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Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Permits
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| Don McGowan Photo courtesy of Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park | | Applications for permits to hold special events such as weddings in the park can be obtained by calling the park. |
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Wedding and Special Event Permits
Weddings and other special events such as church services require a Special Use Permit from the park and must follow specific guidelines. Completed applications for Special Use Permits for weddings and other special events, along with a non-refundable $50 application fee, must be received by the park no less than 14 days prior to the start of the event. Please download the cover letter, guidelines and application files below.
Wedding Application Documents:
Church Service Application Documents:
Cover Letter
Guidelines
Application
A Special Use Permit is also required for certain activities such as political events, public assemblies, demonstrations, the distribution of literature, and other activities commonly referred to as "First Amendment" activities.
For more information about Special Use Permits or to determine if your activity requires one, please call (865) 436-1266 for activities on the Tennessee side of the park or (828) 497-1930 for activities on the North Carolina side of the park, or email the park with the subject line "Attn: Special Use Permits."
Permit to Scatter Cremated Ashes
Please e-mail or contact (865) 436-1261 to obtain a permit to scatter cremains in the park. Most permits are issued after someone has been cremated but we can also issue a permit while someone is still alive for later use by an executor.
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Backcountry Camping Permits A permit is required for all backcountry camping in the park. Backcountry permits are free but must be obtained in person—they are not available by phone, mail, or e-mail. For additional information please see backcountry camping.
Permit for Scientific Research and Collecting Please visit the National Park Service's for information regarding scientific research permits. If you have specific questions pertaining to research projects in the Smokies, please e-mail or call (828) 926-6251.
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Cave Exploration Permit
Entry into caves or mine shafts in the national park is prohibited. No Cave Exploration Permits are being issued at this time. Caves are closed to entry due to the recommendations by the US Fish and Wildlife Service concerning white nose syndrome in bats. Additional information about this closure
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 Become a VIP Help your favorite park by volunteering your time and talents. more... | |  Download a Smokies Trip Planner Information about favorite destinations, popular activities, and a park map more... | |  Regulations Concerning Pets Leashed pets are allowed in developed areas and along roads, but are not allowed on park trails. more... | |  Hemlock Woolly Adelgids Eastern hemlock trees are under attack from a non-native insect called the hemlock woolly adelgid. more... | |
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Did You Know?
The park’s high elevation heath balds are treeless expanses where dense thickets of shrubs such as mountain laurel, rhododendron, and sand myrtle grow. Known as “laurel slicks” and “hells” by early settlers, heath balds were most likely created by forest fires long ago.
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Last Updated: June 30, 2009 at 10:30 EST |