Looking for ways to give back to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Look no further than the Park it Forward program! This unique opportunity allows visitors to make a positive impact on the park through volunteer work or by donating funds to help maintain and improve the park’s trails, historic sites, and more. With the Park it Forward program, you can enjoy all the natural beauty the park has to offer while also giving back to ensure its preservation for future generations. Keep reading to learn more about this exciting initiative and how you can get involved.

GSMNP Park it Forward Program: How You Can Contribute to Nature while Enjoying the Scenic Beauty

Introduction

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) is one of the most visited national parks in the United States, offering stunning views of the mountains, waterfalls, and diverse wildlife. As part of the efforts to preserve the park’s natural beauty, visitors can contribute to the GSMNP Park it Forward program, starting from 1st March 2023. This program requires visitors to purchase valid parking tags for their cars parked for over 15 minutes. In this article, we will discuss how this program can benefit the visitors, the park, and the environment.

How to Participate in the GSMNP Park it Forward Program

If you plan to visit GSMNP for hiking, camping, or scenic tours, make sure you purchase a valid parking tag for your car parked for over 15 minutes. The daily parking tag costs $5, the weekly costs $15, and the annual costs $40. The revenue collected from the program will be used for improving visitor experience, protecting resources, and maintaining facilities.

Benefits of Participating in the GSMNP Park it Forward Program

By purchasing a valid parking tag and participating in the program, you can make a valuable contribution to nature and support the preservation efforts. The benefits of this program include:

1. Ensuring sustainable tourism – The park receives over 12 million visitors every year, leading to congestion, pollution, and other environmental hazards. By asking visitors to contribute to the sustainability efforts, the park can balance tourism and conservation.

2. Funding for improving visitor experience – The revenue collected from the program will be used to enhance the visitor experience, such as providing better facilities, educational opportunities, and guided tours. This would make the visit more enjoyable and informative.

3. Protecting natural resources – As one of the last contiguous forest ecosystems in the United States, the GSMNP requires constant protection and care. The program’s funds would be used to protect the natural resources, such as wildlife, water resources, and forests.

How Does the GSMNP Park it Forward Program Work?

The program is straightforward and easy to follow. Visitors parking for over 15 minutes would need to purchase valid parking tags, while vehicles simply driving through the park won’t need them. The program runs throughout the year, and visitors can purchase tags for a single day, a week, or the entire year. The tags are available at various locations within the park, such as visitor centers, ranger stations, and online through the official website.

More Information Available Online

For more information about the GSMNP Park it Forward program, please visit https://www.gatlinburg.com/parkitforward. You can also follow Gatlinburg’s social media accounts, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, and use the hashtags SmokyMountains, Parking, ParkItForward, and Gatlinburg to stay updated about the program. Additionally, you can visit the YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/gatlinburg for informative videos about the park and the program.

Conclusion

The GSMNP Park it Forward program is an excellent initiative to promote sustainable tourism, support the park’s preservation efforts, and enhance the visitor experience. As visitors to the park, we have a responsibility to contribute to nature and make sure that the resources are protected for future generations. The program provides an easy and affordable way to do so while enjoying the scenic beauty of the Smoky Mountains.

FAQs

1. What is the GSMNP Park it Forward program?
   The program requires visitors to purchase valid parking tags for their cars parked for over 15 minutes. The revenue collected would be used to improve the visitor experience, protect natural resources, and maintain facilities.

2. When does the program start?
   The program is slated to begin on the 1st of March 2023.

3. What are the costs of the parking tags?
   The daily parking tag costs $5, weekly costs $15, and the annual costs $40.

4. Do cars simply driving through the park also need a parking tag?
   No, only vehicles parked for over 15 minutes would require parking tags.

5. Where can I purchase the tags?
   The tags are available at various locations within the park, such as visitor centers, ranger stations, and online through the official website.