiming to capture a snapshot of all the species living in a particular area.

Each day of this event (Friday 5/17, Saturday 5/18, and Sunday 5/19), local experts will lead multi-hour mini-expeditions along waterways, through meadows, and in the forest, seeking particular species or taxa. Choose your own participation level– come all day, attend one session per day, or participate in just one or two sessions over the weekend! Beginner naturalists are welcome at this event, let’s learn as we go!

Observations collected during this event will help drive future conservation in this area, fill gaps in scientific knowledge, and maybe even document a critter that hasn’t been observed here before! Want to meander through this beautiful area while searching for and learning about mushrooms, fireflies, rare plants, and more with these scientists? Check out Friday’s schedule below, then fill out the form at the bottom of this page to secure your spot! Find more details about the sessions and their leaders below the form at the very bottom of the page. Email Skye with questions.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFO:

Exertion varies per session: some sessions may be easy walks along the road while others may involve traipsing through the woods off-trail. In general, wear sturdy shoes, bring a snack and plenty of water, and be prepared to walk 2-3 miles. For accessibility-related questions, email Skye.

All sessions will leave from Lower Needmore Rd in the Needmore Game Lands near Bryson City, either from the Brush Creek Access Area or past the swinging bridge. Exact meeting location and directions will be sent out in the week leading up to the event.

Please download and login to the iNaturalist app before this event. We will be using this app to record our observations. If you have never used iNaturalist, here is a brief tutorial.

A bagged lunch will be provided free of charge to any participant who wants it.

Fireflies at Norton Creek: Candlelight Dinner
2024-06-07 17:30 | North Carolina
Take your firefly experience to the next level with an over-the-top, extravagant evening centered around the Smokies’ famous synchronous fireflies.Join us for the Candlelight Dinner: Fireflies at Norton Creek for a special dinner and drinks prepared by Dollywood Resorts executive chef and team beginning at the award-winning Heartsong Resort and Lodge and concluding with synchronous firefly viewing at Norton Creek private reserve.

The evening will begin at 5:30pm with signature cocktails, full bar and hors d’oeuvres in the Acoustic Lobby at the Heartsong Lodge and Resort. This exclusive dining space is a nod to Dolly and a musical career that spans seven decades. Guests will then be treated to a full-course, candlelight dinner will be served at one of the Heartsong Lodge’s spectacular outdoor dinner venue.

After the delectable meal, guests will then caravan from the Heartsong Resort and Lodge to the private reserve at Norton Creek to conclude the evening with a guided viewing of the magnificent synchronous fireflies that call Norton Creek home, and their other bioluminescent brethren, including blue ghost fireflies and other glowing insects.

INCLUDES full bar with signature cocktails, special dinner, virtual auction, and guided firefly viewing. Tickets are $750 per person; quantity is limited.Fireflies at Norton Creek: Candlelight Dinner guests will receive discount pricing for a stay at Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge and Resort, June 7-9, 2024.

Buy Tickets here

Book your stay at Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort, designed to bring that intangible feeling to life, honor everything that makes the Smokies special, and invite you to experience the wonders of finding your own heartsong.

The Acoustic Lobby features an array of design elements inspired by Dolly’s life and career, including a guitar-shaped chandelier, as well as a selection of her personal treasures. This exclusive dining space is a nod to Dolly and a musical career that spans seven decades.

Synchronous fireflies’ woodland display //Abbott Nature

Synchronous firefly adult //Abbott Nature

Reserve your tickets now

What will your ticket purchase support?

Biodiversity research in the Smokies

Our biology interships…

…and photo/videography internships

Biodiversity education

Public engagement through community science

Conservation of creatures great and small in the Smokies

Specifically, you’ll help support

research with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, aimed at cataloging, understanding, and ultimately conserving the 21,000+ species that call the Smokies home

our world-class summer internship program, where we train the next generation of scientists and nature advocates through an immersive experience in the Smokies

our educational programming in and around Great Smoky Mountains NP, fostering nature literacy among our community ( iScience and Smokies Most Wanted)

and much more!

