Cades Cove closes due to winter storm in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

First Newfound Gap Road (US 441) in the Great Smoky Mountains national park closed, now Laurel Creek Road is closed just past Tremont shutting off all access to Cades Cove, which may remain closed for much of the weekend.

Cherokee Orchard Road by the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail just outside the city of Gatlinburg has been closed below the Noah Bud Ogle cabin at the gate by the Twin Creek Science Center.

Continuing accumulation may close the rest of the parks through roads such as Little River Road and the 2 Foothills Parkways.

Current Road Closures and Openings in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Little River Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Closed Due Winter Storm

Little River Road connecting the Sugarlands area just outside Gatlinburg Tennessee with the Townsend / Cades Cove area is closed along with Cherokee Orchard Road and the Foothills Parkway East due the snow and ice. Snow is still falling with another few more inches expected today.

Other roads such as the Laurel Creek Road are rapidly covering over with Crib Gap being the biggest issue and at this rate sanding and plowing may not be enough.

Newfound Gap Road connecting Cherokee with Gatlinburg has been closed now for hours and may not reopen today.

Winter conditions prompt National Park Service to close 2 major roads in GSMNP

The Great Smoky Mountains national parks major through road - Newfound Gap Road also known as US 441 which connects Gatlinburg Tennessee with Cherokee North Carolina has been closed due to ice and snow from the winter storm system that is right now in the Smokies.

Clingmans Dome Road which takes you from Newfound Gap Road near the Newfound Gap parking area up the Clingmans Dome Parking area is also closed due to ice and snow.

No other roads in the GSMNP are closed at this time, nor are any expected to close tonight.

Since the storm will continue to drop snow until as late as Wednesday it is possible Newfound Gap may periodically open and close for the next 2 days. We don't expect Clingmans Dome Road to reopen until Wednesday or Thursday.

Winter storm grips the Smoky Mountains

A hard freeze with up to 4 inches of snow - how could this be since it was in the high 70's yesterday with spring wildflowers blooming everywhere the Great Smoky Mountains? It's the Smokies - expect the unexpected when it comes to weather in the Smoky Mountains.

Home gardeners and farmers alike are rushing to protecting young plants, flowering bushes and trees against the deep cold expected tonight and the very hard frost expected tomorrow night.

Snow has been falling for hours in the higher elevations such as Newfound Gap and Clingmans Dome where some the snowfall is actually sticking but the biggest hazards right now are the thick fog and the slick roadways that will possibly freeze into black ice in some areas as the afternoon temps continue to fall.

Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains national park as seen in the picture above taken today is the highest point you can drive to and Clingmans Dome Road would be the first potential road to close as the weather in the Smokies continues to deteriorate.

Gatlinburg and other high elevations in the Smokies may see as much as 1 to 3 inches of snow tonight with colder weather and another inch expected tomorrow night. This weekend we should see more seasonal weather in the Smokies reaching closer to 70 degrees again.

Will Newfound Gap Road, the major road connecting Cherokee North Carolina with Gatlinburg Tennessee close due to snow and ice? It's very possible and Your Smokies will keep you informed of the road conditions in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and we have the best Smoky Mountains weather conditions page too.

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 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.

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.

Hiking the Smoky Mountains national park after a snowfall in late fall and winter

Some of the most magical times to hike in the Great Smoky Mountains national park is just after or during a lights snow in late fall or during the winter.

What is not a good idea is just before or during snow fall to drive up to the upper elevations such as Newfound Gap, Clingmans Dome or even to Alum Cave Trailhead as you may find that the roads in the Great Smoky Mountains national park will close and you will become trapped forcing you to walk out of the park with no cell service in most cases.

It can even be a mistake to get caught in the Roaring Fork area especially along the Roaring Fork Motor trail. I park at the Rainbow Falls Trailhead or even just outside the park gates and hike my way up to where I need to go.

The best way to enjoy hiking in the snow in the GSMNP is to park at a lower elevation and hike your way up to the snow line or spot you wish to go. I also keep a sleeping bag in my car at all times just in case to stay warm.

