Friday, April 17, 2009

Wears Cove entrance to Great Smoky Mountains national park closed today

Due to a prescribed burn taking place this afternoon in the Great Smoky Mountains national park, the Wears Cove entrance will be closed to all traffic as it will be one of the fires control lines.

Hikers should also avoid going on the following hiking trails as well:

  • Roundtop Hiking Trail
  • Little Greenbrier Hiking Trail
  • Metcalf Bottoms Hiking Trail

Visitors that are near the prescribed burn area as well as residents close to the park may see or smell smoke.

The Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area will remain open throughout the day. Wears Cove Road however will be closed from the bridge at the north end of the picnic area all the way up to the Wears Cove Entrance.

Wears Cove entrance to Great Smoky Mountains national park closed today

Prescribed burns are used to reduce the danger of out of uncontrollable wildfires by reducing the available fuel and increase biodiversity in the Great Smoky Mountains national park by simulating the natural action of wildfires.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

your web site is the best,I love the smokies and envy you being able to enjoy it everyday.Thanks for your work keeping people like me informed on all the events,your friend Dan