Great Smoky Mountains National Park Initiates Corona Virus Health Guidelines

Smoky Mountain campgrounds and facilities close due to COVID - 19..

Smoky Mountain campgrounds and facilities close due to COVID – 19.

Great Smoky Mountains Initiates Corona Virus Health Guidelines. Beginning Monday, March 23, 2020 all national park campgrounds, picnic areas, pavilions and restrooms will be closed to the public. The closure of the facilities will continue until Thursday, April 30, 2020. At this time there is no definitive position on if backcountry campsites will close also. This is a  continuing effort to support federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). As conditions change in America and the Smoky Mountain region, the park will continue to implement operational changes that help ensure the health and safety of visitors, employees, volunteers, partners, and local communities.

Continue reading…

Appalachian Trail Thru Hikers Asked To Postpone Thru-Hikes

Appalachian Trail thru hikers asked to cancel hikes to avoid Corona Virus risks.

Appalachian Trail thru hikers asked to cancel hikes to avoid Corona Virus risks.

Appalachian Trail Thru Hikers Asked To Postpone Thru-Hikes. Late winter and early spring is the time for a mass human migration known as Appalachian Trail thru-hike season. Hundreds of hearty souls begin their 2,160 mile odyssey on a lonely mountain in Georgia called Springer. Hikers will usually hike South to North and will traverse fourteen states. The northern terminus of the AT is a foreboding island in the sky called Mount Katahdin, Maine.

Continue reading…

Great Smoky Mountain National Park Visitor Centers Close

GSMNP visitor center close to slow Corona virus.

GSMNP visitor centers close to slow Corona virus.

Great Smoky Mountain National Park Visitor Centers Close March 17, 2020. The closures are in response to efforts to inhibit the spread of the COVID – 19 (Corona) virus. The closures include the Sugarlands, Oconaluftee and Cades Cove Visitors Centers until further notice.

Great Smoky National Park officials are heeding guidance from the Centers for Disease Control. The facilities are being shuttered to ensure the safety of park staff and visitors.

Continue reading…

Smoky Mountain Region Coronavirus Closings

Smoky Mountain region coronavirus closings and cancellations.

Smoky Mountain region coronavirus closings and cancellations.

Smoky Mountain Region Coronavirus Closings as of March 16, 2020. As the nation and the world brace for the effects of the COVID-19 virus the Smoky Mountain region is taking measures to protect the public. Many major events and gatherings are being cancelled or postponed as concerns grow in East Tennessee. Officials are urging large gatherings be put on hold as the number of confirmed cases in the United State continue to rise. Large group gatherings are believed to increase the chance of infection and should be avoided.

The following businesses and events will be closed, cancelled or postponed.

Continue reading…

Park Recruits Trail Volunteers

GSMNP recruits hiking trail volunteers.

GSMNP recruits hiking trail volunteers.

Park Recruits Trail Volunteers. Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses over 500,000 square miles and boasts 848 miles of maintained hiking trails. Volunteers are being recruited to “adopt a trail.” Participants will be asked to hike a single designated trail a minimum of four times a year and submit a report on their findings.

Continue reading…