Are Guns Legal in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? They will be in just a few days...

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park along with other park service units will be allowing some park visitors to carry a gun as part of the credit card reform bill starting February 22nd 2010.

Will it be legal or illegal for you to carry a gun in the GSMNP or in other national parks? Here is the official park statement so you can decide for yourself:

GSMNP statement about firearms in national parks: Concealed Firearms Regulations As of February 22, 2010, a new federal law allows people who can legally possess firearms under applicable federal, state, and local laws, to legally possess firearms in this park. It is the responsibility of visitors to understand and comply with all applicable state, local, and federal firearms laws before entering this park. As a starting point, please visit the federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms website and select the state that you are interested in from the list on the right side of the page. More specific information about state permit regulations can be obtained on the following websites: North Carolina Tennessee Federal law also prohibits firearms in certain facilities in this park; those places are marked with signs at all public entrances. Additional Information for North Carolina permit holders: The permit holder must have the permit together with valid identification whenever carrying a concealed handgun, and must disclose to any law enforcement officer that they have a valid permit and are in possession of a concealed handgun when contacted. The permit and proper identification must be presented to a law enforcement officer upon request. Carry of Shotguns and Rifles The possession of long guns, specifically shotguns and rifles shall be in accordance with North Carolina state law. See the North Carolina website listed above for more information. Reciprocity North Carolina recognizes certain out-of-state concealed handgun permittees to carry concealed handguns, if the person’s respective state also grants such privilege to North Carolina concealed handgun permittees. The list of states granting such reciprocity is constantly changing. Out-of-state permittees should refer to the North Carolina Department of Justice’s website at www.ncdoj.gov for a current listing of those states which are allowed to carry, pursuant to their concealed carry permits in North Carolina. To possess a concealed handgun in North Carolina, out-of-state holders must: Carry their permit and a valid form of identification at all times. When approached or addressed by any law enforcement officer in North Carolina, disclose the fact that they have a valid concealed handgun permit. Inform the law enforcement officer that they are in possession of a concealed gun. Present both the permit and valid identification at the request of the law enforcement officer. Additional Information for Tennessee permit holders: The permit holder must have the permit in their immediate possession at all times when carrying a handgun and must show the permit at the request of a law enforcement officer. Carry of Shotguns and Rifles The possession of long guns, specifically shotguns and rifles shall be in accordance with Tennessee state law. See the Tennessee website listed above for more information. Reciprocity Tennessee recognizes a facially valid handgun permit, firearms permit, weapons permit, or a license issued by another state according to its terms, and will, therefore, authorize the holder of such out-of-state permit or license to carry a handgun in the state of Tennessee. This means that the state of Tennessee will recognize any state’s valid permit or license, even if Tennessee does not have a written reciprocity agreement with that state, and even if that state does not recognize a Tennessee permit. Individuals must be in possession of the permit or license at all times while in possession of a handgun in Tennessee. Until the new regulations take effect on February 22, 2010, carrying concealed firearms is not allowed and all possession of firearms within National Park Service lands must be in accordance with 36 CFR 2.4, which states firearms must be "rendered temporarily inoperable or are packed, cased or stored in a manner that prevents their ready use." ...End Of GSMNP Statement on Firearms in the Park

Please be advised I am not a lawyer or offering legal advice. The last time the law about guns and firearms in national parks was revoked and they were made illegal again, the national park service did not make any public announcement of the change therefore anyone who is accessing this information should check with the national park service and state authorities to see if it is still valid.

States with NC and/or TN Concealed Weapons Reciprocity Agreements (subject to change without notice)
Alabama NC only Alaska NC and TN Arizona NC and TN Arkansas NC and TN Colorado NC only Delaware NC only Florida NC and TN Georgia NC and TN Idaho NC only Indiana NC only Kansas NC only Kentucky NC and TN Louisiana NC and TN Michigan NC and TN Mississippi NC and TN Missouri NC only	Montana NC only New Hampshire NC and TN North Carolina TN North Dakota NC only Oklahoma NC only Ohio NC and TN Pennsylvania NC and TN South Carolina NC and TN South Dakota NC and TN Tennessee NC Texas NC and TN Utah NC only Virginia NC and TN Washington NC only West Virginia NC and TN Wyoming TN only

Official Link to TN Firearms Regulations
Official Link to NC Firearms Regulations

I was personally under the impression that only concealed carry with a valid permit was what was going to be legal in the Great Smoky Mountains national park staring on February 22nd 2010.

Unlike the last time that firearms were legal in the GSMNP for a few weeks in 2009, apparently now there will be open carry in some national parks including rifles and shotguns as they are specifically listed in the park statement above.

I cannot answer how having very visible shotguns and rifles will play out in the Great Smoky Mountains national park at this time. I can say that for many people who have come to the GSM national park in the past, seeing highly visible firearms may not only be disconcerting, it will also lead to a rangers potential confusion as to a visitor's intent in the park.

Do out of state visitors without concealed weapons permits have to right to open carry long guns in the Great Smoky Mountains national park? What about handguns? If not, can concealed weapons permit holders from a state with reciprocity agreements open carry long guns and or handguns in the Great Smoky Mountains national park?

Some other questions remain such as do you have to announce that you have a concealed weapon if you just pass by a ranger on a trail or one walks up and greets you? Do you have to only announce concealment to a Protection Ranger or do interpretive rangers along with other uniformed park staff count as well?

Since the Great Smoky Mountains national park is in both NC and TN - 2 states with different weapon laws and these borders are not at all clearly defined except at Newfound Gap, will each part of the park have different laws based upon the location of a visitor and his state of residence? Obviously from the chart of Concealed Weapons Reciprocity Agreements above there are huge difference between North Carolina and Tennessee.

Other very interesting questions about how this new law will effect visitors to national parks and staff around the country is presented here.

Even if and when it is legal for you to have a gun in a national park, there are some places where firearms are prohibited such as visitor centers, ranger stations and office buildings. This is not a complete list of where guns are prohibited in a national park (which will also vary by state) so please check with the park service first. In the past, the national park service did have signs at these locations showing that firearms are illegal.

Remember even though some guns will be legal to carry in some parts of the Great Smoky Mountains national park, hunting is not.

Lastly if you want to protect yourself against a black bear attack in the GSMNP you should not use a gun but use bear pepper spray which is legal for use in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and is much more effective and safer to use as well.

Related New Stories on Guns in National Parks:

• Guns now legal in Great Smoky Mountains national park as of 02-22-10
• Guns are still not allowed in the Great Smoky Mountains national park
• Guns stay out of the Great Smoky Mountains national park but may soon enter TN State parks
• Guns No Longer Allowed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Again
• Bear Spray is now legal in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

Comments are welcome and encouraged. When it comes to gun laws and/or restrictions, tempers on both sides of the issue often flare but lets keep it civil or they will not be posted.

Pigeon Forge - Gatlinburg Spur Reopens as GSMNP Deals With More Weather Related Issues

Today a second major rock slide has occurred on the section of the Foothills Parkway between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge which locals call "the Spur" closing to road to traffic for hours and creating snarls in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville as motorists unfamiliar with the area attempted to navigate back roads in the pouring rain.

New barricades and detours have been set up so that traffic is now moving both northbound and southbound on the Spur and in some areas, southbound traffic is flowing in one lane on the northbound side.

The landslide was a major event dumping tons of rock and earth on the roadway and leaving and extremely unstable slope in its wake. Blalock construction is moving large equipment into the area which will include a crane that will be used to remove any of the unstable areas of the mountainside, which will later be removed from the road surface.

Cades Cove Loop has been closed for much of the day as the days strong winds caused a significant number of large trees and branches to fall on the roadway.

Upper Tremont road also sustained significant tree damage and a small rockslide along Little River Road undermined a tree that was in danger of falling onto the roadway prompting the park serviced to close the road between Metcalf Bottoms and the Townsend Wye.

