FREE Wildlife Programs in the Great Smokies

Wilderness Wildlife Week in the Great Smoky Mountains is a free, eight-day family program in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Lectures, classes, photography shows, musical performances and demonstrations run from Jan. 9-16.

Nearly 20 of 230 programs are specifically for kids, such as

• Animal Olympics, an interactive program that compares human senses and abilities to those of wild animals
• Oh! Possum, a chance to meet a marsupial
• Those Ain’t Teddy Bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a session about the icons of the Smokies
• Kiddin’ Around, a hands-on introduction to mountain music and instruments for kids, and
• Wings of America, a live bird show from the American Eagle Foundation.

Celebrating its 20th year, Wilderness Wildlife Week is part of Pigeon Forge Winterfest, which continues through February. Rangers from the National Park Service, biologists, botanists, nature photographers, animal rehabilitators and Smoky Mountains residents donate their time for the week’s presentations.

Live! Instant Leaf-Peeping Reports

Leaf peepers unite!

Destinations are tracking the turning of every leaf:

Ohio Department of Natural Resources has added a new map on its Fall Foliage website,  and offers 32-pre-mapped routes and even places of solace.

The Indiana Office of Tourism Development sponsors Leaf Cam so travelers can watch current images at five locations: The Fort Golf Course at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis; French Lick Resort in French Lick; Corydon Capitol State Historic Site in Corydon; Hilltop Cabins in Brown County; and Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell.

Gatlinburg, Tenn., posts leaf reports and a fall foliage page. Nearby, Pigeon Forge is running three fall festivals, the Pigeon Forge Rotary Club Crafts Festival through Oct. 30, Dollywood’s National Gospel and Harvest Festival through Oct. 31 and Pigeon Forge’s Harvestfest season through Oct. 31.

Michigan is tracking its Northern color across the state, and Traverse City has its own leaf-peeping patrol.

Win a Rock n Roll or Country Music Trip for 2

Enter the “Econo Lodge Travelin’ Tunes Sweepstakes” for a chance to win a trip to one of two top attractions: the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum or the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Online, select your favorite road trip song and sign up for the free Choice Privileges rewards program; your name will be entered automatically in the sweeps. The grand prize includes round-trip airfare for two, three nights at an Econo Lodge hotel in Cleveland or Nashville, $1,000 spending money, and a VIP tour of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum or the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. One runner-up will receive an MP3 player with car charger and travel adapter plus a $100 music gift card. Twenty-five entrants will win a $25 music gift card. Plus, the first 100 people to enter will receive a car wash kit. Through Aug. 27.