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. 

Cades Cove Closed......

....For 3 weeks in September 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials remind visitors that the Cades Cove Loop Road will be fully closed for three weeks in September to resurface the popular roadway which is used by more than 2 million visitors each year. 

The one-way road will be closed to all motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and horseback riders from Tuesday, Sept. 7 through Monday, Sept. 27.  

During the closure, trails must be accessed from outside of the Cades Cove area as there will be no access to any trailheads from the Cades Cove Loop Road during the closure.  

Prior to the full closure, the loop road will also be closed to pedestrians and motorists for night work on Sunday through Thursday evenings, beginning at 7:30 p.m., from Aug. 16 through Sept. 2.

In addition, current roadwork occurring in Cades Cove along Forge Creek Road has been extended.

Forge Creek Road has been closed to all use since Nov. 2, 2020 to replace five bridges. The closure has been extended through Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. 

Due to the complete removal of the bridges and the use of large equipment to perform repair work, the road will continue to be closed to all use. The full closure prevents all access (by foot, bicycle, or horse) to the Henry Whitehead Place and Gregory Ridge, Gregory Bald, and Hannah Mountain trailheads.

For more information regarding these closures call 865-436-1200, or visit the GSMNP at:  http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm

Greenbrier Area Reopened Friday, May 7

 Wow! this is great for those folks wanting to experience the Ramsey Cascades....and other routes.  The following is the GSMNP announcement:  

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that the Greenbrier area of the park reopened to all public use at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 7. The area has been closed since January 11 to replace the Ramsey Prong bridge and the Porters Creek culvert. Construction crews were able to complete the repairs before the anticipated opening date of May 15. All trails, roads, and facilities in the Greenbrier area are now fully accessible to the public.

Rainbow Falls Trail Closed for Bridge Replacement

 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials will implement a temporary, weekday closure of Rainbow Falls Trail for two weeks to accommodate the replacement of a foot-log bridge approximately two miles from the trailhead. 

The area will be closed weekly on Monday through Thursday from May 10 through May 20. The trail will be fully open each week on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In order to efficiently replace the foot-log bridge along the narrow trail corridor, a full closure is necessary for the safety of the crew and visitors. Hikers can still reach Mt. Le Conte and the Le Conte Shelter by using one of the other trails to the summit. The Boulevard, Bull Head, Alum Cave, and Trillium Gap trails all lead to Mt. Le Conte.

 

For more information about hiking in the park, please visit the park’s website at https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/hiking.htm or call the Backcountry Office at 865-436-1297. 

Abrams Falls Trail Closed....Rehabilitation Begins May 10

 Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that a Trails Forever rehabilitation project in Cades Cove will begin next week on Abrams Falls Trail. The trail and associated parking areas will be closed May 10, 2021, through November 10, 2021, excluding federal holidays, on Monday mornings at 7:00 a.m. through Thursday evenings at 5:30 p.m. weekly. The trail will be fully open each week on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Abrams Falls Trail is one of the busiest trails in the park in one of the busiest areas of the park, Cades Cove. The trail winds through a pine-oak forest along Abrams Creek for 2.5 miles before reaching the 20-foot Abrams Falls. Due to high use, many areas are severely eroded and in need of repair to improve safety and to ensure the sustainability of the trail surface for years to come. The trail crew will focus rehabilitation efforts on several targeted locations between the trailhead and the falls. The work will improve overall trail safety and protect natural resources by improving the tread surface, reducing trail braiding, and improving drainage to prevent further erosion. 

Due to the rehabilitation work along the narrow trail corridor, a full closure is necessary for the safety of both the crew and visitors. There will not be any access to Abrams Falls, Abrams Falls Trail, or associated parking lots during the weekday closures. Trailhead access from Cades Cove for to the Rabbit Creek Trail will also be closed, but the trail itself will remain open and can be accessed from Abrams Creek.

Just a note from the folks at wmbb- If you are not at least a novice hiker in fairly good health, wearing the proper footwear, carrying some non-caffeinated fluids to drink along with a snack to eat, please do not attempt to reach Abrams Falls from the Abrams Creek area. This is Not an easy Hike. 

Cades Cove Closed to Vehicles on Wednesdays

 Hello, Beginning Yesterday, Wednesday  May 5th, and continuing through Sept. 1st, the Cades Cove Loop will be closed to vehicle traffic on Wednesdays. The following is the Park announcement:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park invites the public to enjoy the Cades Cove Loop Road on vehicle-free Wednesdays beginning May 5 through September 1. Participants are encouraged to visit in the afternoons and early evenings to spread use out throughout the day. Parking on site is limited, with parking lots often filling to capacity during the early morning hours. 

 

“We look forward to offering this unique experience again, but we are making some modifications to better protect our roadside infrastructure and camping experience from out-of-bounds parking,” said Superintendent Cash. “I heard from many people who loved having the full day to walk or ride their bikes around the cove. The credit for the idea goes to the local field staff who brought the concept forward in an effort to allow people more time to enjoy the loop road and to reduce congestion.” 

 

This year, staff will manage on-site parking to improve visitor safety, minimize impacts to campground operations, and reduce roadside parking on non-durable surfaces. Roadside parking damages shoulders and creates unsafe conditions for visitors walking from their car to their destination. Parking at this popular destination is limited. Park staff are developing information systems to better alert visitors when parking lots are full before they enter the park. In addition, park staff are exploring shuttle opportunities to safely bring people to Cades Cove from the Townsend area. Staff plan to have some of these additional options in place later during the summer season. 

 

Cyclists are reminded to properly prepare for a safe experience. Serious cycling accidents have occurred along the Cades Cove Loop Road. The State of Tennessee requires that children age 16 and under wear a helmet. All riders are strongly encouraged to wear helmets and to ride properly fitted and well-maintained bicycles. During summer and fall, bicycles may be rented at the campground store located near the Cades Cove Campground on a first-come, first-served basis. For information call 865-448-9034.

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