Smokies to stay open through October
Great Smoky Mountains National Park will remain fully open amid the government shutdown through at least Nov. 2 in a combined effort from Sevier County, the Cities of Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Pittman Center, Blount County, Cocke County, the State of Tennessee, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, Friends of the Smokies and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Tourism to national park contributes $2 billion to local economy
A new National Park Service report shows that approximately 12.2 million visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2024 spent more than $2 billion in communities near the park. That spending had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of more than $2.8 billion.
Smokies Life accepting applications for writer’s residency
Smokies Life, a nonprofit partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is now accepting applications for its sixth Steve Kemp Writer’s Residency. The annual program is designed to help writers of any medium connect in meaningful ways with the national park while focusing on their craft in an inspiring, retreat-like setting.
Smokies staff reminds visitors that feeding bears is illegal, dangerous
The National Park Service urges visitors to not feed or approach black bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park has seen an increase in incidents involving visitors feeding bears. Feeding wildlife is illegal and endangers you, other visitors and bears.
Crews work toward expedited repair of Newfound Gap Road
The National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration continue to work toward emergency repairs for U.S. 441/Newfound Gap Road following the Aug. 1 washout and landslide. The agencies plan to award a contract in August and expect that construction will be complete in early October.
Parks Service to improve 7 miles of Newfound Gap Road
Starting July 14, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will kick off a rehabilitation of a 7-mile stretch of Newfound Gap Road on the North Carolina side of the park.
Hands off our parks, our foreign guests and our narrative
To the Editor:
In compliance with Executive Order 14253, an official sign has now been posted in the Oconaluftee Visitors Center of our beloved (and already beleaguered) Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and, I presume, at all of the hundreds of other sites overseen by the National Park Service.
Spring road maintenance planned in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The National Park Service will complete important maintenance along popular roads in Great Smoky Mountains National Park this June. This will require temporary partial closures of Little River Road and single-lane closures along the Spur to allow park staff to safely and efficiently complete this work.
Cosby Area reopened, park completes major culvert replacement
Visitors should plan for single lane closures on Cosby Entrance Road through June.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has reopened the Cosby Area following the construction of a new culvert under Cosby Entrance Road.
Smokies begins multi-year rehabilitation of Bullhead Trail to Mount LeConte
The National Park Service (NPS), in partnership with Friends of the Smokies, is beginning a multi-year rehabilitation of the iconic Bullhead Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
