Up close on West Prong

 This beautiful animal spotted us well before we new of it's peaceful presence, as we were hiking back onto the West Prong trail and appreciating the hike so far. She looked up to see where we were and then ignored us for the most part as she continued to graze, only glancing our way a few times over the next few minutes.   

It had rained some the night before (11/10/24), so the trails and manways were fairly quiet along the West Prong trail but little standing water. There were a few folks on the trail this morning.

US 441/Newfound Gap Road closed overnight beginning at 6 p.m. Oct 15

Due to forecasted ice and snow for areas above 4,000 feet, US 441/Newfound Gap Road closed overnight beginning at 6 p.m. Oct 15. Staff will assess conditions the morning of Oct 16. 

GSMNP Update following hurricane Helene closures

  The park is open; Though, Balsam Mountain, Big Creek and Cataloochee Valley areas remain closed. 

The park experienced substantial damage particularly in North Carolina, including Balsam Mountain, Big Creek and Cataloochee Valley.

All park visitor centers, and most park facilities are open.

All Tennessee park campgrounds are currently open. North Carolina campgrounds are currently closed, and park staff continue to assess for when they can be safely opened.

Check the park website as you make your plans for a visit. All park visitor centers, and most park facilities are open.

Current Delays and Closures - Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

From the Great Smoky Mountains NP

 GATLINBURG, Tenn.—Great Smoky Mountains National Park staff continue to assess conditions after the park experienced historic flooding and other impacts from Hurricane Helene. 

Visitors are encouraged to reschedule their trips for their own safety. Hiking and backcountry travel are not recommended due to the unpredictability of creek crossings, potential of downed trees and other hazardous trail conditions. Park staff will evaluate trails once roads are safely assessed. 

 

The following areas and facilities reopened the morning of Sept. 28: 

• Cades Cove Loop Road (including Sparks & Hyatt lanes) 
• Little River Road 
• Wear Cove Gap Road 
• Cherokee Orchard Road 
• Lakeview Drive 
• Sugarlands Visitor Center 
• Cades Cove Visitor Center and Cable Mill 

 

The following remain closed: 

• Newfound Gap Road/Hwy 441 (reopening time to be determined) 
• Foothills Parkway East 
• Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail 
• Balsam Mountain area, campground and roads 
• Cataloochee Valley area, campground and roads (including Hwy 284) 
• Big Creek area, campground and roads 
• Greenbrier area and roads 
• Oconaluftee Visitor Center (through at least Sunday) 
• Kuwohi Visitor Center (through at least Sunday) 
• Kuwohi Road (formerly known as Clingmans Dome Road) 
• Rich Mountain Road 
• The Deep Creek between Indian Creek Bridge and park boundary (closed to all water activity) 
• Parson Branch Road due to Flint Gap Fire impacts 

 

The park is supporting surrounding communities and staff severely impacted by the storm. 

Additional updates will be shared on the park website. 

 GSMNP_news_release@nps.gov 

And then it rained.....

This just in, sometime today.... The NPS and the GSMNP have issued this notice. 

The National Weather Service forecasts heavy rain through the end of the week with high winds Thursday night into Friday. The park expects 3-5 inches of rain today into tomorrow and an additional 3-5 inches Thursday evening into Friday. Wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour are possible Thursday night into Friday morning.

At sunset today (Weds. 9/25), park staff will close Rich Mountain Road and Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga/Round Bottom/Straight Fork Road) from the Heintooga Picnic Area to the park boundary. Tomorrow, the park will close Heintooga Ridge Road. Balsam Mountain Campground is closed, and park staff are communicating with campers. 

Mountain Life Festival, which was scheduled for Sept. 28, is canceled. While the National Weather Service forecasts lighter rain over the weekend, the event’s overflow parking area will be closed to prevent resource damage. Park staff will now offer harvest-related cultural demonstrations on Oct. 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Parson Branch Road remains closed due to Flint Gap Fire impacts. The fire is 95% contained as of Sept. 24.

Visitors should drive with extra caution, check the weather before coming, and prepare to change their plans with the potential of additional road closures.

No other closures are currently planned, but please check road conditions before visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Fall colors and crowds!

