Temporary Road and Facilities Closures

• Download Park Maps

• Follow Road Updates on Twitter

• Weather

• Download a Smokies Trip Planner

 

April 1, 2019

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, dial extension 631 for road information or extension 630 for a weather forecast.

Follow current road status updates on Twitter at SmokiesRoadsNPS. Users can choose to receive text messages (text "follow smokiesroadsnps" to 40404), follow us directly on Twitter, 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.

This webpage is updated 3-4 times a week. For the most current report, please call the number listed above or follow SmokiesRoadsNPS on Twitter.

Roads and Facilities

Notice: Due to the partial government shutdown this winter, delays in the spring opening of campgrounds, picnic pavilions, and cabins are anticipated. The reduced timeline for seasonal staff hiring and project planning has inherently shifted the scheduled opening dates to be delayed at some facilities. As such, the table below shows the dates we are currently able to commit to. Our current forecast opening dates are also shown. We are striving to open many facilities prior to this as seasonal staffing becomes available. As the park determines the ability to open some facilities earlier, the reservation window will be expanded. For the most up to date information about projected facility openings continue checking this page.

FACILITY	Current Committed 2019 Season
Abrams Creek Campground	5/23 – 10/9
Appalachian Clubhouse	4/1 – 10/31
Anthony Creek Horse Camp	4/19 – 11/10
Balsam Mtn Campground	5/17 – 10/9
Big Creek Campground	4/19 – 10/29
Big Creek Group Camp	4/19 – 10/27
Big Creek Horse Camp	4/19– 10/27
Big Creek Picnic Area	4/19 – 10/29
Cades Cove Campground	C1-12 and 26-61 are open year round. C 13-25 and 62-76 5/23/19 B loop 5/23/19
Cades Cove Group Camp	4/19 – 10/30
Cades Cove Picnic Area	Year round
Cataloochee Campground	5/23 – 10/29
Cataloochee Group Camp	4/19 – 10/27
Cataloochee Horse Camp	4/19 – 10/27
Chimneys Picnic Area	4/19 – 11/27
Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion	4/19– 10/27
Cosby Campground	5/23 – 10/29
Cosby Group Camp	4/19 – 10/27
Cosby Picnic Pavilion	4/19 – 10/27
Deep Creek Campground	5/23 – 10/29
Deep Creek Group Camp	4/19 – 10/27
Deep Creek Picnic Pavilion	year round (4/19 - 10/27 pavilion can be reserved)
Elkmont Campground	LOOPS A-F: 3/08 – 11/25 LOOPS G-N: 5/23 – 10/31
Elkmont Group Camp	5/23-10/31
Firefly Event	TBA
Greenbrier Picnic Pavilion	year round (3/29-10/31 pavilion can be reserved)
Heintooga Picnic Area	5/17 - 10/9
Look Rock Campground	Closed
Look Rock Picnic Area	Closed
Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Pavilion	4/19 – 10/27
Round Bottom Horse Camp	5/23 – 10/28
Spence Cabin	4/1 – 10/31
Smokemont Campground	A/B: Year round C-F: 5/23 – 10/31
Smokemont Group Camp	5/15 – 10/31
Tow String Horse Camp	4/19 – 10/27
Twin Creeks Picnic Pavilion	3/29 – 10/27

ROADS	Current Committed 2019 Season
Balsam Mtn Heintooga Rd	5/17 – 10/28
Clingmans Dome	3/30 – 11/30
Forge Creek Rd	4/19 – 12/31
Little Greenbrier Access Road	5/23 – 11/26
Parsons Branch Road	CLOSED – hazard trees
Rich Mtn Road	4/19 – 11/11
Roaring Fork Mtn	5/01 – 11/25
Round Bottom/Straight Fork Road	4/19 – 10/27 (Round Bottom HC closes 10/29 at noon)

Temporary Closures and Construction Projects
Follow road status at https://twitter.com/smokiesroadsnps or subscribe to receive text message updates by texting "follow smokiesroadsnps" to 40404.

• Parsons Branch

• 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

---

Backcountry Facilities

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.

• No bear closures at this time

Bear Warnings - areas where bears are active. Please read What Do I Do If I See A Bear? for important safety information about bears.

• No bear warning at this time

Other Backcountry Closures and Warnings

• Scott Mountain Trail is closed from campsite #6 to Schoolhouse Gap. Campsite #6 is open.

• Backcountry Campsite #11 is closed.

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.

Cave and 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