Reports have also come in that there are a significant number of blow downs on Newfound Gap Road that has also been closed all day long.

If all of this mess is not enough for the Great Smoky Mountains national park to deal with, rivers, creeks and branches are now running very high and flooding can be expected in low lying areas.

New Rock Slide hits Spur Section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park Foothills Parkway

Yet another rockslide just hit the spur with between 20 to 30 feet of debris being dumped on the roadway. This rockslide has occurred where traffic was moving in the Southbound lanes at the first curve past Gum Stand. It is not at where the previous rockslide on the Gatlinburg - Pigeon Forge Spur has occurred.

There are no reports of injuries or property damage at this time.

Traffic is being turned around and the city of Pigeon Forge has blocked off access to the Gatlinburg - Pigeon Forge Spur. Traffic on the Spur is being rerouted to the Flat Branch bridge.

A large trees is also blocking both lanes of the Foothills Parkway East and since the Great Smoky Mountains National Park personnel is tied up with the new landslide on the Spur, it will take a while to clear this road.

Road Conditions in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

High Winds, Rain, Fog and Light Snow Blanket The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Great Smoky Mountains national park has seen days of rain and melting snow saturating the ground toppling trees. With today's wind event gaining in strength, especially on the Tennessee side, it is best that visitors stay out of the park while crews work on making the roads in the park safe again.

Road closures include Newfound Gap Road and now Cades Cove Loop Road and even after the storm is over it may take a while to cleaned up the downed trees and dangerous snags before the roads will be safe to open again.

The Foothills Parkway West has so many downed trees Great Smoky Mountains national park road crews were only able to open the roadway into a single lane alternating on each side for administrative purposes and not for public access until the numerous trees blocking the roadway can be cleared.

Today's high wind advisory calls for gusts up to 45 mph and the winter warning in effect from 9 pm tonight to 4 pm Sunday calls for high winds, snow, sleet and freezing rain. Accumulations of less than 5 inches are expected in lower elevations.

This appears to be another weekend in the Smokies that if you do not have to be out on the road, it's best to stay home and stay safe.

Road Conditions in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

All major through roads closed in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

Within an hour, every single major road in the Great Smoky Mountains national park is closed now to the winter storm dumping snow and freezing rain on the Smokies.

There are a few vehicles stranded by Alum Cave Trailhead which have not been able to make it down the slick surface of Newfound Gap Road and the GSMNP has personnel and trucks on the way to assist them.

Presently the Foothills Parkway Spur connecting Gatlinburg Tennessee with Pigeon Forge Tennessee remains open at this time.

Current Road conditions and closures in
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Newfound Gap Road US 441 Closes as winter storm hit Great Smoky Mountains national park.

First, it was Old State Road 284 from Big Creek to Cataloochee that closed due to winter storm conditions and now it is Newfound Gap Road US 441 between Cherokee North Carolina and Gatlinburg Tennessee. Snow is falling hard and sticking to the road surface below the Chimneys already.

As much as a foot or more is expected to fall in the higher elevation tonight with a little more snow on the way tomorrow, so expect roadways in the Great Smoky Mountains national park for what could be days.

Heavy snow and previously weakened limbs from our last few storms have prompted power and phone companies in the area are expecting the worst with widespread scattered power and phone outages predicted all throughout the North Carolina and Tennessee Smokies.

The next major road in the GSMNP to close due to this storm will be Little River Road and hopes are that the Pigeon Forge - Gatlinburg Spur can be kept open.

Other roads expected to close shortly will be the Foothills parkway East, Foothills Parkway West and the Gatlinburg Bypass between Newfound Gap Road and The Spur section of the Foothills parkway.

Current Road conditions and closures in
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Rockslide Near Great Smoky Mountains National Park Keeps Part of Spur Closed a Month or More

This Monday a significant rockslide fell onto the southbound lanes of the Spur section of the Foothills Parkway (US 441) a few hundred yards south of traffic light 10 in Pigeon Forge on the way to Gatlinburg Tennessee and experts now predict that the cleanup and stabilization of the slope could potentially take at least a month.

The rockslide between Gatlinburg and Pigeon thankfully did not cause any injuries and occurred in the off-season so the traffic affected by the detour around the rockslide is minimal right now, but will affect the tourism peak that occurs on and around Valentines Day.

Yesterday morning the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) had geotechnical engineers inspect the rockslide and their determination is that the wall or rock, earth and vegetation is still very unstable and before the roadway can be reopened to traffic, significant stabilization effort is required.

Presently TDOT will need to obtain an emergency contract to stabilize this section of the mountainside along the Spur and once the work is started will be able to offer a more accurate time in which this project can be completed.

Since the rockslide cleanup and stabilization along the spur will take so long, representatives from the Great Smoky Mountains national park and TDOT are working together to improve the traffic flow on the 1 mile detour where northbound traffic is reduced to 1 lane and southbound traffic uses 1 lane flowing south.

According to Great Smoky Mountains National Park Facility Management Chief Alan Sumeriski stated, "We are working with TDOT to improve the configuration of temporary traffic barriers and the signage to help keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible and to maximize public safety."

He went on to say "We will also be adding numerous signs in the detour area to guide residents and visitors to each of the side roads that are accessed off the Spur."

Though park rangers patrol the entire length of the Spur, the State of Tennessee owns the portion where the rockslide took place, so TDOT has sole responsibility for repairs of the slide itself.

While being restriped today there will be traffic delays along the Spur.

Rock Slide closes portion of the Foothills Parkway Spur between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

A large rock slide has closed the southbound lanes of the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Spur portion of the Foothills Parkway by the Great Smoky Mountains national park forcing southbound traffic coming from Pigeon Forge to be detoured to the northbound lane that is now become 2-way traffic.

The southbound traffic on the Spur will continue a short distance to the King Branch bridge and at that point will cross over to the south lanes of the Spur. Traffic headed north on the Spur will be funneled to 1 lane at the King Branch exchange.

Temporary electronic variable message signs warn drivers of the detour and even more traffic cones are being put in place right now by the state of Tennessee to help better separate the lanes and assist with the traffic flow.

It is unclear at this time how long this detour will stay in place before the debris from the landslide can be removed and the roadway is declares to be safe again for motorists. Since the rock slide is on the City of Pigeon Forge owned portion of the Spur the city of Pigeon Forge is responsible for the slide clean up.

Local motorists who know the back roads may do best to avoid the area altogether.

Fatal accident closes Newfound Gap Road (US 441) in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

A fatal combination of high winds and saturated ground claimed the life of one of the passengers in a car on Newfound Gap Road near the Chimneys Picnic area heading toward Gatlinburg. The victim Tonya Renee Eichler, 39 from Sevierville, Tennessee was killed when large trees fell on top of the car while it was being driven by Jody Simonds also from of Sevierville.

High winds especially in the upper elevations have been buffeting the park since last night and the GSM national parks electronic variable message signs warned drivers of the high wind danger prior to the fatal accident on Newfound Gap Road.

The accident was caused when large trees fell directly onto the front passenger side of the 2003 Nissan Altima crushing and trapping Tonya Renee Eichler. The driver and his daughter who was in the back seat were able exit the car by climbing out of the windows.

National Park Rangers and a Gatlinburg Rescue crew responded quickly to the scene of the accident on the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains national park where they found the deceased driver inside the smashed vehicle with downed trees blocking the road.

A passing motorist with a chain saw already had begun cutting the trees in an attempt to free Tonya Renee Eichler who was pronounced dead at the scene. The jaws-of-life were later used to extricate her from the crushed car.

Park rangers closed Newfound Gap Road and rerouted all existing southbound traffic on US 441 back down the mountain to Gatlinburg and the northbound traffic back to Cherokee.

The Simonds’ were transported by Gatlinburg ambulance to The University of Tennessee Medical Center where they were treated and released and Tonya Renee Eichler body was transported to Ft. Sanders Sevier Medical Center.

