GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, Tenn. (WSVN) — A father-daughter duo spent some quality time together tackling the trash left behind in the Smoky Mountains amid the partial government shutdown.
Marc Newland said real-life responsibilities have prevented him and his daughter Erica from spending time together, so when they finally got some free time, Newland said Erica had the idea to collect litter that had been piling up in the Smoky Mountains amid the partial government shutdown.
“I couldn’t have agreed more,” Newland said in a Facebook post.
The pair made their way to the Little River and Jake’s Creek trailheads, where they didn’t find too much. However, at the Laurel Falls trailhead the pair had a lot more work to do.
“We headed up the trail and before we knew it, our bags were full,” Newland wrote.
Newland and Erica had to leave for a doctor’s appointment, but they said they plan on returning soon.
In addition, Newland said his daughter would like to challenge other hikers to clean the parks they love to visit.
“These mountains give so much to so many people. Imagine if only a fraction of those people decided to give back to the mountains,” Newland said.
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