Great Smoky Mountains National Park fire update

 Park reopens roads, trails, and backcountry campsites following fire and wind event 

 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials reopened all roads, trails, and backcountry campsites following closures put in place earlier this week due to the Thomas Divide Fire Complex and the wind event. The Southern Area Gold Incident Management Team has demobilized and several team members are now assisting with fire suppression efforts in Sevier County, along with several National Park Service staff. Approximately 20 firefighters remain on site to continue monitoring the area and to make any needed site repairs from fire suppression activity. 

The following areas are now reopened: Backcountry campsites 46, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, and 60; Deep Creek and Thomas Divide trails from Deep Creek to Newfound Gap Road; Pole Road Creek, Indian Creek, Stone Pile Gap, Deep Creek Horse Bypass, Juney Whank Falls, Deeplow, Fork Ridge, Sunkota Ridge, Martins Gap, Indian Creek Motor Nature, Mingus Creek, Newton Bald, Kanati Fork, and Loop trails. All park roads that are seasonally open this time of year.  

Additionally, electrical power to Elkmont, Metcalf, Cataloochee, and Smokemont areas has been restored. Park managers proactively had the power shut off to these areas on Wednesday, March 30 to reduce fire risk across the park. Park rangers responded to one powerline start on Thursday, March 31, from the line servicing the Look Rock telecommunications tower. An engine quickly responded from Blount County and was able to put the fire out before it spread.    

    

 For the most up to date information about road closures, follow SmokiesRoadsNPS on Twitter. Please visit https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm to view images from webcams across the park including Newfound Gap, Clingmans Dome, Look Rock, and Purchase Knob.

--NPS-- 

www.nps.gov/grsm 

www.Twitter.com/GreatSmokyNPS 

Fires and campsites

 Some park trails remain closed due to Thomas Divide Complex Fire 

 Great Smoky Mountains National Park firefighters and multiple agencies are working together to extinguish the Thomas Divide Complex Fire east of Bryson City, North Carolina. The complex is comprised of two wildfires including the Stone Pile Fire which is estimated to be approximately 140 acres and the Cooper Creek Fire which is estimated to be approximately 170 acres. The fire is estimated to be 10 percent contained with about half of the fire burning within the park boundary. 

Several park trails and backcountry campsites remain closed between Deep Creek and Newfound Gap Road.  

The following areas remain closed: Backcountry campsites 46, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, and 60; Deep Creek and Thomas Divide trails from Deep Creek to Newfound Gap Road; Pole Road Creek, Indian Creek, Stone Pile Gap, Deep Creek Horse Bypass, Juney Whank Falls, Deeplow, Fork Ridge, Sunkota Ridge, Martins Gap, Indian Creek Motor Nature, Mingus Creek, Newton Bald, Kanati Fork, and Loop trails. Toms Branch Road near Deep Creek is also closed. The Deep Creek Campground and Picnic Area are not scheduled to open for the season until April 15. 

 For current park information see one of the following sites below or give the folks at Sugarlands Visitor Center  a call.

--NPS-- 

www.nps.gov/grsm 

www.Facebook.com/GreatSmokyMountainsNPS 

www.Twitter.com/GreatSmokyNPS 

This Just in.... 

Park to reopen Parson Branch Road  

 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that efforts are underway to reopen Parson Branch Road in 2022. The eight-mile, primitive gravel road between Cades Cove and the western boundary of the park along Highway 129 has been closed since 2016 due to hazardous tree concerns. The Friends of the Smokies provided critical funding to support the removal of the trees. The road is targeted for reopening this summer.   

 

Park crews originally delayed opening the road in the summer of 2016 due to a damaged, 20-linear-foot section of road caused by an uprooted dead tree. After further inspection, crews identified over 1,700 hazardous trees within falling distance of the road corridor. The road was closed to all vehicle use by the public. The narrow, low speed roadway closely winds along the creek through mature forests containing a high concentration of Eastern hemlock trees which were dead or dying due to a widespread infestation of the non-native forest pest, hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). 

 

Park crews have continued to work diligently during the five-year closure to remove downed trees blocking the road and to make needed road repairs to ensure that the corridor was passable for emergency vehicles. Over this time period, more than half the dead trees have fallen due to natural deterioration and multiple large storm events. The Park also needed to the remove an additional 800 standing hazard trees along the road corridor.   

 

Once the tree removal work is complete, Park crews will begin working on road clean-up, ditching, and grading of the road surface to ready it for opening. More updates will be provided about the anticipated opening date by early summer.  For more information about road closures, please follow SmokiesRoadsNPS on Twitter or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/grsm.   

Townsend Wye Closing......

 NOT!

Officials with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced that a streambank stabilization project will begin on Monday, January 3, 2022, along the Townsend Entrance Road between the park boundary and the Townsend Wye. The repairs are needed to stabilize a streambank section along Little River that was heavily eroded during a flood event occurring in February 2020.  

A temporary, single-lane closure will be implemented along a 0.25-mile section of the roadway through Friday, March 18, 2022, to accommodate heavy equipment. Work will include constructing a rock wall along the base of the streambank and installing rip rap above the wall to the top of the bank. These repairs will protect the streambank from eroding further and prevent undercutting of the Townsend Entrance Road. 

The Townsend Wye and surrounding parking areas will remain accessible throughout the project, although visitors should expect delays. The single-lane closure will be in place 24/7 for approximately 11 weeks. Motorists will be guided through the closure by a traffic signal. After March 18, the contractor will complete any remaining work with temporary, single-lane closures managed with flaggers. All work is expected to be complete by May 2022, weather depending. 

Closures along the spur

 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced that a weekday, single-lane closure will be implemented 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. 

Laurel Falls Congestion Management Pilot Project begins Sept. 7, in the GSMNP

 Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that Laurel Falls Trail parking will be available by reservation only from Sept. 7 through Oct. 3, 2021 as part of the Laurel Falls Congestion Management Pilot Project. 

The pilot project aims to improve visitor safety, relieve congestion, better protect park resources, and enhance the visitor experience on Laurel Falls Trail. The 1.3-mile trail is one of the most popular trails in the park with more than 375,000 visits in 2020.  

During the pilot project, trailhead parking will be provided by reservation only and no parking will be permitted in undesignated areas along Little River Road. Parking reservations, for two-hour time blocks, may be made online at www.recreation.gov for a fee of $14 beginning on Aug. 24, 2021.  

During the pilot, hikers who plan to utilize the Laurel Falls Trail parking area to use Sugarland Mountain Trail must also obtain a parking reservation to park at the trailhead. If hikers plan to be on trail for longer than the allotted two-hour time block, they must use a different trailhead and are encouraged to contact the Backcountry Office for more information on other trail access points. Additionally, Rocky Top Tours will provide shuttle access to the trailhead from nearby, Gatlinburg, Tenn. for a fee of $5 per person. Information about the shuttle can be found at www.rockytoptours.com.  

 For more information about congestion monitoring in the park, please visit the park website at https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/management/ves.htm

This just in.....

 ...The GSMNP has announced that Ramsey Cascade Trail is now open. The trail was closed for several days after a washout, reported after heavy rains came through the area, was discovered. The park trail crew completed the necessary repairs to re-establish a section of trail through a rocky, steep area.  

 The 4.0 mile Ramsey Cascade trail lies in the Greenbrier Area of the park and provides the only access to the 90’ tall Ramsey Cascades.