Temporary Road and Facilities Closures

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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.

 

On This Page Navigation

 

Road Delays & Closures

Temporary Closures and Construction Projects

• Vehicle-free access along the Cades Cove Loop Road each Wednesday will begin on May 5 through September 1, 2021. For visitors seeking acces on vehicle-free Wednesdays, there is a shuttle opportunity available beginning July 7 through September 1, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. each week. Shuttle service may be booked online at www.rockytoptours.com. Tickets for the roundtrip shuttle service, including transport of personal bikes, is provided for a flat rate of $25 per person.
• Expect nighttime delays on Newfound Gap Road (Hwy 441) from Chimneys Picnic Area to Newfound Gap. Lane closures are permitted from 7:00 p.m. on Sundays through 7:00 a.m. on Fridays. No lane closures will occur on weekends or holidays. Due to heavy summer traffic, daytime work will not resume until August 16, 2021.
• Cades Cove Loop Road will be closed to all vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists from September 7 through September 27, 2021 for paving work.
• Forge Creek Road is closed to all vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and horse-back riders for bridge repair through July 31, 2021.
• Beginning August 17, 2021 expect single-lane closures between Chimneys Picnic Area and Newfound Gap from Monday mornings through Fridays at Noon while contractors repave this section of Newfound Gap Road (Hwy 441). Please allow for extra time when traveling through the project area.

• Blue Ridge Parkway - for information about parkway closures, please call [phone] or visit the parkway's website at https://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htm.

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

Facility Closures

• The John Oliver Cabin and all associated access trails located on the Cades Cove Loop Road, will be closed for paving July 27 through August 1, 2021. The new accessible paved trail will connect the two parking lots and will extend from the easterly parking lot, along the tree line, and back to the existing trail to the cabin.

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Trail Closures, Warnings & Cautions

Bear Trail 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.

• None at this time

Bear Trail Warnings - areas where bears are active.

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

• Alum Cave, Baskin Creek, Little River and Laurel Falls

Other Trail Closures & Warnings

• Abrams Falls Trail and associated parking areas will be closed May 10, 2021, through November 10, 2021, excluding federal holidays, on Monday mornings at 7:00 a.m. through Thursday evenings at 5:30 p.m. weekly. The trail will be fully open each week on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
• Forge Creek Road is closed to all access through July 31, 2021. There is no access to Gregory Ridge, Gregory Bald or Hannah Mountain Trailheads on Forge Creek and Parsons Branch Roads.
• Bradley Fork Trail will be closed from the intersection of the Cabin Flats Trail to the intersection with Hughes Ridge Trail for a needed trail rehabilitation project. The 3.3-mile trail section will be closed to all use Monday through Thursday from Monday, August 16, 2021 through Thursday, October 28, 2021, excluding federal holidays. The trail will be open to hikers each week on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The trail will be closed to all equestrian use daily from August 16, 2021 through March 1, 2022, including weekends, to allow for soil disturbed during the project to harden sufficiently.
• Vehicle-free access along the Cades Cove Loop Road each Wednesday will begin on Wednesday, May 5 through September 1, 2021.
• Cades Cove Loop Road will be closed to all vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists from September 7 through September 27, 2021 for paving work. There will be no access to any trailheads from the Loop Road. Trails must be accessed from outside of the Cades Cove area.
• The John Oliver Cabin and all associated access trails located on the Cades Cove Loop Road, will be closed for paving July 27 through August 1, 2021. The new accessible paved trail will connect the two parking lots and will extend from the easterly parking lot, along the tree line, and back to the existing trail to the cabin.
• 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.

• 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.

Backcountry Facility Closures & Warnings

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

Bear Campsite/Shelter 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.

• Shelters: Cosby Knob, Russell Field

• Campsites: #36, #37, #40, #57, #61, #70, #71

Bear Campsite/Shelter Warnings - areas where bears are active.

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

• Shelters: Davenport Gap, Spence Field

• Campsites: #21, #24, #26, #39, #41, #90, #93

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. more