Newfound Gap Road was closed and crews started the difficult task of cleanup and had to check the balance of the roadway at daylight for any other potential hazards before reopening it back up.

Because of the high winds, various roadways have been closed as downed trees, limbs, power lines, and vehicular accidents were cleaned up in and around the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

In the Cades Cove section of the GSMNP, Forge Creek Road and Sparks Lane were also closed due to storm debris in the roadway.

Story updated with corrections 1/25/10 1:15 pm

Dangerous High Winds Blast the Tennessee Smokies and Great Smoky Mountains national park

Wind gusts exceeding 60 mph are pounding the Smoky Mountains on the Tennessee side knocking down numerous trees along with power and telephone lines causing minor power and phone interruptions throughout the region.

As if the December storms were not enough, trees and large limbs started falling last night at around 9 pm when the winds started and the windy conditions are expected to last until late this afternoon.

Driver with large profile vehicles such as trucks, vans and campers as well as motorcyclists should use extreme caution as the sustained wilds are very low and the gust come with little or no warning.

The Great Smoky Mountains national park is diligently working to removed downed trees and limbs. Fortunately, the only road closed in the GSM national park right now is the Cades Cove Loop Road, which has crews working on it right now.

While the high winds and extreme gusts continue hikers and campers are urged to stay out of the GSMNP for their own safety.

Newfound Gap Road and most GSMNP roads open.

Beside all of the snow and ice on the roads, tree limbs laden with snow, broke, uprooted or just bent under the weight creating road blockages and hazards in the Great Smoky Mountains national park. Hikers may encounter obstructions related to this storm in backcountry for months.

Newfound Gap Road, Laurel Creek Road, Little River Road and Cades Cove Loop Road all remain open however Old State Road 284, the Foothills Parkway East, the Cataloochee Entrance Road as well as Lake View Drive all remain closed to due ice, snow and some other storm related cleanup needed.

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

Newfound Gap Road Remains Open, Elkmont Too.

The Smokies are still digging themselves out from underneath a major snowstorm and more roads in the Great Smoky Mountains national park remain open including the Elkmont Campgrounds entrance road and Newfound Gap Road between Cherokee and Gatlinburg.

Additional good news for drivers is that the predicted snow for this week has been called off. With this warming trend roadways will continue to open.

Black ice has been forming so drivers need to be even more cautious at when temperatures drop at night especially along bridges and sooner in higher elevations.

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

Newfound Gap Road Now Open to Cars

Great Smoky Mountains national parks main through road Newfound Gap Road, has finally been opened back up by the park service. Drivers are cautioned that there is still ice and snow on the roadway and to drive with extreme caution.

Because the road surface is less than optimal, buses have been asked to stay off Newfound Gap Road at this time. Plunging temperatures tonight will refreeze and snow melt which may closes again if road conditions deteriorate any further.

Refreezing snow melt is particularly problem some on the Tennessee side above the Alum Cave Hiking Trail parking area in the last 1-1/2 below the gap which is more shaded and steep.

No other major roads in the park have reopened at this time but some are expected to open tomorrow.

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

Cades Cove Loop Road is now open but many Great Smoky Mountains National Park roads remain closed

Drivers can take Little River Road from the intersection of Newfound Gap Road by Gatlinburg all the way to the Townsend Wye and then take Laurel Creek Road all the way to Cades Cove, which is now open to motorists.

Old State Road 284 remains closed and will so for days as crews intensify their efforts on Newfound Gap Road US 411 that remains closed at this time.

Drivers between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg can use both the Spur section of the Foothills Parkway as well as the Gatlinburg bypass, which has stunning views right now looking over the city of Gatlinburg with Mount Le Conte in the distance.

Both the Foothills Parkways East by Cosby and I-40 and the Foothills Parkway West starting at 321 in Walland remain closed at this time.

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

Road Conditions in Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Open and Closed Roads in the GSMNP

With more than 30 inches of snow recorded in some areas of the Great Smoky Mountains national park it will take some time before all the roads in the GSMNP will be open. Power outages and stranded motorists have strained local emergency services, which held up well to this record-breaking snowstorm in the Smokies.

While the Smokies can get snow often in the winter, it is often gone within hours or a most a few days. While local and backcountry roads can use salt to melt ice and snow, the national park service can only use sand. Runoff from salt would disturb the delicate chemical balance in the waterways of the Great Smoky Mountains national park so salting roads in the park is forbidden.

The main priority is to open Newfound Gap Road back up which with I-40 closed at the NC TN border due to a landslide, is even more urgent. It will take days before people can go directory from Gatlinburg To Cherokee NC without huge detours.

Open Roads in the in the Great Smoky Mountains national park:

• Little River Road TN


• Gatlinburg Bypass TN


• The Spur between Gatlinburg TN and Pigeon Forge TN


• Laurel Creek Road TN


• Cades Cove Loop Road TN


• Tremont Road is open to Upper Tremont Road


• Greenbrier Road is open to Ranger station


• Wears Cove Road TN


• Cherokee Orchard Road TN is open to the Twin Creeks Science Center

Closed Roads due snow and ice in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

• US 441 Newfound Gap Road between Cherokee NC + Gatlinburg TN


• Cataloochee Entrance Road NC


• Toms Branch Road NC


• Lake View Drive NC


• Foothills Parkway East TN


• Foothills Parkway West TN

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

All roads in the Great Smoky Mountains national park other than 1 Closed on Tennessee Side

Snow is still falling and it is just too much for the snowplows and sanders in the Great Smoky Mountains national park prompting the national park service to close all but one of the roads in the GSMNP due to snow and ice.

The only road, which has so far eluded closure, is Tremont Road, which is off Laurel Creek Road between the Townsend Wye and the entrance to Cades Cove. The section of Laurel Creek Road past Tremont Road has been already been closed for much of the day limiting all access Cades Cove and Cades Cove Loop Road, Sparks Lane, Hyatt Lane and Forge Creek Road. Rich Mountain Road and Parson Branch Road are both closed for the winter season.

This weekend is the beginning of the Christmas Holiday peak tourist season and with Newfound Gap Road now closed along with both a section of I-40 by border between North Carolina and Tennessee closed and Old State Road 284 between Big Creek and Cataloochee, getting around in the Smoky Mountains is going to be very difficult. As a result, retailers will most likely see sales suffer at a time when they are needed the most.

More often, it is best to stay put in weather conditions such as this. Driving on Smoky Mountain Roads is just better left to emergency vehicles only. Hopefully if you are visiting the Smokies this weekend you have a cabin with provisions so you can hunker down and enjoy the beauty of the Smokies in winter.

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

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.

Snow blankets Smokies causing road closures in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

A huge winter storm system is dusting the Smokies with snow, which has reached as much as 4 inches of accumulation in Newfound Gap prompting road closures in the Great Smoky Mountains national park early this morning with many more expected in the next 3 days.

At least another 2 to 6 inches of snow is called for today with the heaviest snowfall predicted in elevations of 3,500 feet or more. By tomorrow, snowfall accumulations in the Smoky Mountains area expected are to be from 6 - 12 inches and Sunday calls for more snow and potential rain with plummeting temps at night n the low teens.

Expect most if not all major roads in the GSMNP to close and some such as Newfound Gap Road, may remain closed for the entire weekend or even longer.

The following roads in the Great Smoky Mountains national park are closed due to snow and Ice:

• Newfound Gap Road US 441 from Cherokee to Gatlinburg.


• Old State Road 284 from Big Creek to Cataloochee.


• The Cataloochee Entrance Road.


• Laurel Creek Road at Tremont


• Cades Cove: All Roads and access


• Cherokee Orchard Road at the Twin Creeks Science center

Great Smoky Mountains national park closures last updated 3:04 pm 12/18

Additional Road Closings in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Due to Snow and Ice.