The picture above was taken yesterday at the Ramsey Cascades Waterfall 4 miles up on the hiking trail in the Greenbrier section of the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Make sure to dress warm and in layers if you want to hike in the colder months and don't let yourself sweat or overheat too much as this can lead to you becoming chilled and increase your chances of hypothermia.

It is crucial you also wear the correct footwear. Sneakers are a poor choice to hike in the snow and even summer weight boots are not a good idea. I suggest hiking with boots 6 to 8 inches or more with thinsulate to keep your feet warm and gortex to which away the moisture to keep your feet dry.

Gloves area also important as holding hiking poles, cameras, tripods and many other items act as a heat conductor rapidly cooling your hands and your whole body so I hike with 2 pair in the winter. The first pair are very lightweight cotton type work gloves which can be used when your hands are moderately cold and the second pair are waterproof heavy winter gloves.

As far as hats go I pack 2 as well, a lightweight stocking cap and a heavy water resistant winter cap with ear flaps and covering my neck and face. If the hat gets wet from sweat I will reverse the cap or change caps in order to keep myself dry.

I would never think if hiking in snow or ice without 2 hiking poles and putting my hands through the straps. This is a great way to help maintain your balance, test the snow to see if it is on ice and how deep it is, and help slow you down going downhill.

A simple rule of thumb for a beginning or moderate hiker is if you are having problems going uphill, stop. Going downhill will be far worse and more dangerous. Simple stream crossings can also spell disaster when you mix in snow and ice on rocks or wooden logs.

Also remember that slush and even mud can freeze up as the day progresses and it get colder turning what was an easy trip up into a dangerous downhill slide or fall.

Another important tip for being in the Smoky Mountains in late fall, winter and early spring when it is cold is to never sit directly on rocks, logs or the ground. Sitting directly on objects rapidly cools your body down so sit on your backpack, a towel or bring along a small inflatable ring to keep yourself warm and dry. Being cold and wet is no fun and can be dangerous.

It is also important to remember when hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains national park in the winter that even if weather conditions are ideal, it gets dark real early - before 6:00 pm at times in December and January!

Snow and winter conditions closed Newfound Gap Road in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

Snow and ice on Newfound Gap Road is making driving treacherous so the national park service closed US441 the road connecting the cities of Gatlinburg with Cherokee.

There is presently a winter advisory throughout most of the Smokies with accumulation up to 2 inches or more in the upper elevations and bitter cold temperatures.

Hiking all the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

I have been systematically hiking the trails, manways and roadways in the Great Smoky Mountains National park for the past 12 years but last October I started to hike all of the trails again as day hikes in both directions in all 4 seasons and have completed them all this way within a year.

While first I thought this was going to be an easy task, as time went on I began to realize how difficult it would be to hike all the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains national park (GSMNP) this way without car shuttles or overnight stays.

First of all the GSMNP is huge - 800 square miles and since there are about 1,000 miles of maintained hiking trails, paved roads, gravel roads and major manways and that's just in 1 direction!

Because of the sheer size of the park, some hiking trails took me 5 hours to get to and from the trailhead parking areas even though my home in the Smoky Mountains is less than 5 miles from the Greenbrier National Park entrance.

Hiking all the trails in the Smokies during different seasons presents hikers with different challenges and rewards. For me, hiking the entire Great Smoky Mountains national park in the summer and winter presented me with the most hiking challenges.

Summers heat meant the constant risk of dehydration or overheating on the more extreme hikes, the extra effort required to carry much larger quantities of water along with more insects, stinging nettles, poisonous snakes and very frequent bear encounters.

While hiking in the summer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park there are also more frequent thunderstorms which increase the risk of a hiker being struck by lightning and river, streams and creeks that previously had little or no water can become filled with swift running water and too dangerous to cross in minutes.

The summer heat can also create and issue where the air quality in the Smokies becomes poor or hazardous due to ozone created by coal burning power plants far away. Hiking when there is excessive ozone levels can be harmful or at least uncomfortable to hike in.

Hiking in winter also presented special challenges such as far shorter days making it impossible to complete some of the longer hikes without the aid of flashlights and headlamps, ice and snow on the trails and stream crossings increasing the chances of an injury from falling, and the risk of hypothermia from allowing my body core to get too cold.

