Gatlinburg Wildfires Update

Gatlinburg Wildfires Update

What is the status of Gatlinburg, The National Park, Cabins and Attractions?

We appreciate your interest in visiting the Great Smoky Mountains.   Given a large amount of questions we have been receiving regarding the wildfires and its affect on our area we have prepared this Gatlinburg Wildfires Update.

Do any cabins have fire damage?

None of the cabins we currently have in our inventory have fire damage.   We did have some cabins burn down that were in the Ski Mountain and Chalet Village areas, but our main resort property and the remaining cabins are unharmed.

Did the wildfires destroy Downtown Gatlinburg?

The wildfires did affect pockets of the Gatlinburg.  “Pockets” is the operative description.  In some locations on the foothills and ridges above the Gatlinburg Downtown strip you would observe burned trees and underbrush or cabins burned.  In most areas from Downtown you would really have to look to find it.   The Gatlinburg Downtown strip is fully intact and t here was no impact to the downtown structures in Gatlinburg on or just off the strip.   Again, there are some pocket areas with structures that have been burned and the area between downtown and Ober Gatlinburg did sustain significant damage.   The Gatlinburg downtown area was open and running for the holidays in December and visitors were celebrating.

Pigeon Forge and Seveirville were less impacted than Gatlinburg.

How did the wildfires affect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

According to National Park surveys an estimated 15,000 acres of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park did burn.  However, this represents less than 3% of the total park and most of it is in remote areas only accessible via the back country or difficult hiking trails.   With the exception of Chimney Tops, the main hiking trails and waterfall trails that many visitors enjoy are unharmed.   So there is plenty of untouched acreage and hiking for visitors to enjoy.

What about the main Elk Springs Resort Property?

Luckily, Elk Springs Resort was spared from fires and there is no visible fire damage on, near or that can be seen from the property.  The views from the cabins are magnificent.  You will see the mountain peaks and woodlands surrounding our cabins.