Burning Cades Cove

Park Plans Prescribed Burn in Cades Cove 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Appalachian-Piedmont-Coastal Zone fire management staff plan to burn approximately 660 acres of fields on the western end of Cades Cove. Weather permitting, burn operations will occur between Wednesday, November 6 and Friday, December 20. The operations are expected to be conducted on three separate days.  

The loop road and historic structures will remain open to visitor use, but brief delays and temporary closures may occur to ensure public safety during burn operations.

Visitors should expect to see firefighters and equipment along Hyatt Lane and the western end of the Cades Cove Loop Road. 

Over the last 20 years, park managers have conducted these burns during the spring and fall under specific prescription parameters to safely reduce fuels, restore meadow habitats, and maintain the historic landscape of Cades Cove. 

Park staff closely monitor fire weather conditions including vegetation and soil moisture, wind speed and direction, temperature, and relative humidity to ensure that conditions meet the burn plan objectives for the site. 

These seasonal controlled burns help perpetuate native herbaceous species that provide high quality cover and foraging opportunities for a diversity of wildlife including deer, turkeys, and ground nesting birds.

Park staff will be present to answer questions during operations at overlooks and parking areas.