To counter the risk of hypothermia my day pack had to include far more clothing that I could take on and off in layers as well as replacements in case I got wet. I also packed far more extensive overnight gear in case I was stranded for the night so I could survive safely in the GSMNP. All of this extra hiking gear added close to another 20 pounds to my backpack.

Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains national park in the winter I could trekking for a week or more in deep backcountry and never see another hiker. No chance for a swift rescue - especially since cell phones don't work through much of the park!

In the winter fresh snow can completely obliterate any sign of where a trail is making navigating the trails in the national park difficult. The same can happen with fresh fallen leaves in the fall. Some trails which are used rarely can also be difficult to navigate in the winter when leaf litter on the trail floor is not broken down so it may be hard to find your way.

In the Smokies especially in higher elevations in the winter and spring it can be overcast for days on end making the best GPS unit worthless. Being overcast means you may not get a fix on any stars, the moon or the sun for days. A compass when hiking on the Smokies is a must!

The 2 most common questions I get from people about hiking all the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains is asking me what my favorite hiking trail in the park is and how they can get my job.

Since I have hiked all the trails in the GSMNP so many times you would think the first question about my favorite trail in the Great Smoky Mountains national park is easy. Well it isn't. Based upon the season, weather, time allotted to hike that day and even the day of the week the answer will change.

As for having my job, between running my business, gathering local information, studying and hiking I work harder than anyone can imagine 7 days a week but the rewards of this journey have been beyond my wildest dreams.

The past 3 years of intent concentration in the Great Smoky Mountains national park have taught me much. My next goal is to take the years of research and thousands upon thousands of photographs and make this available to everyone.

I see and read the hiking "experts" of the Great Smoky Mountains national park everyday. Few of the experts are in fact as really knowledgeable as they present themselves to be and often are just amateurs with an agenda to sell you what ever they can make the most money from.

If someone is trying to push you on a GPS unit to hike in the Smokies or other expensive electronic gadgets beware. The same for some hiking equipment as well. For example my $89 top end hiking boot inserts lasts only a month longer than the $8 inserts I got in Wal-Mart - though I am testing others.

For a casual hiker going up the Alum Cave Trail to Le Conte it might only be that you have wasted money on the wrong, inferior or overpriced equipment. For a camper or an extreme hiker in the real backcountry the wrong equipment or wrong advice can be disastrous - and deadly.

Rest assured that my information is thoroughly researched and accurate. Any personal recommendation of a product or service is because I am willing to trust my life with it. Hiking solo as I do for as much as 30 miles or more a day you better believe I have to trust my equipment - my life depends on it!

As the owner of the Your Smokies Information web site about the Great Smoky Mountains I will start adding more and more hiking and trails information as well as historical, biological and environmental information to this web site that already has 400 pages of Smokies Information.

My primary concerns are the protection of the Smoky Mountains and the education of those looking to experience the Smokies. Read my blogs and web sites and you will see what I mean. Join my adventure and please feel free to comment and contribute.

Nothing has ever been as difficult, gratifying, strengthening, exciting and informative to my mind, body and soul as hiking all of the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Weather related road closures in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

The national park service still has roads closed in the Great Smoky Mountains national park due to winter conditions some of which will take days to reopen.

While most roads in the Smoky Mountains are open in North Carolina, Newfound Gap Road (US 441) which connects Cherokee NC to Gatlinburg TN is now closed to all traffic.

The following roads are also closed in the national park: The Roaring Fork Nature trail in Gatlinburg, and in the Cades Cove area the following unimproved roads are closed Parsons Branch Road, Forge Creek Road and Sparks Lane.

Cold weather is predicted to continue throughout the day in the Smoky Mountains - it's snowing now in areas in Bryson City North Carolina, it may take until tomorrow warming weather for some roads to be opened back up. For roads such as Forge Creek which is closed due to muddy conditions it may take a few days until all roads will be reopened.

