Snow Flurries and the Spring Schedule for the GSMNP

Dudes and dudettes! So, like last week it's in the 70's and today I step out into a light snow? and tomorrow I'll likely be in shorts working in the yard.
Hmmm?...and Over a dozen weather related records were broken last year......
This just in from the GSMNP
Campgrounds and secondary roads will open starting on Friday, March 9. The schedule
follows:
Roads – The secondary roads that are set to open on March 9 include:
Little Greenbrier, Rich Mountain, Straight Fork/Round Bottom, Forge Creek, Parson Branch, and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. As a result of the mild winter, Clingmans Dome Road is set to open on Friday March 16. Heintooga Ridge and Balsam Mountain Roads will open on May 11.

Operating Hours for Visitor Centers – The three visitor centers are open daily and the operating hours through March are as follows: Sugarlands Visitor Center, near Gatlinburg, TN, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Cades Cove Visitor Center, near Townsend, TN, 9a.m.-6 p.m., and the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, NC, hours will be 8:00a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Recreation.gov provides visitors an opportunity to make reservations to many federally-managed recreation areas, including National Park Service areas, all across the U.S. The park’s developed campgrounds of Cataloochee, Elkmont, Cades Cove, Smokemont, and some sites at Cosby are on the reservation system for at least a portion of their seasons. To make reservations at the five campgrounds, and all group campsites, horse camps, and picnic shelters, visitors can go to www.Recreation.gov or, alternatively, book reservations by calling 877-444-6777.
Campgrounds open on a staggered basis starting March 9. (See the following schedule for exact dates.) For the five campgrounds on Recreation.gov, reservations are required at Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont for the period from May 15-October 31 (for other dates the three campgrounds are first come, first serve); Cataloochee Campground--all sites must be reserved throughout its season; and Cosby Campground, which has mostly first-come, first-served campsites, has a limited number of reservable sites during its season. Camping fees range from $14 to $23 per
site/night.
Campers have an opportunity to camp in “generator free” campsites at three campgrounds: Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont campgrounds. The
generator-free loop sections of these campgrounds are reservable through
Recreation.gov.
Picnic Areas – There are 10 first-come, first-serve picnic areas. Open all year are Cades Cove, Greenbrier, Deep Creek, and Metcalf Bottoms. Chimneys Picnic Area will be the first to open on March 15 while Big Creek, Collins Creek, and Cosby Picnic Areas will open shortly after on April 1.
Heintooga and Look Rock are scheduled to open on May 11. The Park’s largest picnic pavilion at Twin Creeks opens on April 1 and reservations are required through Recreation.gov only. Twin Creeks fees range from $35-$75 depending on the number of people. In addition, picnickers can reserve five other picnic pavilions on Recreation.gov. They are located at Collins Creek, Cosby, Deep Creek, Metcalf Bottoms, and Greenbrier picnic areas. The cost is $20, except at Greenbrier where it is $10.
LeConte Lodge, accessible only by trail, will open on March 19. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 865/429-5704, fax 865/774-0045 or e:mail reservations@lecontelodge.com. One night at the lodge costs $121 per adult and $85 for children 10 and under (tax not included). The price includes two meals--dinner and breakfast. Day hikers and backpackers can purchase a prepared bag or dining room lunch an snacks/beverages at the lodge. Reservations are required for the dining room lunch.
Campground Concessions – The Cades Cove Campground Store will open March 3. The store provides groceries, camping supplies, firewood, ice, vending, limited food service, souvenirs, and bike rentals. The Cades Cove Store has multi-speed comfort or mountain bikes available for rent, in addition to single speed cruisers. The Elkmont Campground concession will open March 9. The concession provides firewood, ice, limited camper convenience items, and vending of soft drinks, newspapers, and snacks.
CAMPGROUND SCHEDULE
Campgrounds Fee Open Group Sites
North Carolina:

Balsam Mountain $14 May 11
Big Creek $14 April 1 April 1
Cataloochee $20 March 9 March 9
Deep Creek $17 April 1 April 1
*Smokemont $17, $20 Year-round May 15

Tennessee:
Abrams Creek $14 May 11
*Cades Cove $17, $20 Year-round March 9
Cosby $14 April 1 April 1
*Elkmont $17, $20 March 9 March 9
Look Rock $14 May 11

*$20 per site during the reservation period May 15-October 31. At Elkmont,
riverside sites are $23 during reservation period only.