Current Road, Facility, Trail & Backcountry Updates

 

Weather-related road and facility closures may change throughout the day.
For updated road and weather information please call [phone]. Once you hear a voice, press 1, then press 1 for road information or 2 for a weather forecast.

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Follow current road status updates on Twitter at SmokiesRoadsNPS or access from the internet using this link: https://twitter.com/smokiesroadsnps. Updates are available for Newfound Gap Road (US-441), Little River Road, Laurel Creek Road, and Cades Cove Loop Road.

For current information about temporary closures, alerts or warnings related to roads, facilities, trails or the backcountry areas please use the "ON THIS PAGE" navigation bar below.

 

 

Road & Facility Delays or Closures

Temporary Closures and Construction Projects

• Temporary lane closures on Gum Stand Bridge to begin June 5. Work is expected to last one week, weather depending, while crews with Bryant’s Land Development repair the stone walls on the bridge.
• Mingus Mill is temporarily closed until further notice for preservation and rehabilitation work.
• Ramsey Cascades Road is closed Monday through Thursday to allow for trail rehabilitation work on Ramsey Cascades Trail.
• TVA Fontana Dam is closed to vehicle traffic from June 5 to June 9, 2023 to repair drains and patch the road. The road will remain open to hikers crossing the dam.
• Blue Ridge Parkway—for information about parkway closures, please call [phone] or visit the parkway's website.

Seasonal Closures

For information about seasonal closures, including Clingmans Dome, Rich Mountain Road, Parson Branch Road, and others during the winter months, please see:

• Seasonal Road Closures
• Seasonal Facility Closures

 

Trail and Backcountry Closures, Warnings & Cautions

For current backcountry trail and campsite information, please call [phone].

Bear Closures - areas that are closed due to bear activity.

Please read What Do I Do If I See A Bear? for important safety information about bears.

• Trails: None at this time
• Shelters: None at this time
• Campsites: #15, #21

Bear Warnings - areas where bears are active.

Please read What Do I Do If I See A Bear? for important safety information about bears.

• Trails: Chimney Tops Trail, Little River Trail
• Shelters: None at this time
• Campsites: #36, #37, #61

Other Trail and Backcountry Closures & Warnings

• Ramsey Cascades Trail is closed Monday through Thursday for trail rehabilitation following flood damage.
• Scott Mountain Trail is closed from campsite #6 to Schoolhouse Gap. Campsite #6 is open.

Trail Cautions

• Please note that the park's backcountry is managed as a natural area where the forces of nature determine trail conditions. The following list includes some conditions that the park is currently aware of. However, hikers may encounter trail conditions not listed below that require caution. Be prepared for swollen streams, bridge washouts, downed trees, and trail erosion when hiking in the park's backcountry.
• Rabbit Creek Trail - the bridge where the trail crosses Abrams Creek is out. This is a wide crossing that may be deep during high water events.
• Boogerman/Caldwell Fork trails - several water crossings exist on the Caldwell Fork Trail. Hikers need to be prepared to ford the streams.
• TVA Fontana Dam is closed to vehicle traffic from June 5 to June 9, 2023 to repair drains and patch the road. The road will remain open to hikers crossing the dam.
• Boat shuttles to and from Hazel Creek when lake levels are low are from the Ollie Cove Trailhead on the Hazel Creek embankment. Ask the shuttle service about this when making a reservation to be dropped or picked up. This is due to a bridge that is out of service on Hazel Creek and adds about 1/2 mile to the hike. Trail signs are in place to direct you from the Hazel Creek Trail and Lakeshore Trail intersection to Ollie Cove Trail that is one mile east on Lakeshore Trail from Hazel Creek.

 

Cave & Mine Shaft Closure

Entry into all caves and mine shafts is prohibited due to concerns about the spread of white nose syndrome among bats.