NPS Photo from the Purchase Knob Webcam. Road, Trail, and Facility Closures and WarningsCoronavirus-(COVID-19)Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is increasing recreational access and services through a phased approach that aligns with local, state, and national opening plans. Park managers have implemented an Adaptive Operations Plan with five operational phases. The park’s plan is designed to be adaptive to regional conditions by increasing or decreasing the scope of park operations as appropriate. Each operational phase will include a two-week assessment period before moving on to the next phase. NOTE: Check this page often for the latest updates on open facilities and access. All openings are based on available staffing. Temporary closures may occur on short notice. Abrams Creek Campground Road
Balsam Mountain Road Big Creek Road Cades Cove Loop Road (Road will open daily at 8:00 a.m. Closed to motor vehicles on Wednesdays from June 17 to September 30, 2020 for bicylces and pedestrians only.) Cataloochee Road (To Palmer Chapel only due to road washout.) Cherokee Orchard Road Clingmans Dome Road Cosby Road Deep Creek Road Elkmont Road Foothills Parkway Forge Creek Road Gatlinburg Bypass Greenbrier Road (Due to roadwork, open to Ramsey Cascades Trailhead only.) Heintooga Round Bottom Road Highway 284 Lakeview Drive Laurel Creek Road Little Greenbrier Road Little River Road Newfound Gap Road/Highway 441 Rich Mountain Road Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail Straight Fork Road Tom Branch Road Tow String Road Tremont Road Twentymile Road Upper Tremont Road Wear Cove Gap Road Clingmans Dome
Newfound Gap Restrooms near Cable Mill in Cades Cove Restrooms near Oconaluftee Visitor Center Restrooms near Sugarlands Visitor Center Abram Falls, Alum Cave, and Rainbow Falls Trailheads Restrooms at open picnic areas Big Creek
Cades Cove Chimney Tops Collins Creek and Pavilion Cosby and Pavilion Deep Creek and Pavilion Greeenbrier (Pavilion remans closed due to road damage.) Metcalf Bottoms and Pavilion Twin Creeks Pavilion **Note that pavilions must be reserved through Recreation.gov The following visitor centers and campgrounds are open as of June 8, 2020:
Visitor Centers: Cable Mill in Cades Cove Clingmans Dome Mingus Mill near Oconaluftee Oconaluftee Visitor Center Sugarlands Visitor Center Campgrounds: Abrams Creek Balsam Mountain Big Creek Cades Cove Cataloochee Cosby Deep Creek Elkmont Smokemont Horse Camps: Anthony Creek Big Creek Cataloochee Round Bottom Tow String The Following Campgrounds Remain Closed: Group Campgrounds: Big Creek, Cades Cove, Cataloochee, Cosby, Deep Creek, Elkmont, and Smokemont. This includes Appalachian Clubhouse-remain closed through 08/30 (we are not accepting future reservations at these locations) Porters Creek remains closed for motorists, but is open for pedestrians and cyclists. Please park responsibly in public areas when accessing this location.
All trails are open, however, Trillium Gap Trail will be closed from Grotto Falls to the summit of Mt. Le Conte on Mondays through Thursdays until November 12, 2020 for Trails Forever Rehabilitation work. Hikers may still walk from the trailhead to Grotto Falls.
All trails and backcountry campsites & shelters have re-opened. Visit the Temporary Road and Facilities Closure page for information on any current campsite, shelter or trail warnings and closures. LeConte Lodge, Sugarlands Riding Stables, Cades Cove Riding Stables, Cades Cove Campstore, and Smokemont Riding Stables. Smoky Mountain Riding Stables will remain closed.
Special Park Use Permits are allowed per standard guidance which allows for groups up to 25 at outdoor locations, or as defined by the capacity of the facility, for periods up to 60 minutes.
At this time, Spence Cabin is open, however, churches and the Appalachian Clubhouse may not be used for special events. **Note that Spence Cabin must be reserved through Recreation.gov Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. Road, trail, and facility closures may occur due to severe weather events such as winter storms, floods, and tornados. Backcountry campsites, shelters, and trails that are frequented by black bears may have warnings posted or be closed. Check current closures before coming to the park. For updated road information please call (865) 436-1200. Once you hear a voice, dial extension 631 for road information. Follow road status updates on Twitter. Updates are available for Newfound Gap Road (US-441), Little River Road, Laurel Creek Road, and Cades Cove Loop Road. 
Kristina Plaas photo Weather Forecasts Current weather forecasts are available by phone at (865) 436-1200 extension 630 or online from the National Weather Service: Gatlinburg, TN forecast 
WebCams Two webcams provide a current view of the park and information about air quality conditions. Images are updated every 15 minutes. Look Rock (located on the western end of the park) 
Kristina Plaas photo River Levels and Flow The United States Geological Survey (USGS) maintains water gages that measure flow, river height, and temperature at Little River near Townsend, TN and in Cataloochee Creek in North Carolina. Note that on the discharge chart, the average streamflow is represented by an orange triangle, so that you can compare today's flow to the historic average. Little River conditionsCataloochee Creek conditions | ||||||||||||||||||||
Last updated: September 24, 2020