THE GOVERNMENT NEWS DESKPERMANENT NPS STORY ARCHIVE
Organized by publication date and destination. Each story retains its permanent State & Nation address and official NPS source.
Big South Fork NRRA will leave open Blue Heron Campground, located in Kentucky this coming winter season. This pilot project will provide the park an opportunity to determine if there is sufficient winter demand to keep the campground open year-round.
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is offering a 10-year concession contract for the Charit Creek Lodge. Through Oct. 20, the National Park Service is accepting business proposals to operate rustic lodging, food and beverage, alcoholic beverages, retail and stabling at Charit Creek Lodge.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service (NPS) recently announced a new partnership with the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and three local NPS units to train the next generation of leaders in the fields of outdoor recreation and public land management.
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area invites craft vendors, artisans and food vendors to take part in the Haunting in the Hills Storytelling Festival on Sept. 19. This annual signature special event celebrates the traditions, stories, music, arts, crafts and food of the Cumberland Plateau.
Official NPS sourceBrewster Bridge Road in Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area will temporarily close for repair and re-pavement beginning on Monday, June 29th. The road was heavily damaged from significant rain events in 2022 and 2023.
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area will celebrate the deeply rooted tradition of Decoration Day on the Cumberland Plateau with its sixth annual Cemetery Quest event. The event begins at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, May 2 at Bandy Creek Visitor Center. Following a guided booklet, participants can visit cemeteries throughout the region in search of site-specific information.
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will feature a full day of music, historic demonstrations and Appalachian traditions for the 26th Annual Spring Planting and Music Festival on April 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. Admission is free, and all are welcome to attend. A free shuttle bus will run throughout the day for those who prefer not to walk between festival locations.
Official NPS sourceBrewster Bridge Road in Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will be temporarily closed for repair and repavement from May to mid-summer. The road was heavily damaged during significant rain events in 2022 and 2023.
Official NPS source
On April 11, Big South Fork NRRA will host a river-based cleanup in partnership with Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning and East Tennessee Whitewater Club. The park will determine which section of stream to paddle based on river flow levels and other factors.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service will host an annual public science meeting at Historic Rugby Visitor Center, in Rugby, Tennessee. The public is invited to spend the day with scientists who have been conducting research at Obed Wild and Scenic River, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, and other areas on the Cumberland Plateau.
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services are proud to partner in hosting an official naturalization ceremony on Thursday, April 23, 2026, where 150 individuals will take the oath of citizenship.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service invites the public and seeks vendors for the 26th Annual Spring Planting and Music Festival on Saturday, April 25 in Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.
Official NPS source
Every New Year’s Day the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area and the Big South Fork Bike Club invite all mountain bikers to ride the annual Big South Fork “Mail Run” event.
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area will be celebrating the participants of the GO BIG 2025 Challenge at the GO BIG Celebration on Saturday, December 6, at 10 AM (ET) at Bandy Creek Visitor Center.
Official NPS source
An endangered freshwater mussel species in the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area is showing signs of natural population increases for the first time. The tan riffleshell (Epioblasma walkeri) is an endangered mussel found in only a few locations within the Big South Fork of the Cumberland and the upper Clinch Rivers.
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area will present the 15th annual Blue Heron Ghost Mine on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at the Blue Heron Outdoor Museum. This free evening of live music starts at 5:00 PM ET with storytelling beginning at 7:00 PM ET beneath the historic coal tipple.
Official NPS source
A new National Park Service report shows that 780,000 visitors to Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area in 2024 spent $28.5 million in communities near the park. That spending supported the local area.
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area will host the 15th annual Blue Heron Ghost Mine on Saturday, October 18, 2025, celebrating Kentucky’s rich tradition of storytelling at the historic Blue Heron Mining Community.
Official NPS source
The 33rd Annual Haunting in the Hills Storytelling Festival returns to the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area on Saturday, September 20, bringing with it a full day of stories, heritage, and music. From morning workshops to evening performances, music will be present throughout the festival grounds, offering opportunities for both participation and performance.