Location: Main parking lot at Heartsong Lodge and Resort

Cherokee Dam BioBlitz
2024-06-28 18:00 - 2024-06-29 12:00 | North Carolina
Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at Cherokee Dam Park-Picnic Area in Jefferson City!

Two chances to ‘blitz!

Friday, June 28th from 6pm to 10pm: Join us for an evening of discoveries…we will continue in the dark, as we will set up a black light to monitor insect populations!

Saturday, June 29th from 8am to 12pm: The morning is a great time to look for birds and we will continue to look for other flora and fauna throughout the morning!

Register Here

Where?

Cherokee Dam Park-Picnic area

1015 Tva Pkwy, Jefferson City, TN 37760

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help document as many kinds of animals, plants, and other organisms as we can find in a specific area. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you. We will be walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and other living organisms. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. We’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups point out interesting facts about the organisms we see, and teach you how to use the iNaturalist app.

What will we be doing?

Walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the project on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the Loyston Point trails and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)

Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist account

Bring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)

Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Get the iNaturalist app.

Download the app. Log in. Try it out.

ANDROID

iOS

Free

BioBlitz at Seven Islands State Birding Park
2024-09-20 09:00 - 12:00 | North Carolina
Join us for a BioBlitz on Friday, September 20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. organized by Discover Life in America and Seven Islands State Birding Park. This is a free and family-friendly event to participate in community science and learn about nature!

🤳Learn how to use the free community science iNaturalist app, to document and identify life—anywhere in the world!

🔍Join guided hikes with expert naturalists from Discover Life in America and Seven Islands State Birding Park!

🌳Meet others in your community who also love to learn about nature!

Register Here

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help document as many kinds of animals, plants, and other organisms as we can find in a specific area. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you. We will be walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and other living organisms. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. We’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups point out interesting facts about the organisms we see, and teach you how to use the iNaturalist app.

What will we be doing?

Walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the project on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the Loyston Point trails and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)

Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist account

Bring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)

Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Get the iNaturalist app.

Download the app. Log in. Try it out.

ANDROID

iOS

Free

Great Smokies Eco-Adventure: Oct 27-29
2024-10-27 12:00 - 2024-10-29 16:00 | North Carolina
Mark your calendar for an immersive Smokies experience like none other! Spend your days exploring the wilds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and your nights glamorously camping off the grid. DLiA and partner A Walk in the Woods bring you a 3-day, 2-night adventure, with expert-led nature hikes, camping in a luxurious off-grid setting, mouth-watering, local food and drink, and much more. All proceeds from this fundraising event will help DLiA discover and conserve the rich biodiversity of the Smokies.

A Walk in the Woods has generously provided access to Camp Atagahi, their staff, and their Smokies expertise to make this event really shine!

DLiA’s Will, Jaimie, and Todd will be your guides for the duration of the Eco-Adventure. They’re excited to be your gracious hosts and share their expert knowledge of the natural and cultural history of the Smokies!

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is a truly unique experience!

🍁 Guided nature hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including a section of the famous Appalachian Trail (AT).

🔦 Guided night hike to look for nocturnal creatures using a bat detector and UV flashlights.

🔥 Evening campfires to share stories and s’mores.

🍴 Locally-sourced meals (vegan and gluten-free alternatives available) signature cocktails, mocktails, beer and wine included.

⛺ Cozy camping accommodations, including spacious tents with cots and mattresses and a bath house with hot showers and flush toilets.

Purchase Tickets

Yo

Founded in 2010, Ole Smoky Distillery is the leading craft distiller in the U.S. and the first federally licensed distillery in the history of East Tennessee. At the fall Eco-Adventure, the company will provide Harvest Ginger signature cocktails featuring its award-winning Apple Pie Moonshine as well as a non-alcoholic mocktailoption. Learn more at olesmoky.com

Camp Atagahi

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is co-hosted by Discover Life in America and A Walk in the Woods. As an award-winning, locally owned and operated tour guide company, A Walk in the Woods has been helping people get the most out of their Smoky Mountains experience for over 23 years, serving over 100,000 visitors along the way!