Old 284 which connect Big Creek with Cataloochee in the Great Smoky Mountains national park has just been added to the growing list of road closures from today's storm which is expect to dump snow until around 1 pm today.

The following GSMNP roads are now closed:

• Cataloochee Entrance Road by Maggie Valley NC


• Cherokee Orchard Road in the Roaring Fork Gatlinburg TN area


• Foothills Parkway East Cosby TN to I-40


• Little River Road from Gatlinburg TN to Townsend TN


• Old 284 Between Big Creek NC and Cataloochee NC


• Newfound Gap Road Gatlinburg TN to Cherokee NC (US 441)


• Wears Gap Road between Wears Valley TN and Metcalf Bottoms

Temperatures expected to remain at or below freezing for the remainder of the day and into the teens tonight so the snow and ice will stick around until at least tomorrow.

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.

Newfound Gap US 441 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Closed Due to Ice and Snow

Newfound Gap Road (US 441) the Great Smoky Mountains national parks main road connecting Gatlinburg Tennessee with Cherokee North Carolina has just been closed due to ice and snow. Snow falling right now will probably make driving on Newfound Gap Road too treacherous for at least the balance of the day.

There has already been a report of a car sliding off the roadway that will need to be recovered. The driver of this car was able to make 2 cell phone calls to the Swain Counties Sheriff's office and is believed to be OK.

At least one other car is stranded because of snow and ice which was backing up the last of the traffic on the Tennessee side.

To make matters worse, a crucial section of I-40 near the Tennessee North Carolina border still remains closed because of a landslide and old 284 which will most likely close, cannot be plowed.

Those looking to go around the park will need to make very large detours on more treacherous roads that also may close so the best advice is to stay put.

The Spur section of the Foothills Parkway between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge Tennessee is still open, is being sanded right now, and should be able to remain open.

In weather such as this, the best thing to do is remain safe at home if possible. If you do go out, you must have enough clothes in your vehicle to be able to withstand the weather so that you can leave your car if needed. You also need proper shoes for walking in snow and ice - sneakers are not adequate!

High Sustained Winds in the Smokies of 60 mph and More are Predicted Until Past Midnight Tonight

The Great Smoky Mountains are still getting hammered with high winds knocking down more trees / branches and damaging roofs.

Lower elevation should expect winds of about 30 mph with much higher sustained wind speeds exceeding 60 mph in elevations of 3,000 feet and above.

Utility companies have been busy restoring power and so far no large scale power outages have been reported although with at least another 10 hours of more high winds expected, we may not remain so lucky.

Due to the high danger of downed lines, persons should not be walking around in the dark or in any standing water such as puddles because of the risk of electrocution.

Most tree damage and blockages in roadways within the Great Smoky Mountains national park has been cleaned up with the exception of the Cherokee Orchard / Roaring Fork section which is now closed.

Huge Wind Event Blasts Through the Tennessee Smoky Mountains Leaving a Path of Destruction.

With virtually no warning a huge wind storm blasted through Sevier County, Blount County, Coche County, and the Great Smoky Mountains national park leaving a path of minor destruction in its wake. There are still 30 plus mph winds still blowing through sections of the GSM national park.

Numerous reports of downed trees blocking roadways, downed power and phone lines and property damage from fallen trees such as cars and roofs are keeping emergency personnel and utility workers busy directing traffic, clearing roadways and restoring services.

The national park service had recorded sustained wind speeds of 70 mile per hour with gusts exceeding 90 mph on Cove Mountain in the Gatlinburg - Wears Valley area.

The park is still cleaning roadways up in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and numerous hiking trails will have blow downs making passage difficult if not impossible for those on horseback.

Traffic is still heavily impacted on Little River Road just west of the Sinks where a large blow down will require heavy equipment for safe passage of both lanes.

The left hand lane North Bound Spur Road just before King Branch has a large limb blocking the roadway make drivers swerve and more weakened limbs may fall especially of the winds pick up as well.

The Gatlinburg Bypass between Newfound Gap Road and the Spur also has reports of tree limbs down by the Campbell Lead Bypass.

Several trees are also down on state road 32 in Blount County.

Limbs are also being reported down on the Foothills Parkway West / 129 area which will take longer for crews to get to and clean up.

Wind Storm Damage Updates:

• Limbs along the North Bound Spur near King Branch have been cleaned up.

Great Smoky Mountains national park seasonal construction road closures and conditions for hiking

Late fall and winter in the Great Smoky Mountains national park means that it's time for seasonal closing of roads, campgrounds and park facilities. Though there is a cold snap in the air, black bear will still be active for a few more weeks so backcountry campsites, shelters and hiking trails have warnings or are still closed.

This year will be changeling for many who want to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the winter and early spring as some of the federal stimulus money is being spent repairing Clingmans Dome Road, the Roaring Fork Motor Trail and finishing off the Foothills Parkway between Wears Valley Road in and Walland.

Though Clingmans Dome Road is a popular road when it is closed for winter for hikers and skiers, it will be closing for all use as this winter it is going to be repaved and new handicapped assessable vault toilets (non flushing outhouse style) will be installed instead of using the historical building now being used as a restroom. This building is going to be converted into a small visitor center and Great Smoky Mountains Association store.

The present toilets in the 60 year old building are not in compliance with current environmental standards nor are they handicapped accessible. I commend what the park is doing to replace the current restrooms at Clingmans Dome as well as turning this historic structure into something which will be very useful to visitors.

Finally what will be the most advantageous project being undergone for visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains national park will certainly cause the most grief: The repaving of the 11 mile Cades Cove Loop Road from March to sometime in May.

Long overdue, the repaving project will completely shut this road down to cars, bikers and hikers as well as access to Rich Mountain Road, Parson Branch Road, Forge Creek Road, Sparks Lane and Hyatt Lane as well as the amphitheater in between the Cades Cove Picnic and Campgrounds.

There was no effectively way to partially close the area during construction and visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains national park as well as local businesses will be adversely affected during the construction. Te repaving of Cades Cove will be paid for from monies that have already been put aside for the project and do not involve any federal stimulus money.

Sadly the other roadways close by that hikers also use: the Roaring Fork Motor Trail and Clingmans Dome Road will also be closed to pedestrians during construction. The best places left to visit in the GSMNP via car during construction will be Tremont and the Cataloochee Valley in North Carolina.

Roads Closed in the Smoky Mountains National Park

• Cades Cove Loop Road will be closed for repaving to all traffic, hikers and bikers starting sometime in March 2010 until at least late May 2010
   
• Balsam Mountain Road is now closed for winter until May 8th 2010.
   
• Clingmans Dome Road is now closed to vehicles traffic until May 2010 and will be closed to all hikers, bikers and skiers due to repaving starting February 2010.
   
• Fontana Dam Access Road to the AT is closed to vehicles (Hikers Allowed) until January 31st, 2010.
   
• Heintooga Ridge Road is now closed for winter until May 8th 2010.
   
• Little Greenbrier Road is closed for winter from December 31st 2009 until March 13th 2010.
   
• Parson Branch Road is closed for the winter and will open in late in April 2010.
   
• Rich Mountain Road is now closed for winter until March 13th 2010.
   
• Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail in now closed to vehicles and will be closed in December to all hikers and bikers starting sometime in February 2010 until May 2010.
   
• Roundbottom/Straight Fork is now closed for winter until March 13th 2010.
   
• The Sinks Parking Area on Little River Road will be closed due to construction from sometime in December 2009 through May 2010.
   

Road Construction in the Smoky Mountains National Park

• Newfound Gap Road (US 441) will have an ongoing paving starting March 16th and expected to be done by September 1st 2010 on the North Carolina side from the Collins Creek Picnic area to the National Park Boundary at Cherokee NC. Expect periodic lane changes
   

Blue Ride Parkway Road Conditions and Construction

• North Carolina: Milepost 393.6 to 405.5 Closed due to a high risk of landslides until further notice.
   
