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Contact: Camille Bennett
UPDATE: Sept. 27 at 6:20 p.m. EDT
Great Smoky Mountains National Park staff continue to assess conditions as weather impacts from Hurricane Helene ease. Today’s closures will remain in effect. While rainfall has lightened, the high wind warning for the Tennessee-side of the park is extended through 8 a.m. tomorrow and flood warnings are in effect on the North Carolina-side.
Visitors are encouraged to reschedule their trips for their own safety and to reduce traffic in surrounding communities impacted by the storm. Hiking and backcountry travel are not recommended due to the unpredictability of creek crossings and other hazardous trail conditions.
Sugarlands Visitor Center and Cades Cove Visitor Center are scheduled to open at 11 a.m. on Sept. 28. Oconaluftee Visitor Center will remain closed while the heavier storm impacts on the North Carolina-side of the park are assessed. Kuwohi Visitor Center will also remain closed. Park staff will continue to assess conditions in the morning and reopen roads and facilities as weather and safety permits.
Current closures:
- Newfound Gap Road/US 441
- Cades Cove Loop Road
- Little River Road from Elkmont to the Townsend Wye & Wear Cove Gap Road
- Cataloochee Valley including Hwy 284
- Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga/Round Bottom/Straight Fork)
- Heintooga Ridge Road
- Big Creek Entrance Road
- Cherokee Orchard Road & Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
- Foothills Parkway East
- Little Greenbrier Road & Ramsey Prong Road
- Lake View Drive
- Rich Mountain Road
- Upper Tremont Road
- The Deep Creek between Indian Creek Bridge and park boundary (closed to all water activity)
- Balsam Mountain, Cataloochee, and Big Creek campgrounds
The park received 9 inches of rain at Newfound Gap, and Cataloochee saw historic flooding with 9.5 feet. The last Cataloochee flooding record was 8 feet in 1963. Winds in the park reached 62 mph.
The park is also supporting surrounding communities as conditions are assessed.
Additional updates will be shared on the park website.
UPDATE: Sept. 27 at 10 a.m. EDT
The National Park Service continues to monitor conditions from the remnants of Hurricane Helene. While the park did not receive the forecasted peak winds overnight, the center of the tropical storm is predicted to pass over the park mid-morning today. A high wind warning remains in effect through 8 p.m. tonight. A flood watch remains in effect through this afternoon.
The park is implementing the following closures:
- Little River Road from Elkmont to the Townsend Wye & Wear Cove Gap Road (new)
- Lake View Drive (new)
- All visitor centers
- Balsam Mountain, Cataloochee, and Big Creek campgrounds
- Newfound Gap Road/US 441
- Cades Cove Loop Road
- Rich Mountain Road
- Cataloochee Valley roads including Hwy 284
- Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga/Round Bottom/Straight Fork)
- Heintooga Ridge Road
- Big Creek Entrance Road
- Greenbrier area and roads
- Upper Tremont Road
- The Deep Creek between Indian Creek Bridge and park boundary (closed to all water activity)
The park has received over 8 inches of rain at Newfound Gap and an additional 2-4 inches are possible. Flash flooding is possible.
Risks of flooding, high winds, downed trees, landslides and power outages remain, and visitors are encouraged to reschedule their trips. Backcountry travel is not recommended due to the unpredictability of creek crossings. The park will evaluate conditions throughout the day to determine the potential for reopening some areas as weather and safety allow. No areas are expected to reopen today. Current conditions updated as available.
The National Park Service continues to prepare for the expected high wind and heavy rain from Hurricane Helene Thursday night into Friday. Visitors should consider rescheduling this week’s travel plans for their own safety and to reduce the risk on emergency services.
The park is implementing the following closures:
- Newfound Gap Road/US Highway 441 will close today at 2 p.m.
- Sugarlands, Oconaluftee and Cades Cove visitor centers will close today at 3 p.m. through at least Saturday morning, weather and road conditions permitting.
- In North Carolina, Cataloochee Road, Heintooga Ridge Road, Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga/Round Bottom/Straight Fork Road), Balsam Mountain Campground and Cataloochee Campground are closed.
- In Tennessee, Rich Mountain Road, Greenbrier Road, Upper Tremont Road and Sparks Lane are closed.
- Parson Branch Road remains closed due to Flint Gap Fire impacts.
Additional updates will be shared on the park website as available.
Risks of flooding, high winds, downed trees, landslides and power outages are highest Thursday night into Friday. Peak winds are predicted early-morning Friday. Sustained winds of up to 40 mph are likely with gusts as high as 80 mph. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the North Carolina-side of the park for tonight into Friday. A high-wind warning was issued for the Tennessee-side of the park beginning Thursday at 8 p.m. through Friday at 8 p.m.
Some park locations have already received 4-5 inches of rainfall since Wednesday ahead of the tropical storm event. Through Friday, another 4-5 inches is predicted on the Tennessee-side and 6-9 inches on the North Carolina-side of the park. A flood watch is expanded to all of Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina.
Sept. 28 events including Mountain Life Festival, Balsam Mountain Volunteer Day and Smokies Service Day are canceled. Backcountry travel is discouraged, and park staff are in communication with permit holders. Additional closures are possible. Please check current conditions before visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Last updated: September 27, 2024