All meals are included with your ticket price, prepared on site with local produce, cheeses, and other ingredients. Vegan and vegetarian options are available. Beer and wine are also provided as well as soft drinks of your choice. (We’ll inquire about your dietary restrictions and beverage choices close to the event.)Guided hikes in the Smokies

Camp Atagahi is A Walk in the Woods’ premiere off-grid camping facility located in a small valley just north of the National Park boundary between Pitman Center and Cosby, Tennessee. It features a well-stocked off-grid commercial kitchen and excellent bathroom facility with running water, flush toilets, and hot showers. Guests are lulled to sleep at night by the babbling creek that flows through camp. Tents are spacious, mounted on wooden platforms, and feature a covered “front porch” area where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine, listening to the sounds of nature.

Guided Hikes in the Smokies

The Fall Smokies Eco-Adventure features guided hikes during peak leaf foliage season in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (a short drive from Camp Atagahi). We’ll keep it slow and easy-going, with lots of stops to admire and talk about the Smokies’ incredible biodiversity, including native trees, pollinating insects, birds, and more. We’ll also share our expert knowledge of the cultural history of the landscape.

Our one-of-a-kind hikes will leave you with a new appreciation for the incredible variety of life in the Smokies region and they’re really fun, too!

Eco-Adventure Itinerary

Sunday, October 27: Guests will meet at the DLiA office at noon and enjoy light snacks and introductions. We’ll go on guided hike led by DLiA staff on the Twin Creeks Trail (Total trail mileage under 2 miles) In the late afternoon, we’ll get load up our gear and get transported to A Walk in the Woods’ private off-grid camp located near Cosby and settle into our not-too-rustic glamping accommodations. We’ll have drinks and a wholesome dinner and finish off with s’mores around a campfire.

Monday, October 28: We’ll have locally-sourced coffee and a hot breakfast at camp and pack sack lunches. We’ll then head to the Greenbrier area in GSMNP on our hike to Fern Branch Falls on the Porter’s Creek trail. This hike is 4 miles round-trip and is considered moderate. We’ll arrive back at camp by late afternoon and enjoy southern fixins’ around the campfire. If you’re up for it, we’ll go for a night hike at the camp to look for nocturnal critters.

Tuesday, October 29: We’ll start with a hot breakfast, pack sack lunches, and pack up our gear. If the conditions and views are favorable, we head up to the high elevations in the park for a hike on the infamous Appalachian Trail (AT). We’ll finish up around 4 pm. We’ll say our goodbyes and guests will depart.

Please note: The itinerary may change due to weather conditions, park closures or at the discretion of DLIA.

Purchase Tickets

Tickets: $950 per person

Your ticket purchase supports Discover Life in America (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization), helping us continue our work as a partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tickets are $950 per person, which includes accommodations, food and alcohol, as well as expert-guided nature hikes.

Pricing is based on double occupancy of tents, so if you are traveling alone, you may be assigned to share a tent with someone of the same gender.

REGISTRATION CLOSES: Oct 1st, 2024

CANCELLATION POLICY: Full payment is due upon ticket purchase. If you decide to cancel your spot, we will refund your ticket only if we are able to sell your ticket. No refunds will be given after registration closes on October 1.

What will your ticket purchase support

Biodiversity research in the Smokies

Our biology interships…

…and photo/videography internships

Biodiversity education

Public engagement through community science

Conservation of creatures great and small in the Smokies

Specifically, you’ll help support

Research with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, aimed at cataloging, understanding, and ultimately conserving the 21,000+ species that call the Smokies home.

our world-class summer internship program, where we train the next generation of scientists and nature advocates through an immersive experience in the Smokies.

our educational programming in and around Great Smoky Mountains NP, fostering nature literacy among our community ( iScience and Smokies Most Wanted)

and much more!

