Road Delays & Closures
Temporary Closures and Construction Projects
- Visitors traveling on Newfound Gap Road should expect weekday, single-lane closures, and traffic delays starting Monday, April 25. 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 and holidays. Park motorists should expect traffic delays.
- Blue Ridge Parkway - for information about parkway closures, please call (828) 298-0398 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:
Trail Closures, Warnings & Cautions
Other Trail Closures & Warnings
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Beginning May 2 through November 17, 2022, the Ramsey Cascade trail and Ramsey Prong Road will be closed Monday through Thursday, excluding federal holidays, to safely conduct full-scale rehabilitation work. There will not be any access to Ramsey Cascades during the weekday closures. The trail will be fully open Friday through Sunday each week.
- Big Creek Trai will be temporarily closed to repair the horse and hiker trail beginning Monday, May 9 through Thursday, July 14. The trail will be fully closed to all use Monday through Thursday, excluding federal holidays to safely conduct the rehabilitation work. The trail will be fully open Friday through Sunday each week. Backcountry campsites 36 and 37 will remain open and can be accessed using routes that do not include Big Creek Trail.
- The Look Rock Tower Trail is closed through May 21 due to construction work in the area. There is no access to the tower.
- Scott Mountain Trail is closed from campsite #6 to Schoolhouse Gap. Campsite #6 is open.
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.
- No bear trail closures 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.
Trail Cautions
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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.
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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.
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Boogerman/Caldwell Fork trails - several water crossings exist on the Caldwell Fork Trail. Hikers need to be prepared to ford the streams.
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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 (865) 436-1297.
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.
- No bear campsite/shelter closures at this time.
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.
- No bear campsite/shelter warnings at this time.
Other Backcountry Facility Closures & Warnings
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