Great Smoky Mountains National Park plans to Increase Some Use Fees by 25%

Anytime a change is planned for either park policy or fees in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), it is often followed by an uproar and the changes planned for reserving campsites in 3 GSMNP campgrounds and the first camping and picnic pavilion use fee increase since 2006 will be no different.

Camping in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is tremendously popular. Last year alone in the Front Country Campgrounds 172,984 camped in a tent while 117,177 used a Recreational. Considering there are no electrical, water and sewer hookups, or even showers that is a lot of people willing to rough it in the nation's most visited national park.

Since the Great Smoky Mountains national park does not collect any entrance fees, one of the few sources of income are use fees such as those for camping or picnicking in a reserved picnic pavilions. The monies collected stay within the Great Smoky Mountains national park and are used for things such infrastructure improvements and maintenance as well as park visitor services. In 2015 alone revenue from camping and pavilion fees in the GSMNP totaled approximately $1.6 million.

The proposed fee increase of 25% is expected to generate and additional $400,000 of revenue per year, far believe what park officials believe is necessary, but enough to help to sustain campground and picnic area operations and support other critical functions in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

"In recent years, the park has compensated for budget imbalances due to inflation by reducing visitor services, delaying maintenance repairs, and in some cases, reducing the length of time facilities are open which particularly affects visitors during the shoulder seasons," said Park Superintendent Cassius Cash. "While we recognize that fee increases are often unpopular, we are committed to maintaining this ’crown jewel’ of the National Park Service where visitors can create lasting memories through camping and picnicking in the Smokies."

This use fee increase would be the first since 2006, other than a minor increase when the Cataloochee campgrounds were move over to the online reservation system.

Other proposed changes are to move the Abrams Creek, Balsam Mountain and Big Creek campgrounds to the National Recreation Reservation System requiring a paid reservation before entering the park. This would greatly improve how visitors would have to get a campsite or find out there are no longer any available as well as reduce theft of funds or services which has occurred in the past in the Cataloochee campgrounds.

If these fee increases and reservation system changes are approved, changes could take effect as early as October 1, 2016 but it is possible some changes may be deferred until the 2017 season.

The Great Smoky Mountains national park invites the public to comment through June 27 online at parkplanning.nps.gov, by Email: GRSM_Fee_Management@nps.gov, or by Mail to: Superintendent, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Attn: Proposal to Increase Fees
107 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738.

There will also be 2 informational open houses regarding this proposal

• June 20, 2016: Old Oconaluftee Visitor Center, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at 1194 Newfound Gap Road, Cherokee, NC 28719
• June 23, 2016: Park Headquarters Lobby, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738

Bridge Repair to close Old State Road 284 between Big Creek and Cataloochee NC.

Bridge repair work will close the Old Cataloochee Turnpike/Old State Road 284 starting on or around November 13th 2011 for approximately 2 weeks from the Great Smoky Mountains national park boundary in Big Creek to the Cataloochee area just past the Cataloochee Creek Road/Bypass.

As dates become firm or change, we will post updates.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Winter Schedule Starts Today

The leaves are still on most of the trees in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and you can still hike in the park in a short sleeved shirt, but as of today the winter schedule starts for campgrounds, picnic areas, horse camps, visitor centers, and some roads in the GSMNP.

The winter closing schedule for the park phases in during the month of November with final closures such as Clingmans Dome taking place December 1st. Some of the visitor centers hours of operation in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will change monthly and at Your Smokies we will keep you up to date.