• Virginia to North Carolina: Milepost 0 to 356 Guardrail replacements will cause traffic to be reduced to 1 lane as work is done through 2010.
   

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Hiking Trail Conditions

Closed GSMNP Hiking Trails

• Trailhead access from roads within Cosby Campground to Lower Mount Cammerer Trail, Snake Den Ridge Trail, and Low Gap Trail have a detour as long as the campground paving takes place until spring 2010. Use parking areas access by picnic grounds for these trails.
• Foothills Parkway off Wears Valley Road (US 321) is now open for now to hikers, bikers and horseback riding

Hiking Trail Bear Warnings

• Abrams Falls Hiking Trail
• Crooked Arm Ridge Trail mostly on the lower portion
• Gabes Mountain Trail
• Laurel Falls Hiking Trail
• Little River Hiking Trail
• Trillium Gap Trail from the parking area up to Grotto Falls

GSMNP Hiking Trails Condition Warnings

• Forney Creek Trail by backcountry Campsite #70 washed out bridge requiring potentially deep stream crossing at Forney Creek
• Hazel Creek pick up area for boat shuttles near Backcountry campsite #86 has been rerouted to Olie Cove (not on regular trail maps but on some more detailed maps). Ask boat shuttle for further information.
• Rabbit Creek Trail footbridge has washed out.

Holiday Snowfall Does Not Affect Smokies But The Weather Can Still Be Treacherous For Hikers.

Luckily most of the snowfall, what little there was, did not severely impact the Smokies other than closing Clingmans Dome Road, cause a few fender benders and create a light build up of snow and ice on Newfound Gap Road US 441 which has not hampered traffic.

Though the light dusting of snow makes for pretty pictures at the highest elevations, the high winds and plummeting temperatures for the next few days should have hikers and campers in backcountry concerned and making sure that they are properly equipped so they will not have issues with exposure.

Presently there are 30 mph sustained winds in some areas with much higher gusts. The wind-chill factor in places such as Newfound Gap, Clingmans Dome and Mt Le Conte will be at -2 degrees Fahrenheit or even lower and when temperatures plunge tonight, could prove dangerous for those not prepared.

Hikers and campers should wear plenty of layers that can put on and take off easily so as to not overheat and later be chilled with sweat soaked clothing. It is best to not wear cotton which can hold moisture close to the skin.

Hikers and campers in the Smokies must also remember it starts getting dark in the park now at around 5:00 pm.

Weather in and around the Great Smoky Mountains.

Memorial Fund Set Up For Slain Bull Elk #21 to Support the Elk Bugle Corps Volunteer Program

Last week's tragic poaching of the Great Smoky Mountains national parks Bull Elk #21 in the Cataloochee Valley outraged many people. Nature lovers, photographers and responsible hunters come from far and wide to enjoy the elk and the natural beauty of Cataloochee Valley.

The National Park has recognized how instrumental the all volunteer Elk Bugle Corp is in protecting our Elk, educating visitors about the elk and responsible wildlife viewing.

The Friends of the Smokies - a nonprofit fund-raising organization which raises funds for projects such as the Elk Restoration Program in the Great Smoky Mountains national park has set up a memorial fund for bull Elk #21 to fund the Cataloochee Valley Elk Bugle Corps and Your Smokies has just made the first donation to get this fund started.

While I would love to see other large donations to this very good cause, the Elk Bugle Corp would be glad to receive donations of any size made to the memory of Bull Elk #21. Donations will fund the Elk Bugle Corps most pressing needs and every little bit helps so please give what you can to the Bull Elk #21 Memorial Fund.

To Donate Click Here

Default Donation is $10 but you can increase or decrease the amount

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible as allowable by law.

Every dollar collected helps protect the parks precious resources and allows Elk Bugle Corp members to show you the beauty and share the historic significance of the Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Related Elk in the GSMNP Stories

• Alleged Poacher of Bull Elk 21 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park charged, but is it enough?
• Memorial Fund For Slain Bull Elk #21 to Support the Elk Bugle Corps Volunteer Program
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park Elk Poaching Suspect Confesses and Arrest will be made
• Elk poaching takes place in Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.
• Elk Reintroduction in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park needs more Volunteers for Elk Bugle Corp Program

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Elk Poaching Suspect Confesses and Arrest will be made

This Friday bull elk #21 was shot and killed in the Cataloochee section of the Great Smoky Mountains national park near Maggie Valley NC by what turned out to be a man from Granville County.

Bull elk #21 was 13 years old and one of the first elk moved in the Cataloochee Valley of the Great Smoky Mountains national park in an experimental North American Elk reintroduction program that was to last 4 years but ended up concluding 8 years later.

Bull Elk #21 was born in Elk Island, Canada and spent some time in Land between the Lakes Kentucky before he was released along with 24 other elk in the Cataloochee Valley in 2001.

Bull #21 was a fixture in the valley and always stayed closed by the original field he was released from in contrast to some of the elk which have ended up as far away as Newport Tennessee or Asheville North Carolina.

Often Bull elk #21 would graze in a pasture right by the rangers station with 3 other bull elk buddies we nicknamed the bachelors. This gave our visitors an up close view of a full mature bull elk before they even entered the main fields within the Cataloochee Valley.

During the rut the bachelors would go their separate ways but as of last week since the rut is winding down he was hanging out with his buddies again.

Bull 21 was one of the most dominate bulls in the Cataloochee Valley and his impressive size and huge antlers delighted visitors for years and impressed many of the female elk (called cows) which he collected into a harem and bred.

Even though bull elk #21 was already a grandfather, he was still active during the rut and put on a good show during this years breeding season before he was gunned down.

The picture below was taken October 5th of this year and it shows Bull Elk 21 with his harem in the field by the Beech Gap School in the Cataloochee valley of the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

The shooting took place at close range while he was most likely feeding or just watching the coward who shot him.

Bull elk #21 was found lying down in the field by a park ranger who works in the valley. He collected evidence and worked with the park to transport bull elk #21s body to the UT College of Veterinary Medicine for a necropsy which has yet to come back.

A joint investigation to find the poacher who shot the elk in the Great Smoky Mountains national park was started utilizing Park Rangers, a National Park Service (NPS) Special Agent, and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

The suspected poachers truck description lead the Elk poaching investigation to Granville County. Here the special NPS agent received a confession and additional evidence was gathered.

The U.S. Attorney's Office and the Great Smoky Mountains national park are working together to develop the case so that an arrest can be made at which time the suspects name will be released.

The poacher will face a fine of up to $5,000 and 6 months in jail for the actual poaching and will face losing his truck as well as the weapon he used to commit this crime. It is possible he may face other charges as well for example possession of a loaded weapon inside the National Park which is still illegal until February of 2010.

Park Visitors, National Park employees and Volunteers are all outraged at this heinous crime. Fortunately there are still enough bulls in and around the valley capable of breeding so that the Elk reintroduction program in the Great Smoky Mountains national park will not fail as a result of the loss of bull 21.

Acting Chief Ranger, Steve Kloster stated "The suspect was quickly identified and a strong case developed because of the willingness of members of the community to come forward and talk to Rangers and state wildlife officers."

He went on the say "The many visitors and volunteers who come to Cataloochee expressly to watch the elk constitute a very effective surveillance network which has undoubtedly prevented elk poaching from occurring earlier."

I am proud to be an Elk Bugle Corp Volunteer and when the call is made next spring for more volunteers I hope that we can get even more people who are dedicated and who love nature and the park to come join us and help protect the remainder of the herd.

I would like to thank all of those involved in the investigation for the fine job they had done and thank Park Ranger Mark LaShell, our Parks Elk Specialist: Biologist Joe Yarkovich and the other Bugle Corp members for the outstanding work they do in the valley every day for our Elk Program.