 In preparation for the fall season, the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, and the Public Affairs office of the park have issued a news release. This release is to help folks who will be visiting the park during this very busy time to better prepare for and enjoy their visit. 

An edited version of this news release follows... (The pics were added)

 "It’s beginning to feel like fall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Fall is a beautiful but busy time in the Smokies. Visitors should plan their trips and expect crowds, traffic congestion and limited parking throughout the park."

"The park usually experiences an autumn leaf season of several weeks as fall colors travel down the mountain sides from high elevation to low. At higher elevations, fall colors begin with trees like yellow birch, American beech and mountain maple. As the season progresses, vibrant colors spread to lower elevations, culminating in a spectacular display featuring sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red maple and hickories."

Avoid the crowds
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is consistently the most visited national park in the country, and October is one of the most popular months of the year. If you’re flexible on your dates, check out our 2024 forecasting calendar to help you choose when to visit the park and know what to expect during your visit.

Consider arriving before 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to avoid the busiest times in the park. If you’re driving, please park responsibly—parking in areas not specifically designed for parking damages resources, adds to congestion and is unsafe along busy roads. If you’re planning to hike a popular trail in the Smokies, consider taking a shuttle from local communities to the trailhead.

Looking to take a scenic drive? Avoid the crowds by taking in the views from Look Rock Tower or the Foothills Parkway. Cades Cove Loop Road and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail are consistently the busiest places in October. Please allow more time than you think you’ll need and consider alternate destinations.

Planning a hike? Note that Laurel Falls Trail is expected to close for construction in November for 18 months. Consider alternative hikes including Little River Trail, Little Greenbrier School, Lynn Camp Prong Cascades or Chasteen Creek Cascade.

Plan like a park ranger and visit our trip planning webpage before you head to the park. Consider visiting an area of the park you haven’t explored before—you'll find changing leaves no matter where you go! Please prepare a back-up plan (and even a back-up for your back-up).

Pack clothes for all weather and layer up for your adventures. Weather can change quickly during fall, particularly in the mountains. Temperatures at Clingmans Dome, also known as Kuwohi, are at least 10 degrees cooler than in lower elevation areas like Oconaluftee, Sugarlands and Cades Cove.

Wildlife safety
Fall is a prime time to spot bears and elk in the park. To ensure your safety and the well-being of these magnificent creatures, maintain a safe distance of at least 50 yards. Use binoculars, spotting scopes or cameras to appreciate wildlife from afar.

When hiking, camping or picnicking, be mindful of food and garbage. All waste should be properly disposed of in bear-proof dumpsters located throughout the park. Bears that learn to associate humans with food can become aggressive and pose a danger to visitors. By following these guidelines, you can help protect both yourself and the park's wildlife.

 

Current Status of Flint Gap fire in the Smokies

(This is from the NPS and GSMNP as of the afterno0n of Friday 9/13/2024)

GATLINBURG, Tenn.—The Flint Gap Fire, which was started by lightning on Aug. 26, continues to burn slowly in a remote area of the park primarily in undergrowth in steep terrain.

The fire is estimated to be roughly 28 acres and is not contained. The fire has grown minimally over the last several days due to weather conditions (high humidity and lack of strong winds) and shaded terrain. Increased smoke has been visible this week due to an inversion lifting and the relative humidity decreasing. Some rain is expected this weekend which will likely slow, but not extinguish the fire due the dense tree canopy and thick layer of duff (buildup of leaves and plant material) in this area.

While there has been minimal growth on the fire to date, the acreage may increase as weather conditions change with the coming of fall. Park management and the fire incident management team are implementing a strategy to safely and effectively suppress the fire, given that it is burning in very steep, backcountry terrain with dense tree cover. It currently takes firefighters more than two hours on foot to reach the fire from either Parsons Branch Road or from Abrams Creek. Park management is developing options to mitigate these safety concerns and to help transport firefighters and equipment more efficiently to the backcountry. 

Resources on the fire include ground crews and a Type 3 helicopter. Park management is ordering more resources; however, many resources are currently in use given the number of active wildfires, particularly out west.  

Parson Branch Road as well as some park trails and backcountry campsites are currently closed due to fire activity. Check the park website for road closures and other updates before visiting. 

Public Affairs Office

Great Smoky Mountains National Park