With over 800 miles of trails and 500000 acres of land, the park rangers at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) sure do have their hands full! As with any endeavor that involves nature, there are occasionally trails and roads that are not accessible to the public due to natural or man-made reasons. To stay updated for your next trip to Gatlinburg, take into account these temporary closings so that you aren’t delayed or otherwise inconvenienced. Of course, you can always stay up-to-date by checking the GSMNP website using the wifi at your luxury cabin rental.
1) The Elkmont trails, which includes Little River/Jakes Creek Trail access road, are closed from July 6th to August 31st so that the park service can have these roads repaved. They are also creating new parking lots for each trailhead in the Elkmont area as part of a project funded by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
2) Traffic controls and vehicle checkpoints led by the GSMNP rangers will be increased in frequency and locations to better keep the area protected and safe for everyone to visit. Approximately 20,000 million people make their way to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year, most entering through Gatlinburg.
3) The GSMNP has created a three-part podcast about hiking safety and tips; these include how to approach and/or avoid wildlife in the area and park regulations that must be observed. This is part of a new project this year called the “Reward Yourself-Hike the Great Smokies Challenge”.
Any additional questions you might have can be answered by a member of the park services; questions on how to reach the GSMNP and its various trailheads from your luxury cabin rental can be answered during business hours by our staff at the main office.
