GATLINBURG, Tenn. — The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was named the most visited national park in 2019 after 12.5 million visitors flocked to the mountains.
The latest data from September shows 8.4 million visitors so far this year.
More people in the park means more litter, though.
So, one local man is trying to raise awareness about accumulating litter in the park.
Most visitors can find Benny Braden in or around the Smokies most days.
Usually, he's hiking and exploring. Recently, he has been cleaning up the trails instead.
"Right now we have a giant influx of people new to the outdoors," Braden said.
He also said that the influx of visitors has led to a lot of trash in the area.
Braden said that along with some other helpers, he has spent hours in the park around Newfound Gap Road, and then he has spent more time nearby at Max Patch in North Carolina picking up after others.
He has posted the results on social media hoping to ignite a change.
"If the Smokies is the most visited park in the nation, chances are it's the most trashed in the nation," said Braden. "They'd leave their tent, sleeping bags. We've been going to Max Patch about every week picking up trash and really hauling off truckloads of trash each time.
From October 2019 to September 2020, park officials say they had 215 Litter Patrol Volunteers.
They said those volunteers served a collective of 5,326 hours working to keep the park clean.
Braden said it's going to take a lot more time to help now.
"When you're hauling off a truckload of trash every time you go out, you have a serious problem," he said. "Most of it is beer cans, beer bottles, whiskey bottles."
He is hoping by sharing photos of what he has found will inspire others to clean up too and spread the important message — to keep the park and nearby areas clean.
"That inspires others to do the same thing, just like my posts have inspired others to do it," he said. "They can have that same effect. Sometimes people need to see others do it first."
He believes if every visitor picked up one or two pieces of trash they saw on their visit, it could make a powerful impact.
People can follow Braden on social media here.
He also said if visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains would like to find more information about joining a group to pick up litter visit the Save Our Smokies Facebook page.