Displaying items by tag: tourist

2021 economic numbers prove small parks have big impacts

ONEIDA — Both the Obed National Wild and Scenic River and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area offer wilderness options free of the hassles associated with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country.

The Cumberland Plateau-area destinations continue to grow in popularity as more tourists seek solace in nature, a trend that began during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Those tourists also spend millions of dollars in nearby rural communities, some of which face chronic economic challenges.