Moon Spotlight Great Smoky Mountains National Park

A mountain girl since birth, Deborah Huso grew up on a small farm in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, just six miles from Shenandoah National Park. Throughout her childhood, she camped, hiked, and explored along the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway, developing a love for the southern Appalachian landscape. Deborah left the mountains briefly to study English and history at Gettysburg College, and then to pursue her graduate degree in American studies at The College of William and Mary, but came back to the mountains as soon as she could. Over the course of the last 10 years, the Smoky Mountains have become a second home to Deborah, who has spent countless hours traveling the region's back roads and hiking trails, and wandering its small mountain towns. Her passion is discovering the road less traveled and the trail where you'll meet no one. Deborah has written more than 100 articles on the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains for national and regional magazines and newspapers, including Women's Health, AAA World, Disney FamilyFun, Preservation, Military Officer, and Blue Ridge Country, where she also serves as contributing editor.