BLUE HERON INN on Little River, Townsend

06/16/2026

❤️Elk on TENNESSEE side of the mountain, in Townsend 15 June 3026

06/15/2026

Townsend charcuterie boards are available for delivery to your Riverside accommodations, here @ Blue Heron Inn

Have us deliver a special charcuterie box to your cabin prior to or upon your arrival !

Call our shop today !

865.385.2573

06/15/2026

06/15/2026

Families honor Revolutionary War veterans buried in Smoky Mountains as nation marks 250 years >>> Details in comments

06/13/2026

🐢 It's box turtle season in the Smokies!

Eastern box turtles are on the move this time of year, and many females are currently gravid (carrying eggs) and searching for suitable places to nest. As they travel, they often cross roads, putting them at risk from vehicle traffic.

If you spot a box turtle on the road, slow down and watch for additional turtles nearby. If it is safe to do so, you can help a turtle cross by moving it in the direction it was traveling and then wash your hands. Never relocate a turtle to a different area. Box turtles spend their lives in relatively small home ranges and may struggle to survive if moved elsewhere.

Every turtle that safely reaches the other side helps support the next generation of these remarkable reptiles.

Keep an eye out, drive carefully, and help keep the Smokies wild.

Learn more about the reptiles that call the Smokies home: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/reptiles.htm



NPS Photo

06/07/2026

🇺🇸 Join us at the Highland Manor Inn for the best seats for the Townsend Community, 4th of July celebration. 🎆
🎶 Concert starts at 7:30 featuring the Jeff Jopling Band and other local talent. 🎶
Bring your lawn chairs.
Townsend Volunteer Fire Department will be selling hamburgers and hotdogs. 🇺🇸

06/07/2026

🦋 For This and Future Generations…

Great Smoky Mountains National Park lies within the migration route of one of North America’s most iconic species—the monarch butterfly. The park protects native plants like milkweed, the only host plant for monarch caterpillars and one of many nectar sources for adults.

The monarchs you see in spring and summer live only a few weeks. Each generation moves a little farther north, laying eggs that then develop into adults that continue the journey. Then, in late summer, a special super generation emerges and makes the remarkable 2,000–2,500‑mile flight to Mexico to overwinter.

This time of year, you may spot some monarchs gliding over open meadows and roadside edges in places like Cades Cove, Oconaluftee, and Cataloochee. However, you are more likely to see monarchs in late September through early October in the Smokies.

As you enjoy these butterflies and other pollinators, remember to respect their habitat: stay on established trails and do not pick wildflowers.

Learn more about pollinators in the Smokies: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/pollinators.htm



Photo by Kenzie Connor