Current Road, Facility, Trail & Backcountry Updates

For updated road and weather information, please call (865) 436-1200. Once you hear a voice, press 1, then press 1 for road information or 2 for a weather forecast. Weather-related road and facility closures may change throughout the day.

-OR-

Login to X (formerly known as Twitter) or create an account to follow current road status updates at SmokiesRoadsNPS. Updates are available for Newfound Gap Road (US-441), Little River Road, Laurel Creek Road, and Cades Cove Loop Road.

For current information about temporary closures, alerts, or warnings related to roads, facilities, trails, or the backcountry areas, please use the "ON THIS PAGE" navigation bar below.

Road & Facility Delays or Closures

Temporary Closures and Construction Projects

• Entrance road to Abrams Falls Trail (and the Abrams Falls Trail) closed due to tree debris hazards.
• Temporary, single-lane closures on Newfound Gap Road at Gatlinburg entrance for road improvements as early as April 15.
• Noland Creek Bridge closed from April 15 to April 18 during continued work on the Lakeview Drive road construction project. Foot traffic permitted only for backcountry permit holders. Road will be inaccessible to horses during construction. Limited parking at Noland Creek trailhead for passenger vehicles only. Noland Creek cemetery will also be accessible.
• Temporary, single-lane closures on Lakeview Drive from April 8 to early-July for the Lakeview Drive road construction project.
• Carlos Campbell Overlook on Newfound Gap Road is closed temporarily while maintenance crews assess cracks in the pavement and sidewalk. The overlook will reopen as soon as NPS and Federal Highway Administration crews make assessments and any needed repairs.
• Fontana Dam is temporarily closed to vehicle access. Pedestrians can still walk across.
• Mingus Mill is temporarily closed until further notice for preservation and rehabilitation work.
• Blue Ridge Parkway—for information about parkway closures, please call (828) 298-0398 or visit the parkway's website.

Seasonal Closures

For information about seasonal closures, including Clingmans Dome, Rich Mountain Road, Parson Branch Road, and others during the winter months, please see:

• Seasonal Road Closures
• Seasonal Facility Closures

Trail and Backcountry Closures, Warnings & Cautions

For current backcountry trail and campsite information, please call (865) 436-1297.

Bear Closures—areas that are closed due to bear activity

Please read What Do I Do If I See a Bear? for important safety information about bears.

• Trails: None at this time
• Shelters: None at this time
• Campsites: None at this time

Bear Warnings—areas where bears are active

Please read What Do I Do If I See a Bear? for important safety information about bears.

• Trails: None at this time
• Shelters: None at this time
• Campsites: #28

Other Trail and Backcountry Closures and Warnings

• Ramsey Cascades Trail closed Monday to Thursday each week, except federal holidays, from April 15 to November 14. Only planned weekend closure is May 3 to May 5 while trails crew replace a log foot bridge.
• Abrams Falls Trail and the entrance road to Abrams Falls Trail are closed due to tree debris hazards.
• NOTICE: We have reports of hikers along the Appalachian Trail in Georgia and Tennessee experiencing stomach bug/virus-like symptoms. The best prevention of getting or spreading something like this is good hygiene practices. Wash hands with soap and water often, boil water (filters do no remove viruses), and dispose of human waste properly. This is simply a notice to emphasize good sanitation practices. Shelters remain open.
• Lead Cove Trail is closed to horse traffic due to trail damage.
• Bullhead Trail is open but has many downed trees making the trail very difficult.
• Lower Mount Cammerer Trail is open to hikers but is closed to equestrian traffic until trail repairs are completed.
• Campsite #87 is closed until further notice due to wildfire damage.
• Scott Mountain Trail is closed from campsite #6 to Schoolhouse Gap. Campsite #6 is open.

Trail Cautions

Please note that the park's backcountry is managed as a natural area where the forces of nature determine trail conditions. The following list includes some conditions that the park is currently aware of. However, hikers may encounter trail conditions not listed below that require caution. Be prepared for swollen streams, bridge washouts, downed trees, and trail erosion when hiking in the park's backcountry.

• Rabbit Creek Trail—the bridge where the trail crosses Abrams Creek is out. This is a wide crossing that may be deep during high water events.
• Boogerman/Caldwell Fork trails—several water crossings exist on the Caldwell Fork Trail. Hikers need to be prepared to ford the streams.
• Boat shuttles to and from Hazel Creek when lake levels are low are from the Ollie Cove Trailhead on the Hazel Creek embankment. Ask the shuttle service about this when making a reservation to be dropped or picked up. This is due to a bridge that is out of service on Hazel Creek and adds about 1/2 mile to the hike. Trail signs are in place to direct you from the Hazel Creek Trail and Lakeshore Trail intersection to Ollie Cove Trail that is one mile east on Lakeshore Trail from Hazel Creek.

Cave & Mine Shaft Closure

Entry into all caves and mine shafts is prohibited due to concerns about the spread of white nose syndrome among bats.