Great Smoky Mountains National Park Announces Spring Opening Schedule

GATLINBURG, Tenn. – Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have announced the 2017 spring opening schedule for park facilities.

See the full opening schedule listed below:

Roads – Secondary Roads are scheduled to open as follows: Clingmans Dome Road will open on April 1; Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and Round Bottom/Straight Fork Road will open April 7; Rich Mountain Road and Little Greenbrier Road will open on April 14; and Balsam Mountain Road and Heintooga Ridge Road will open on May 26. Due to road damage and hazard trees, Parson Branch Road will remain closed in 2017. Cades Cove Loop Road will be closed for bicycle use only on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10 a.m. from May 10 through Sept. 27.

Campgrounds open on a staggered schedule that started on March 10. Camping fees range from $14 to $23 per site per night. The park’s developed campgrounds of Cataloochee, Elkmont, Cades Cove, Smokemont, and some sites at Cosby are on the reservation system through Recreaction.gov for at least a portion of their seasons. Visitors can make reservations at the five campgrounds, all group campsites, horse camps, and picnic shelters by booking sites online at www.Recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777.

Reservations are recommended at Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont for the period from May 15 through Oct. 31. During the rest of the open season, these three campgrounds are first-come, first-serve. At these three campgrounds, campers also have an opportunity to reserve a generator-free campsite. Cosby Campground, which has mostly first-come, first-serve campsites, has a limited number of reserve-able sites.

Group Camping is available at the following seven campgrounds by reservation only through www.Recreation.gov: Big Creek, Cataloochee, Cosby, Deep Creek, Elkmont, Cades Cove, and Smokemont. The cost for group camps ranges from $26 to $65 per site per night.

Horse Camps are available by reservation only through Recreation.gov at Anthony Creek, Big Creek, Round Bottom, Tow String and Cataloochee. The horse campsite fees are $20 at all horse camps except for Big Creek where it is $25.

 *Campsites are $20 per site during the reservation period May 15-Oct. 31.  At Elkmont, riverside campsites are $23 during reservation period.

Picnic Areas at Cades Cove, Deep Creek, Greenbrier, and Metcalf Bottoms are open year round. Chimneys picnic area will open on March 11 and Collins Creek picnic area will open on April 7. Big Creek and Cosby picnic areas will open April 14. Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Pavilion will open on April 14. Heintooga picnic area will open on May 26. Look Rock picnic area will remain closed for the year. 

The park’s largest picnic pavilion at Twin Creeks opens on April 1 and reservations are required through www.Recreation.gov. Twin Creeks’ fees range from $35-$75 depending on the number of people. In addition, picnickers can reserve five other picnic pavilions on Recreation.gov. They are located at Collins Creek, Cosby, Deep Creek, Metcalf Bottoms, and Greenbrier picnic areas. The cost is $20, except at Greenbrier where it is $10. 

Horseback riding concessions are now open.

LeConte Lodge, accessible only by trail, is now open. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 865-429-5704, fax 865-774-0045, or email at reservations@lecontelodge.com. One night at the lodge costs $145 per adult and $85 for children 4-12 (tax not included).  Children 3 and under are free. The price includes two meals--dinner and breakfast. Day hikers and backpackers can purchase a prepared bag lunch and snacks/beverages at the lodge.

Campground Concessions – The Cades Cove Campground Store is now open. The store provides groceries, camping supplies, firewood, ice, vending, limited food service, souvenirs, and bike rentals.  The Cades Cove Store has multi-speed comfort bikes, single speed cruisers, and electric assist bikes for rent. The Elkmont Campground concession is also open.  The concession provides firewood, ice, limited camper convenience items, and vending of soft drinks, newspapers, and snacks. 

For more information on park events, please visit the park’s website at http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/calendar.htm.

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