• Cades Cove Parsons Branch Road to Route 129 closed for the winter on November 9th
• Cades Cove Rich Mountain Road to Townsend Tennessee closed for the winter on November 9th
• Cades Cove Campground becomes self-registration with a reduced number of available campsites for winter on November 1st
• Cades Cove Campground Store closed for the winter on November 1st
• Cades Cove Riding Stables is closed for winter on November 5th
• Cades Cove picnic areas will remain open through the winter
• Cades Cove Visitor Center November hours 9:00 am - 5:00 pm


• Anthony Creek Horse Camp closed for the winter on November 12th


• Abrams Creek Campgrounds closed for winter on November 1st


• Balsam Mountain/Heintooga Roads is closed for winter on November 1st
• Balsam Mountain campgrounds closed for the winter


• Big Creek Horse Camp closed for the winter on November 12th
• Big Creek Campgrounds closed for winter on November 1st
• Big Creek picnic areas will remain open through the winter


• Cataloochee Campgrounds closed for winter on November 1st
• Cataloochee Horse Camp closed for the winter on November 12th


• Chimney Tops picnic areas will remain open through the winter


• The road to Clingmans Dome is closed for the winter on December 1st


• Cosby Campgrounds closed for winter on November 1st
• Cosby picnic areas will remain open through the winter


• Deep Creek Campgrounds closed for winter on November 1st
• Deep Creek picnic areas will remain open through the winter


• Elkmont Campground is closed for the winter on December 1st


• Greenbrier picnic areas will remain open through the winter


• Look Rock Campgrounds closed for winter on November 1st


• Metcalf picnic areas will remain open through the winter


• Le Conte Lodge closed for the winter on November 20th


• Oconaluftee Visitor Center hours from November to April 8:30 am - 4:30 pm


• The Roaring Fork Motor Trail is closed for the winter on December 1st


• Round Bottom Horse Camp closed for the winter on November 12th
• Roundbottom/Straight Fork Road is closed for winter on November 12th


• Smokemont Campground becomes self-registration with a reduced number of available campsites for winter on November 1st
• Smokemont Riding Stable is closed for winter


• Smoky Mountain Riding Stables is closed for winter on November 25th


• Sugarland's Horseback Riding Stables is closed for winter on November 1st


• Sugarlands Visitor Center November hours 8:00 am - 5:00 pm


• Tow String Horse Camp closed for the winter on November 12th

Roads in the national park other then those listed as closed above will stay open all winter long unless closed due to the weather causing unsafe conditions such as ice, excessive snow, extreme winds or downed trees.

If you are unsure if a road is open during or just after bad weather you should contact the national park service in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Cades Cove Motor Trail Parsons Branch Road Opening

Most of the almost 10 million people a year who visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park never leave their cars, trucks or vans while visiting the park. While that might be a shame to some, it does keep the amount of people on the hiking trails and in campsites at a manageable level.

Some people who stay in their cars may be doing so not by choice but because of physical limitations which would not let them make use of the more than 800 miles of hiking trails in the GSMNP. Others may be fearful of what may be waiting for them in the wilds of the Smokies.

All of the roads in the national park allow motorists to not only see the splendor of the Great Smoky Mountains and the beautiful views and vistas year round, but also the chance to see deer, black bear, coyote, wild turkey and a host of other animals who make the national park their home.

I especially love driving or hiking on the unimproved road from the Big Creek Section of the park in Tennessee to the Chattahoochee area near Maggie Valley in North Carolina and Rich Mountain Road which takes you from Cades Cove into Townsend Tennessee.

Another road on my favorite list of motoring trails is the Parsons Branch Road in the far end of Cades Cove which has been closed for more than 4 years but has just been reopened after repairs and much needed improvements.

When the road reopened last Friday I was expecting there to be a big celebration possibly attended by the upper echelon of the park. Instead the road closed sign was simply removed and we drove onto this wonderful historic motor trail.

To keep the trail from washing out, the park service has done a wonderful job raising the road and reinforcing the road near stream crossings and placing gray rock in the drainage areas around the road to prevent erosion. Some of the reinforcement can be seen in the photograph above.

Since the road was closed for so many years and it runs through some dense forest the park service also had to cut back plenty of braches and small trees that have tried to reclaim the Parsons Branch Road. Falling tress from the last few years winter wind storms have also been removed from the roadway.

