Current Road, Facility, Trail & Backcountry Updates

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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.
• On Monday, August 16th road crews will begin paving the Cades Cove Campground Entrance Rd, Store Parking area and Loop Road. Flagged single-lane closures may be used near the Campground Entrance and Store Parking Area during daytime hours to maintain traffic through the work zone. Please allow extra time while travelling in this area. The Cades Cove Loop Road will close at 7:30 p.m. instead of sunset for nighttime work. It will reopen at sunrise each morning for visitor access during the day.
• Cades Cove Loop Road will be closed to all vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists from September 7 through September 27, 2021 for paving work.
• From August 16th through September 30, 2021 expect single-lane closures between Chimneys Picnic Area and Newfound Gap (Hwy 441). Lane closures are permitted from 7:00 a.m. on Mondays through 12:00 p.m. on Fridays. The lane closures will be managed with flagging operations and a pilot car to lead traffic through work zones. In addition, some parking areas and pull-offs will be closed intermittently. To better accommodate visitors during periods of high visitation, no daytime lane closures will be allowed on weekends, holidays, or during the month of October. 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.

• Little River and Laurel Falls

Other Trail Closures & Warnings

• Laurel FallsTrailhead parking will be by reservation only from Sept. 7 – Oct. 3, 2021, while the park pilots congestion management actions seeking to improve visitor safety and experience and protect park resources. Reservations are available online at www.recreation.gov. Shuttles will also be available from Gatlinburg to the trailhead. Information about the shuttles can be found at www.rockytoptours.com
• 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 August 27, 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:

• Campsites: #9, #21, #41, #50, #57, #70

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: Russel Field, Spence Field & Tricorner Knob

• Campsites: #24, #26, #61, #90

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