Related Elk in the GSMNP Stories

• Alleged Poacher of Bull Elk 21 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park charged, but is it enough?
• Memorial Fund For Slain Bull Elk #21 to Support the Elk Bugle Corps Volunteer Program
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park Elk Poaching Suspect Confesses and Arrest will be made
• Elk poaching takes place in Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.
• Elk Reintroduction in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park needs more Volunteers for Elk Bugle Corp Program

Elk poaching takes place in Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Those of you who follow me on Twitter know how near and dear the Elk in the Great Smoky Mountains national park are to me and of course the tens of thousands of other park visitors a year who come to the Cataloochee Valley just to see our elk.

Unfortunately this morning someone well within the national park boundaries in the Cataloochee Valley decided to poach one of our beloved Elk which was one of the first elk released in the park, 13 year old Bull #21 pictured above.

This person who committed this cowardly act not only took this animals life away but took from all of us a magnificent beast. Elk are now able to roam the Great Smoky Mountains which have not heard the bugle of a wild elk for more than 100 years due to over hunting and habitat destruction because of a great investment and time and money from private sources given graciously to the park.

For those of us who love the Great Smoky Mountains national park the elk have become intimately intertwined with this beautiful place since their experiment introduction in 2001 and the herd has grown from 52 head to an estimated 105. The long term prospects for this experimental reintroduction of elk in the Smokies looks fantastic.

Poaching of natural and cultural artifacts is a serious problem in all of our national parks. Poaching in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and the adjoining Blue Ridge Parkway is most commonly to plants such as ramps, ginseng, and wildflowers such as lady slippers as well as wildlife most commonly black bear and deer.

More than 80 park volunteers who love the elk and I work in the Cataloochee Valley of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in a program called the Elk Bugle Corp offering educational information to visitors about the elk and the GSMNP, help with traffic management and work to maintain a safe distance between visitors and our beloved elk and black bear.

So that some good use comes out of this cowardly crime, it would be great if this animal was mounted for display in the new Oconaluftee visitor center being built or the Sugarlands visitor center museum rather than just dump the animal's body after the forensic evidence is gathered to prosecute this criminal. At least people can then see up close one of these magnificent animals we have so much invested in.

I urge anyone who has any information about this or any wildlife crime in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to call the GSMNP Main Number at park headquarters (865)436-1200.

Related Elk in the GSMNP Stories

• Alleged Poacher of Bull Elk 21 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park charged, but is it enough?
• Memorial Fund For Slain Bull Elk #21 to Support the Elk Bugle Corps Volunteer Program
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park Elk Poaching Suspect Confesses and Arrest will be made
• Elk poaching takes place in Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.
• Elk Reintroduction in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park needs more Volunteers for Elk Bugle Corp Program

Cades Cove Loop Road and Greenbrier Road are closed. Other local roads flood due to high water

Cades Cove Loop Road and Greenbrier Road have both been closed today due to high water on numerous places from the past 30 hours of rain. Since close to 3 inches of rain has fallen in some areas creeks streams and rivers are spilling over their banks creating a mess for many on the Smoky Mountains.

There have been numerous traffic accidents in the Gatlinburg - Pigeon Forge - Sevierville area and a flood watch is in effect in Newport until 7 pm as the Pigeon River is expected to create flooding issues.

To make matters worse there is a wind advisory in effect today until 4 pm tomorrow so expect that trees will fall because of the saturated ground and high winds creating more power outages and telephone and internet service interruptions.

The Great Smoky Mountains national park is faring better than expected as other roads in the park have not been closed yet and though all the branches, creeks, streams and rivers are flooding they are yet to create any property or safety issues other than for those who will kayak or attempt to cross them in the dangerous state.

While it is possible that Cades Cove Loop Road may reopen today if the high waters recede, it is doubtful that Hyatt Lane, Sparks Lane, Forge Creek Road and Parsons Branch Road will open right away as vehicles driving over these gravel roads when they are saturated do serious damage to the roadway.

Greenbrier Road is closed right now and may reopen today, but the section of roadway to the Ramsey Cascades parking area will take at least a day before the water recedes enough for it to reopen.

Closed section of Foothills Parkway West will see some construction traffic for 6 weeks.

One of hidden secrets of the Great Smoky Mountains national park are the 2 incomplete sections of the Foothills Parkway off 321 which has some stunning vistas and hikers, bicyclists, horseback riders and even leased dogs are allowed.

Both of these long "trails" offer visitors a chance to explore nature for long distances with a gradual grade which is very accessible for those how may have problems with conventional hiking trails, want to avoid crowds or who are higher functioning persons with disabilities.

From November 12th through December 22nd on the far eastern side of the 9 mile section of the Foothills Parkway by Walland core drilling will be taking places so hiker and bikers need to be aware that this normally traffic free area will see some construction vehicles driving to and from the drilling sites.

I would suggest that anyone especially those who live in the area who has not hiked the incomplete sections of the Foothills Parkway does so before it is finished and open to vehicular traffic.

Related Smokies News Stories

• Foothills Parkway Construction begins in Wears Valley Closing Road to Hikers
• Unopened Section of Foothills Parkway Open to Motorists for Leaf Peeping

Controlled burns to take place in Cades Cove section of the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Cades Cove in the north western section of the Great Smoky Mountains national park will be ground zero for 3 planned controlled burns this week performed by national park service firefighters as a cost effective method to keep the historic fields in the valley from becoming a forest.

Prescribed burns in Cades Cove generally take place in March but due to the Cades Cove Loop Road repaving next year which will close the road, prescribed burns will take place if weather conditions permit today through Friday.

Today the park plans on burning several tracts of land in the Cades Cove Valley west of Hyatt Lane close to where prescribed burns took place this spring. Before setting the larger blaze containment areas have been set by mowing the grass around where the burn is to take place.

If all goes well tomorrow through Friday the next set of controlled wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains national park will take place in fields between Parks and Hyatt Lane.

While these burns should not effect traffic along the Cades Cove Loop Road it is possible to road will be closed for safety reasons. It is also possible either Hyatt Lane or Sparks Lane will be also closed in the next 3 days but more than likely the only effect the prescribed wild fire will have on visitors in Cades Cove is the sight and smell of smoke.

The Great Smoky Mountains national park has about 950 acres of fields in the Cove visible from Cades Cove Loop Road mowed a year and another 1,000 acres that are less visible are kept from being claimed by forest burned or mowed on a 3 year rotation.

Landslide in Great Smoky Mountains national park cleared but clearing I-40 will take many months.

This has been some leaf season in the Smokies! Multiple rock and landslides within weeks create traffic nightmares for many, but fortunately yesterday's landslide in the Great Smoky Mountains national park took the park and Blalock Construction less than 24 hours to clear but the I-40 landslide only 3 miles from the Tennessee and North Carolina border will take until March 2010 or longer.

This summer we saw 2 rock slides occur along Little River Road which took days to clean up so that the road could be reopened so it was a very pleasant surprise to see how fast the main East West road in the Great Smoky Mountains national park reopened however those who wish to take I-40 from North Carolina will have to wait far longer before they can avoid detours. The real disaster for drivers will be when Newfound Gap Road (US 441) closes due to ice and snow in bad weather which is a very common occurrence.

There was another closure due to at potential landslide this moth along the Blue Ridge Parkway which has also cause drivers to have to deal with lengthy detours right when the fall season colors were at their peak along the parkway.

Related Landslide and Rockslides in the Smokies Stories:

• Rock Slide Closes Great Smoky Mountains National Parks Little River Road
• 2nd Rock Slide in the Great Smoky Mountains national park will keep major road closed far longer
• 12 miles of Blue Ridge Parkway in Mount Pisgah - Asheville Area Closed Due to Landslide Danger

Newfound Gap road reopens in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

As the weather improves over the Great Smoky Mountains national park so do the traffic conditions because the Great Smoky Mountains national park has just opened back up Newfound Gap Road the main thoroughfare between Gatlinburg and Cherokee.

It is possible that with this evenings cold conditions will close the road as it refreezes.

