We started the Protect Our Park rallies at the Townsend entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GSMNP) in March 2025, to raise awareness about the negative impacts of the DOGE budget and staffing cuts. The GSMNP is not only a natural treasure, it’s also a big part of our local economy. It definitely raised concerns among the local tourist industry, “Budget cuts in Washington could affect your next Smoky Mountain Vacation” (theSmokies.com).
With over 12 million visitors a year, the GSMNP is the most visited National Park in the country. In a Hellbender Press April 2025 article, Jeff Hunter, Southern Appalachian Director for the National Parks Conservation Association, explains that GSMNP generates over $2.2 billion in economic spending in surrounding communities while operating on a base budget of $22 million (“Hellbender Press – Updated 4/18: Smoky gray: Former Smokies leader warns of more funding cuts; popular campsites remain closed; still little information on cuts at Great Smoky Mountains National Park“).
A December 2025 Knox News article on funding cuts and their impacts on the GSMNP, explains what happens and how the cuts impact services – Cuts hurt Great Smoky Mountains National Park. What’s coming in 2026? – The Coalition To Protect America’s National Parks. According to the article, “the Trump Administration requested $2.1 billion for the National Park Service in the 2026 fiscal year, 37% less than the $3.3 billion granted to the park service in 2025. “The article also notes that volunteers are picking up some of the tasks performed previously by paid staff such as “staffing visitor centers and guiding on trails to trash pickup, trail maintenance, data collection, and even driving patrol vehicles.” But that’s not a long-term or tenable solution. Thankfully, Congress ultimately approved $3.267 billion for NPS, slightly below the FY2025 level but 54% higher than the Administration’s request (National Park Service: FY2026 Appropriations – EveryCRSReport.com).
Trump’s proposed 2027 budget cuts even deeper with an additional 13% reduction in funding (“Proposed federal budget cuts raise concerns for Great Smoky Mountains National Park | wbir.com“).
So we show up every other weekend because everyone needs to know how budget cuts impact the GSMNP and all parks, public lands and water. Everyone should be concerned about the underfunding and selling off of public lands. These are our treasures. Once gone, that’s it. We need to make sure future generations have access to the beauty and inherent value of these public lands.
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