Official NPS source
Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 20, as the 33rd Annual Haunting in the Hills Storytelling Festival takes place from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (ET) at the Bandy Creek Visitor Center area of Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area.
Official NPS source
On Saturday, September 20, the 33rd Annual Haunting in the Hills Storytelling Festival will feature a variety of demonstrations and exhibits that celebrate the culture, history, and traditions of the Appalachian region. Festivalgoers will encounter Revolutionary Period Long Hunters sharing the ways of frontier life, HAM radio operators highlighting their role in community connection, a quilting display that showcases a longstanding tradition, and Black Bear Education offering unique insights, along with many other presentations throughout the day.
Official NPS source
On Saturday, September 20 at 8:00 AM (ET), visitors are invited to experience the rich natural beauty of Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau on a guided bird walk led by noted ornithologist Dr. Charles Nicholson. The walk begins at the Bandy Creek swimming pool in Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and offers an easy, enjoyable outing for participants of all ages.
Official NPS source
Next week, the school districts in the six counties that surround Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will welcome a talented lineup of storytellers who will engage students through interactive performances that celebrate culture, history, and creativity.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service and the Back Country Horsemen of Big South Fork have partnered to replace 10 existing metal horse tie-stalls with pipe panel horse corrals at Station Camp Campground at Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area.
Official NPS source
The Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area will host the Eleventh Annual Photo Contest reception on Friday, September 5 in the Bandy Creek Visitor Center, located at 151 Stable Road, Oneida. The festivities will begin at 5:00 PM (ET).
Official NPS source
Deer hunting season opens in Kentucky on September 6, and September 27, in Tennessee. During big game season, wild hogs may be harvested with the appropriate weapon that is legal for that specific season.
Official NPS source
Storytelling bridges cultures, sparks imagination, and preserves traditions. In Appalachia, it’s a living thread connecting generations and shared history. On Saturday, September 20, from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (ET), Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area will host the 33rd Annual Haunting in the Hills Storytelling Festival at Bandy Creek Visitor Center area.
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area invites you to mark your calendars for one of the region’s most cherished traditions, the 33rd Annual Haunting in the Hills Storytelling Festival, happening Saturday, September 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (ET) at the Bandy Creek Visitor Center area.
Official NPS source
Are you a craftsperson, artisan, or food vendor looking for a great opportunity to share your work? We are currently seeking vendors to join the 33rd Annual Haunting in the Hills Storytelling Festival on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area!
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area will be observing the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act on Monday, August 4, 2025, with 50 percent off backcountry camping permit fees.
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area encompasses 125,000 acres of rugged terrain within the Cumberland Plateau in southeastern Kentucky and north-central Tennessee.
Official NPS source
Students from McCreary Central High School, Scott County High School, and Oneida High School worked on a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) project in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.
Official NPS source
Blue Heron, an integral part of the history of Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area is calling on surrounding communities to help preserve and showcase the region’s mining heritage.
Official NPS source
The superintendent has temporarily closed a gas well maintenance access road associated with a leaking well site near the Joe Branch area of Big South Fork NRRA.
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will observe Juneteenth on Thursday, June 19, 2025, by offering a 50 percent discount on fees for use of the Bandy Creek Pool and for backcountry camping permits.
Official NPS source
Bandy Creek pool and wading pool will open for the 2025 season on Friday, May 23, 2025, at 11:00 AM (ET). The hours of operation will be from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays through Labor Day.
Official NPS source
Beginning May 6, 2025, the National Park Service will initiate critical maintenance work on the Twin Arches Loop Trail in Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. Trail crews will rehabilitate all wooden stairs and ladders along the route to improve safety and enhance the visitor experience.
Official NPS source
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area would like to experience your vision of the park. Use the park’s spectacular views in any season, historic sites, recreational opportunities, and diversity of life at Big South Fork and document your park as you see it. Images may show wildlife, plant life, natural landscapes, historic areas, weather, or people interacting with nature at the park. All photographs should accurately reflect the subject matter and the scene as it appeared.
Official NPS source