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.

 

On This Page Navigation

 

Road Delays & Closures

Temporary Closures and Construction Projects

• Exoect weekday, single-lane closures along the southbound Spur between the Gatlinburg Bypass intersection and the city limits of Gatlinburg through Friday, November 19. The lane closure is necessary to safely allow utility work along the road shoulder by the City of Gatlinburg. Motorists are asked to reduce speeds and use extra caution while traveling through this work zone.
• Beginning November 2, 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 or holidays. 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

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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.

• 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.

• No bear trail warnings at this time.

Other Trail Closures & Warnings

• Bradley Fork Trail is closed from the intersection of the Cabin Flats Trail to the intersection with Hughes Ridge Trail to all equestrian use daily through March 1, 2022 to allow for soil disturbed during recent trail rehabilitation to harden sufficiently.
• 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.

• 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.

• Campsites: #21, #24, #61

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