Being 3rd in line to drive on the newly opened Parsons Branch Road (obligations earlier in the day prevented me from being the first) I was surprised how little dust was kicked up by the 2 cars in front of me and how incredibly smooth the ride was compared to even the paved area of the 11 mile Cades Cove Loop.

The Parsons Branch Road runs through some mostly lower elevations with about a dozen stream crossings. On the left you will see virtual walls of rhododendrons running up hillsides that will be spectacular when they bloom in the early summer.

While much of what you will drive by on Parsons Branch Road is second growth forest - areas that have been previously harvested for lumber that are still some fantastic old growth trees. These trees are huge and in many cases larger than most trees you can ever see from a road in the park. One of these old growth trees is pictured below next to one of the Your Smokies cars so that you can really see how huge these trees are.

You will also find along the motor trail a trailhead that will take you up to Gregory Bald as well as Sheep Pen Gap. There is a small parking area here and plenty of pull offs along the way where you can take a short break and look around.

My only disappointment when driving the Parsons Branch Road Motor Trail was to find litter on the side of the road I feel that should have been picked up while the road was being worked on. I should explain that it was one RC Cola can circa 1978 and in immaculate condition just yards from the road. I just don't get how this was missed. While you are not allowed to removed artifacts, plant or animals from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you may remove trash as I often do.

Near the end of the Parsons Branch Road Motor Trail you will see a picturesque low flat falls in the stream bed. This is a great place to have a picnic or snap a few shots.

The road finally ends up on the Tennessee side of the infamous Tail of the Dragon and unfortunately some of the constant whine and growl of motorcycles racing close by...But that's another subject.

If you have the time to take the Parsons Branch Road Motor Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park do so - especially in spring, summer and early fall.

Campgrounds opening in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

After hiking, camping in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the second most popular pastime for the outdoorsmen who flock to this most popular national park and now that the worst of winter is now over, the campgrounds in the park will start opening as of tomorrow March 9th.

From May 15 until October 31 the Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont campgrounds can be reserved online at www.Recreation.Gov or you can call (877) 444-6777 toll free. The fee schedule varies by site as the more primitive campgrounds which are smaller are $14 per night and the more developed campgrounds are $17 per night. In the same period reservation campgrounds are $20 per night. If you are looking to take advantage of the riverside camping in Elkmont Tennessee the fee is $23 per night.

The chart below show opening dates for the campgrounds in the national park as well as the fee structure.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Campground opening dates and fee schedule
Campgrounds	Nightly Fee	Opening Date	Group Sites
Abrams Creek TN	$14	March 9
Balsam Mountain NC	$14	May 11
Big Creek NC	$14	March 9	March 9
Cades Cove TN *	$17, $20	Year-round	March 9
Cataloochee NC	$17	March 9	March 9
Cosby TN	$14	March 9	March 9
Deep Creek NC	$17	April 1	April 1
Elkmont TN *	$17, $20	March 9	March 9
Look Rock TN	$14	May 11
Smokemont NC *	$17, $20	Year-round	March 9
*during the reservation period May 15-October 31 fee is $20 per site. Riverside sites at Elkmont are $23 during reservation period only.

For those who don't want to camp in the backcountry but want to experience peace and quiet while camping, 3 campgrounds in the national park: Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont have "generator free" campsites.

To go generator-free in the Cades Cove TN campground there is are generator-free loop sections. In the Elkmont campgrounds there are generator free sites but there is no generator free loop. Over in Smokemont on the North Carolina side of the park loops A, B, and C are "tent only" so there are no generators. If you have an RV but wish to go generator free you may reserve in the tent only area.

If group camping is more your style then you can choose from Big Creek, Cataloochee, Cosby, Deep Creek, Elkmont, Cades Cove, or Smokemont. The cost ranges from $26 to $65 per site per night and reservations must be made online at www.Recreation.Gov.