Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Closes Forge Creek Road for Winter

The national park service has decided to close Forge Creek Road for the winter until mid-March. This dirt and Gravel road is badly in need of repairs and is located in the back end of the Cades Cove Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains national park near the Cades Cove visitor center.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Closes Forge Creek Road for Winter

As you can see by the picture above this road has deep holes and ruts that fill with water and recent heavy rains has saturated this road connecting the Cades Cove Loop Road to the Gregory Bald Trail Head and Parson Branch Road which is also closed for the winter.

While Alan Sumeriski Park Facility Management Chief stated that "Normally this gravel road opens and closes throughout the winter as snow and other weather conditions permit, but recent heavy rains have left the road so saturated and spongy that allowing traffic on it now would necessitate extensive repairs come spring." It's fairly obvious to anyone driving or hiking on this road it can already use extensive repairs.

The closure of Forge Creek Road will not affect any traffic going around the Cades Cove Loop and it will give hikers the opportunity for a quiet level walk in the park with a good change of seeing the coyote that hand out on this road near the Henry Whitehead Place.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Cades Cove closing for insecticide spraying on December 3rd and 4th

If the weather holds up the national park service will be spraying hemlocks trees to fight the woolly adelgid infestation in the Cades Cove Valley so the entire 11 mile Cades Cove Loop Road will be closed to traffic an bicycles Wednesday December 3rd and a partial closing on Thursday December 4th.

Hikers can hike the entire 11 mile loop both days of spraying for the hemlock woolly adelgid both days of spraying.

Motor vehicles and bicyclists on the second day of spraying can go as far into Cades Cove as Hyatt Lane and then exit the cove.

Cades Cove closing for insecticide spraying

As seen by the picture above it was cold in Cades Cove today and as long as the weather stays above freezing and there is no rainfall the spraying can commence.

Old NC 284 is closed as well as Newfound Gap Road

Old man winter forces more road closings in the Great Smoky Mountains national park as both old North Carolina 284 as well as US 441 Newfound Gap Road have both been closed again due to snow and ice.

Monday, December 01, 2008

Weather Closes Clingmans Dome Road for the Winter Season Early

It has been more than a week that Clingmans Dome Road has been closed due to dangerous winter conditions even though today is the first day it should have been closed for the winter season.

I just wanted to watch the sun rise and set at Clingmans Dome for the last time of the season without having to walk the 15 miles which I love to do in deep snow.

Clingmans Dome Road has been closed due to dangerous winter conditions

Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and the second highest point east of the Mississippi after Mount Mitchell.

The observation tower at its peak is visible for miles if you know where to look and can even been seen year round from the North Carolina side on Newfound Gap Road.

The observation tower can offer a stunning view of the Smokies and beyond depending on weather and atmospheric conditions as well as pollution including ozone levels.

Sadly, as time goes on and pollution levels have been increasing, the long range view from the Clingmans Dome tower has been decreasing.

The tower is only a 1/2 mile from the Clingmans Dome parking area and the path that takes you to the tower is paved but be forewarned, you may wish to take your time and rest at one of the benches as if you are not in top condition you may get winded by this steep walk.

In 1963 Clingmans Dome is where I became the Smokies Hiker, refusing a helping hand and walking up a far more primitive version of the present day hiking path to the top.

Clingmans Dome is where I became the Smokies Hiker

As you can see by the vintage picture of me, I was sporting the gangster wannabe baggy look, rather than one of my present day hiking uniforms. Either way my first hike here in the Smokies was certainly not my last!

Prior to my arrival to the new concrete Clingmans Dome observation tower, the original tower was made of wood and the Fraser Fir along the mountain tops which are now gray skeletons were in far better shape.

Looks like Newfound Gap Road may be closed for quite a while as the snow is falling fast and it is predicted to snow for the next few days. If it opens up soon enough I will hike to Clingmans Dome in the snow for a magical experience in the Smokies.

Newfound Gap Road is closed again in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

Once again the main road in the Great Smoky Mountains national park is closed due to snow and ice.

Since it is still snowing in the higher elevations in the GSMNP Newfound Gap may not reopen today.