ELECTRICITY AND CELL SERVICE: There is no electricity at Camp Atagahi other than a battery pack that you may use to charge your phone. There is little to no cell reception at the Camp and in the National Park. Please plan accordingly. If you use a CPAP machine to sleep, you may consider purchasing an appropriate battery pack to power that device during the event.

FAQs

Q. What is the expected weather?

October in the Smokies is usually mild, with daytime temperatures reaching the 50s and 60s, and nighttime sometimes approaching the freezing mark. It’s best to wear layers that you can shed if it’s warm or pile on for those cool nights. But this of course varies from year to year. The region does receive lots of rain (which fuels the growth of all those wildflowers), so be sure to pack a rain jacket or poncho.

Q. How many people will be in attendance?

Space is limited to 15 attendees at the eco-camp where we’ll be staying (2 people per tent with 10 tents). This is a nice group size that permits lots of one-on-one interaction with your guides.

Q. If don’t consider myself a serious hiker, will I be able to keep up?

Our hikes are very much tailored to the abilities and interests of the group and generally follow a leisurely pace as we stop and look at insects, mushrooms, and lots of other sights to see. As long as you are able to walk around 4 miles over several hours, you should be fine.

Q. If I come to the Eco-Adventure alone, will I have to share a tent?

The ticket price for this event is based on double occupancy, so expect that singletons may be paired with another same-gender singleton. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet a fellow nature lover and future friend!

Q. What is included in the ticket price?

The ticket price includes all accommodations, food (including vegetarian and vegan options), alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and expert-led hikes from noon Sunday through Tuesday afternoon.

Q. What do I need to bring?

Please bring a sleeping bag, towel, day pack and wear sturdy hiking shoes, rain gear and cool weather clothing. Tents, cots, sleeping pads, and other basics are all provided. You can find a full list of required and recommended items above on this page. Attendees will receive additional information via email prior to the event.

Q. Will there be electricity or cell service at the camp?

Camp Atagahi does not have grid electricity and there is little to no cell signal in the area. We will provide a battery back that you can use to charge your cell phone and other small electronics. Though, The Eco-Adventure is an opportunity to escape from the busy world and enjoy some screen-free time in nature!

Q. If I have any other questions, who should I contact?

Please contact DLiA’s Biodiversity Program Specialist, Jaimie Matzko, at jaimie@dlia.org and she’ll be happy to answer your questions about the Eco-Adventure or visit dlia.org.

Little Cedar Mountain BioBlitz
2025-05-16 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-05-17 08:00 - 11:00 | North Carolina
Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at Little Cedar Mountain in Jasper, TN.

Two chances to ‘blitz!

Friday, May 16, 7pm to 10pm Central: Join us for an evening of discoveries…we will continue in the dark, as we will set up a black light to monitor insect populations!

Saturday, May 17, 8am to 11am Central: The morning is a great time to look for birds and we will continue to look for other flora and fauna throughout the morning!

REGISTER HERE

Where?

TVA’s Little Cedar Mountain Trail in Jasper, TN

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help document as many kinds of animals, plants, and other organisms as we can find in a specific area. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you. We will be walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and other living organisms. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. We’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups point out interesting facts about the organisms we see, and teach you how to use the iNaturalist app.

What will we be doing?

Walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the project on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the Loyston Point trails and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)

Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist account

Bring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)

Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Get the iNaturalist app.

Download the app. Log in. Try it out.

ANDROID

iOS

Hall Bend Trail Bioblitz
2025-07-11 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-07-12 08:00 - 11:00 | North Carolina
Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at the Hall Bend Trail in Lenoir City, TN!

Two chances to ‘blitz!

Friday, July 11 from 7pm to 10pm Eastern: Join us for an evening of discoveries…we will continue in the dark, as we will set up a black light to monitor insect populations!

Saturday, July 12 from 8am to 11am Eastern: The morning is a great time to look for birds and we will continue to look for other flora and fauna throughout the morning!

REGISTER HERE

Where?

Hall Bend Trailhead

Lenoir City, TN 37771