The national park service is advising drivers that the Spur connecting Pigeon Forge with Gatlinburg Tennessee still has active ongoing construction and that drivers must obey posted speed limits as there have been numerous accidents in the construction zones.

Great Smoky Mountains national park winter closures

As the days become shorter in the Great Smoky Mountains national park as winter closes is so does you list of choices of where to take an auto tour, where to go horseback riding, where to go site seeing and where to go camping in the GSM national park.

The highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National park Clingmans Dome and the road leading up to it closes until weather permits in March. This steep winding road is dangerous enough without snow and ice so deep winter driving on this high altitude road is out of the question.

One of the nicest and most popular frontcountry developed campgrounds in the Great Smoky Mountains national park is located in Elkmont Tennessee and it closes until spring at noon December 1st. A quick check today revealed less than a handful of campers in the Elkmont Tennessee campgrounds today.

Backcountry campsites in Elkmont Tennessee will remain open throughout the winter. Note that Elkmont backcountry campsite 20 still has an active black bear warning posted but the site still remains open.

The Roaring Fork Motor trail located in the Roaring Fork area of the park located adjacent to Gatlinburg Tennessee is also closed as of December 1st. This one way winding motor trail offers splendid wooded views, historic residences, mountain vistas and some popular trailheads.

Only the motor trail is closed in the Roaring Fork area so to get to Grotto Falls, Baskin Creek trail, the Baskin Creek Waterfall, Grapeyard Ridge, and the Trillium Gap trail you need to park your vehicle in one of the Rainbow Falls parking areas and then walk to the trailhead.

Last but not least the last of the horseback riding stables in the Great Smoky Mountains national park that was open; the Smoky Mountain Riding Stables has just closed for the winter.

First snow of the 2007 winter had too much accumulation and ice for the National Park Service and cars on Newfound Gap Road.

Snow started falling in the higher elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains national park with some accumulation making a challenge for both motorists and the park service to keep the roads safe and clear so Newfound Gap Road 441 from Gatlinburg TN to Cherokee NC is closed.

The National park service has been trying all day to keep the area near Newfound Gap clear but the dropping temperatures in the past hour has locked some sections of Newfound Gap Road into virtual sheets of ice.

While driving up one of the crests about 1/2 mile underneath Newfound Gap on the Tennessee side I experienced the conditions first hand as I felt my car slipping backwards downhill while I was stopped.

I then watched in dismay at cars getting stranded as they started to lose control and veer off of the road while they tried to turn around and get off the mountain top and head back to the Sugarlands Gatlinburg area which was free ice and accumulated snow.

I was luckily able to turn around in my front wheel drive car and slowly creep and slide my way back downhill until I reached a point where the conditions were safe to drive. Only 2 other cars where able to turn around and follow me, the rest remained stranded.

On my way back down Newfound Gap Road towards the Sugarlands I observed at least a dozen or so cars driving up towards Newfound Gap. I thought they would also get stuck behind other cars which were already stranded in the ice and I could only hope they would be able to be safely rescued.

As I passed the parking area for the Chimneys Trailhead I saw a sander truck on its way up the mountain. After the sander truck no further traffic headed up the mountain.

At the Sugarlands intersection the gate was down closing the road with a park rangers car blocking the road from any further traffic heading towards North Carolina.

The revised weather report is calling for anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of snow during the night so the park service announced that the Newfound Gap Road (441) will be closed until at least late in the morning tomorrow when the road can be evaluated for safety.

Earlier today the road leading up to Clingmans Dome was also closed due to snow and ice and may open after Newfound Gap is opened as long as the road conditions on this steep winding road are safe enough for all vehicles.

4 wheel drive or not - Newfound Gap Road is not the place to be tonight!

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.

Newfound Gap (441) Road Reopened

Finally after days of opening and closing of Newfound Gap Road (441) was reopened to all vehicles but icy conditions are still possible and drivers should still drive with extra caution.

The past few days have seen numerous closings and restrictions to 4 wheel drive vehicles on this main road going through the Smoky Mountain National Park due to mother nature and old man winter.

Drivers should also pay special care on the North Carolina side as there has been continuing road construction and repair and with the additional danger of possible ice.