Great Smoky Mountains Natl. Park — The Fourth of July holiday can be an exciting time when families gather together for fun and adventure. Some people head into the great outdoors, eager to explore hiking trails and take in natural scenes of beauty.
However, heading out into national parks like the Great Smoky Mountains can also be dangerous. Ahead of the Fourth of July, park rangers are urging people to stay safe. The alert comes around a week after a teen drowned after losing his footing in the Great Smoky Mountains.
"This is one of the busiest weeks of the entire year at GSMNP. We have a new travel forecasting tool on our website that shows some of the predicted busiest days of the year, and this week is absolutely at the peak of visitation," said Emily Davis, a spokesperson for the Great Smoky Mountains.
The park said July is its busiest month, and is usually also the hottest month. The weather may tempt visitors to cool off in the park's rivers and streams. However, rangers said waterways in the Great Smoky Mountains may not be as safe as they seem. People should stop by visitors' centers when they arrive to check water conditions before exploring the area.
"We don't recommend water activities such as swimming and tubing in the park. Several of the creeks and rivers here, the current is much faster than most people can anticipate and some of the water is much deeper than most people realize, as well. Not only that, there are many hazards in the way," said one visitor.
Anyone who decides to stop by a lake or a river should make sure to take proper safety precautions, like wearing life vests and avoiding slippery rocks. Parents should also make sure to supervise their children, and all visitors to stay on their trails.
"We make sure there's an adult for each child. We never leave a child unattended, and we use proper floating devices and make sure we're very diligent and aware of them," said another visitor.
Leaders said drowning is a leading cause of death in the park, and so it's important people take as many precautions as possible to stay safe. A splash of caution could make all the difference over the summer.