BurialsThe National Park Service (NPS) cares for more than 150 cemeteries across Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The NPS allows burial of individuals who can trace their direct lineage to a family member within three generations (e.g. grandmother, great-grandfather), as long as space permits. This ensures that family members or their designees can access these cemeteries for burial purposes, provided these activities do not jeopardize safety or resource protection. Approval of advanced burial requests will be considered but cannot be guaranteed, as all burials are on a first-come, first-served basis and are dependent upon adequate remaining cemetery space. Active CemeteriesAlthough there are many cemeteries in the park, the active cemeteries with available space (as of this writing) for burials are:
Burial RequestsPlease direct burial inquiries to the park’s Cultural Resources Program Manager for processing via email or by phone at (865) 801-4881. Before a burial can be implemented, a Letter of Authorization is required (see required steps below below). Processing Burial Requests
Scattering of AshesRequests for scattering ashes require permission pursuant to 36 CFR 2.62(b). Please visit the Scatter Cremated Ashes webpage for details. |
Last updated: May 7, 2025