Snow Closes Roads In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

A light dusting of snow in the upper elevations yesterday afternoon which fell through some of the evening first closed Clingmans Dome Road and then Newfound Gap Road US 441 which runs through the Great Smoky Mountains national park connecting Cherokee North Carolina with Gatlinburg Tennessee.

Other road such as the Blue Ridge Parkway, Old 284 and Cove Creek Road running to Cataloochee all saw accumulation and slushy icy conditions. Last evening a truck needed assistance to make it up and out of Cataloochee but not without fishtailing a few times and cosmetically damaging its tailgate.

Wet conditions made for numerous accidents in and around the Great Smoky Mountains national park. Drivers are reminded to obey speed limit and if conditions require, to drive even slower. During leaf season especially when there is the added beauty of snow in the mountains drivers may become distracted or even slow down and stop in the roadways to take pictures which is prohibited.

This is the first day of the season that snow has been sticking and ice has been forming on roadways as pictured below on Cove Creel Road yesterday at around 3 pm.

Right now the snow and ices is melting quite well and crews are right now sanding the Newfound Gap Road which may open up before 11:00 am. As temperatures cool down later in the day and the melting snow and ice refreezes, it may have to close again.

12 miles of Blue Ridge Parkway in Mount Pisgah - Asheville Area Closed Due to Landslide Danger

Weeks of rain has taken its toll on the Blue Ridge Parkway at what is the worst possible time for a closure of a stretch of roadway in the Mount Pisgah Asheville area as peak leaf season is coloring the slopes and valleys of North Carolina.

Crews are working right now to erect temporary barriers in hopes that the most of the roadway will be opened back up Friday for the 2nd weekend of peak leaf season on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The area that will remain closed would be the Ferrin Knob Tunnel Number 1.

The slope that is causing all this grief has been closely monitored by the park service since it first failed in 2002 and had been repaired and according to Bambi Teague, the Blue Ridge Parkway's chief of resource management "It has been slipping and sliding since then, but in the past three weeks, it has been moving way more than anyone expected it would" which prompted the closure.

The picture above was taken 2 days ago on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and shows how fall color has already painted the slopes and valleys in reds, yellows and oranges between US 441 and US 19. This stretch is unaffected by the closure and leaf peepers traveling from Asheville should use US 276 near Brevard or NC 151 from Candler.

Greenbrier section still closed but Cades Cove reopens as Great Smoky Mountains National park cleans up from flooding and storm damage

While the storm that drenched the Smoky Mountains was not packing much of a punch dropping from 2 to just less than 3 inches of rain in the past 24 hours in areas of the park, the saturated ground and rain swollen rivers could not handle any more and minor flooding was widespread in areas in and around the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

The Little Pigeon River created the most damage in the Great Smoky Mountains national park as it washed out an area of roadway along Greenbrier Road near the bridge to Ramsey Cascades where Middle Prong runs into the Little Pigeon River.

The video below shows the Little Pigeon River following over its bank and it effects were felt far downstream in the residential areas some of which had minor evacuations.

The Little River which flows out of Elkmont was rising quickly promoting an evacuation of the Elkmont Campgrounds in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and further downstream created problems for campgrounds outside the park and resident in Townsend and Walland. The Campground has been deemed safe and was just reopened.

In Cades Cove Sparks Lane which notoriously gets flooded was closed first followed by Hyatt Land and then the entire 11 miles of the Cades Cove Loop were closed as water stared building up in the back end. Cades Cove Loop has just reopened but Sparks Lane, Hyatt lane and Rich Mountain Road will remain closed until they dry out so that passing vehicles will not damage the road surface.

The Chimneys Picnic Area was also closed last night as rising waters from the Little Pigeon River started to flow over the banks.

Crews will be working today in the park surveying and cleaning what appears to be minor damage. Hikers should report any large downed trees or washout in back country but expect to have to climb over under or around obstructions in the trails for at least a few days.

Based upon the extent of the damage on Greenbrier Road reported to me by eyewitness yesterday don't expect Greenbrier to be open past the Ranger station for at least a day or 2. Hopefully while they have dump trucks in the area they will fix some of the preexisting immense holes in the road surface right now.

Last Chance to Hike or Bike Cades Cove without Traffic until Repaving is finished in 2010

I love hiking and driving in Cades Cove. Problem is millions have as well for the past 39 years leading to the complete degradation of the Cades Cove Loop Road which will be broken up and repaved next year so this Wednesday is your last chance to hike the road without traffic until at least late May.

Cades Cove Loop road is closed to automobile traffic until 10 am on Wednesday and Saturday mornings from spring until late September so that pedestrians and bicyclists can enjoy this spectacular place without the noise and annoyance of car and motorcycle traffic.

Starting on March of 2010 Cades Cove loop Road will be closed to all traffic - cars, bikes and all pedestrians - in order for the roadway to be broken up and pulverized, new concrete poured and then the road will be surfaces with asphalt. While the Great Smoky Mountains national park is hopeful that the job will be completed by Memorial Day although weather will determine how fast this job can be completed.

The new Cades Cove Loop Road will not be widened and a total of 12 pull offs were proposed by the park. Rumors are floating around that the road will be made harder to park alongside of except at designated pull offs.

Hiking or biking in Cades Cove in the morning is just such a magical time. Expect cool comfortably temperatures, a hint of mist in the year, easy wildlife sighting of turkey, deer, bear and maybe even a coyote and the magical lighting that photographers refer to as "the golden hour".

I particularity like walking the 11 miles of the Cades Cove Loop road rather than riding a bike. It is just so much more intimate to be walking quietly along this road as the beauty of the cove and its inhabitants unfolds before you at every twist and turn of this historic road.

From wide vistas of meadows framed by mountains to walking through tunnels of trees that envelop you and block out the sun, every footstep is in another chance for you to intimately experience adventure and beauty.

Sunrise will be at 7:31 am tomorrow morning and it takes around 3-1/2 hours to hike the loop quickly so I count on 4 to 4-1/2 hours to take my time and take photographs and "smell the roses" along the way.

Cars are allowed to drive into the Cades Cove Loop at 10 am and won't reach the back end of the loop until around 10:30 - 10:45. Hiker and bikers need to park at the orientation shelter at the beginning of the Cades Cove Loop until the parking area fills at which time you will be directed to park near the Cades Cove Riding Stables.

I will be leaving at 6:45 - 7 am from the orientation shelter to I will be already be past the John Oliver cabin past sunrise. Anyone looking to join me is welcome and should comment here or twitter me their intentions.

Related Smokies News Stories:

• Cades Cove Paving Options for 2010 presented by the Great Smoky Mountains national park
• Cades Cove Loop Road Public Briefing on Paving

Mountain Life Festival at the Mountain Farm Museum in Oconaluftee Area of Great Smoky Mountains national park

In the upper elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains national park there is a touch of color and the heat has broken and even in the valleys the heat of summer has been broken so the annual Mountain Life Festival at the Mountain Farm Museum in Oconaluftee is right around the corner.

Come to the farm museum on Saturday September 19th from 10 am to 4 pm and learn why leather britches are not pants, what carding means when it has nothing to do with ID and what it's like to make your own soap while listening to great Appalachian style music - all for free!

While I am sad to see what for me signals for me the end of summer, this is one annual event in the Great Smoky Mountains national park I have not missed for years.

The location of the Farm Museum is perfect in beautiful green valley alongside the Oconaluftee River surrounded by low mountains that will only have a hint of color just a minute inside the park boundary at Cherokee.

Expect the hands of time turn back more than a hundred years and see interesting live demonstrations by park staff and volunteers such as lye soap making, hearth cooking, food preservation, broom making, quilting, blacksmithing, chair bottoming, along with apple butter and apple cider making. You will get to sample warm cider too!

A special edition this year to help celebrate the parks 75th anniversary is a showcase Appalachian folkways along with historic artifacts and photographs from the national park's collection will also be on display to help pay tribute to the former resident who lived where the park now stands.

Corn husk dolls, hominy making, old time toys and other interesting demonstrations about what home life was 100 years ago in the Great Smoky Mountains will be going on around the farm museum.

You can also learn about the more than 40 types of apple tress the Cherokee and the early settlers grew from Ron and Suzanne Joyner from Big Horse Creek Farm in Ashe County, NC. When I interviewed them in the past they were a wealth of knowledge and they presently have a nursery with more than 300 varieties of custom-grafted heirloom apple trees.

In the farm itself, you can watch an almost 40 year old tradition of the Great Smoky Mountains national park: the making of sorghum syrup. The Appalachian early settlers did not have table sugar and they grew their own sorghum and with a horse-powered cane mill and wood-fired cooker made this important food stable.

Students, staff, and volunteers from Swain County High School through a cooperative agreement with Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains Association will be feeding the press which is pictured above and making the sorghum syrup.

Through all the celebrating at the Mountain Farm Museum in Oconaluftee, don't miss the musical entertainment by Marshall Crowe and the Bluegrass Singers.

Bedsides the event, take some time to stroll down the Oconaluftee River hiking trail which is one of the 2 trails in the park that allows well behaved leashed dogs and stroll around the farm with its historic buildings and picturesque landscape.

Bear Spray: Now Legal to Carry and Use in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Though I was waiting for months for the official announcement that bear spray would be legal in the Great Smoky Mountains national park, it was a sharp reader of this web site that brought to my attention the fact that the National Park web site now states bear spray is allowed in the GSMNP.

Months ago I started and became the center of a huge controversy about bear spray when it was brought to my attention that Bear Spray was illegal in the Great Smoky Mountains national park. Questions about misleading, conflicting and confusing visitor information as well as selective enforcement made matters worse.

Bear spray is far more effective that firearms are in a bear attack which by that way, even though there are more than 2 bear per square mile is extremely rare in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Since bear spray is far more effective than guns and the chances of collateral damage is far lower, it made perfect since to legalize bear spray since firearms will be allowed in national parks in February 2010.

While I was advised by park officials in late spring that the bear pepper spray law was going to change, I waited until the official announcement from the park to advise my readers about the change in the bear spray law as I did not know exactly when it would become legal.

No news of the change in the bear spray law was ever released publicly; instead a paragraph about bear spray and its legality and use in the Great Smoky Mountains national park was inserted in the GSMNPs hiking page.

Bear Spray (pepper spray formulated for bears) should be only used in an emergency against an attacking bear and not used to keep bear away from campsites or other place you wish to keep bear away from. Spraying an area with bear spray may even attract bears them rather then repel them as they will want to examine what the strange scent is and where it is coming from.

Bear Pepper Spray is only allowed in the Great Smoky Mountains national park for "the strict purpose of protection against bodily harm from aggressive wildlife". It must also contain between 1% to 2% of the active ingredients capsaicin and related capsaicinoids and be commercially manufactured and labeled as "Bear Pepper Spray".

I stumbled into something that made some people working in the park and some locals who refused to comply with the law all along unhappy. While my tenacity about getting to the bottom of this matter may have angered some, they do know my love for the park and how resource protection and public safety are for more important to me than not making waves. I hope that those who I may have aggravated understand my good attentions.

Though I plan to never use it, bear spray will now be part of my hiking gear. I hope that people who will purchase bear spray will learn about it, try it and only use it when absolutely necessary (which in the GSMNP should be almost never).

Just because you are allowed to have a can of bear pepper spray when hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains national park does not mean that you can ignore food storage rules, comply with staying away 50 yards away from bear or using common sense around wild animals.

Just as bear spray is now legal in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, if abused the park may take this right away just as they had to remove chain link fences from shelters as people abused the fences and would throw food out for bears. Be responsible!

Related Stores about Bear Spray and Black Bear

• Bear Spray is now legal in the Great Smoky Mountains national park
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park Black Bear encounter
• Is Bear Pepper Spray Legal or Illegal in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
• Bear become bolder in the GSMNP and questions remain about bear spray
• Clarification finally made by Great Smoky Mountains national park on Bear Spray
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park Official Statement on Bear Spray
• Black Bear in the Great Smoky Mountains Safety Information

The Great Smoky Mountains National Parks 75th Anniversary Rededication and Newfound Gap: Great Memories for a Lifetime

I have been waiting for this day when the Great Smoky Mountains National parks would have a rededication ceremony and the Roosevelt Monument at Newfound Gap in celebration do the parks 75th Anniversary for years, and with all my expectations I can't believe I was not let down.

This dedication ceremony was to be a modern day interpretation of the 1940 dedication event in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park which was attended by president FDR, was the grand finale of the major events the GSM national park was hosting for the 75th anniversary of the formation of this park.

Almost 2,000 people attended the Rededication Ceremony held at the Roosevelt Monument which straddles the Tennessee and the North Carolina border in the Newfound Gap parking area of the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Many of those who attended this historic event have deep roots in the Smoky Mountains and most of them where either born in what was to become the Great Smoky Mountains national park or are descendants of those who lived here.

Some of those very hardy men who built the Great Smoky Mountains national parks trails, bridges and roads who were members of the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) attended this event.

By now these men have become old familiar faces to me as they have been guests of honor numerous here in the past year such as at the CCC dedication ceremony at the Sugarlands Visitor Center where a plaque honoring the Civilian Conservation Corp was unveiled and at the groundbreaking for the new Oconaluftee Visitor Center.

As with all the other ceremonies, CCC corpsman Clarence Allison, the 3rd man down in the picture below wore his original uniform and hat.

Today some of those who were here for that historic occasion 75 years ago proudly wore ribbons as well as those who lived in what is now the park and those who built the roads, bridges and more than 800 miles of hiking trails that crisscross the park.

Lots of changes have occurred in the Great Smoky Mountains the past 75 years since the men on the CCC help turned it into the land stunning place it now is and most have them have been for the good of the national park.

Technology allowed us to make cell phone calls, check our email, update our Twitter accounts or transmit a signal via satellites so that people outside the park could see what was going on. Just think at the 1st dedication in 1940 wire was run in trees and across bushes and up the mountains in order to transmit this historic occasion.

75 years ago when 100 old Gudger Palmer (pictured above) was only 25 and lived in Cataloochee North Carolina, there used to be barely any black bear, wild turkey and white deer inhabiting the area which just became the Great Smoky Mountains national park. These and many other animals now flourish and even the casual observer in the park should see them most of the year.

Then there are the animals that have been wiped out of existence in what was once more than 6,000 private tracts of lands. Today the park service has brought the river otter, peregrine falcon and my favorite: the North American elk back into this area and they are all now thriving in this beautiful biosphere.

While this was a day for historic speeches made by politicians promising to make things better and of course the thrill of seeing Dolly Parton perform live, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park itself was the star of the day.

As our bus pulled up past the rain clouds up to the Newfound Gap Parking area, a lone tree just below the road displayed red and yellow tinges on some of its leaves - a gentle sign of fall color that would soon grace the Smoky Mountains.

As we disembarked from the shuttle the cooler air laced with the smell of fir washed over us moved the 3 American flags and the North Carolina and Tennessee state flags on top of the Roosevelt Monument wave in the wind. The only other decorations were 7 white and blue banners draped over the monument which also came alive as the wind came across the gap.

Sure the 75th anniversary of the original dedication of the Great Smoky Mountains national park was a great opportunity for politicians to press flesh with constituents and get to work in some impressive sound bites, nothing could beat the parks performance as the weather cleared up just as the program began and deteriorated with clouds moving in as Dolly Parton closed the event with her last song.

I had been waiting for this event for years all the while reflecting how wonderful this park is and I was not disappointed. I guess I must now look forward to the 100th anniversary dedication and hope that I will still be hiking as I do now in my 70s and reveling in the Great Smoky Mountain national parks beauty.