Skip to main content

Smoky Mountains soon to see road closures for maintenance

Headed to Smoky Mountains soon? Watch out for these road closures

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Wolfgang Kaehler / Getty Images

It’s no surprise that autumn is one of the most popular times to visit the Great Smoky Mountains. However, visitors looking to experience the fall foliage this year should be aware of several temporary road closures and maintenance projects announced by the National Park Service (NPS). From September 23 to 27, these projects could affect your travel plans.

Everything you need to know about the Smoky Mountain road closures

Great Smoky Mountains in October
David Hertle / Unsplash

From September 23 through September 26, park maintenance crews will implement temporary single-lane closures along the north and southbound Spur between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. The closures will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Crews will be conducting several maintenance activities, including mowing, cleaning ditches, removing fallen trees and branches, picking up litter, and repairing guardrails — all in preparation for the prettiest time of year.

Recommended Videos

The single-lane closures may cause delays for travelers, so visitors are advised to plan extra time for their journeys. Drivers are urged to reduce their speeds, drive with caution, and remain vigilant for workers and equipment on the road.

In addition to the single-lane closures on the Spur, River Road will be completely closed for two nights (from the evening of September 25 through the morning of September 26, and again from the evening of September 26 through the morning of September 27) to accommodate the ongoing work. The road will be closed from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and will include the boundary in Gatlinburg to the intersection of Newfound Gap Road and US Highway 441. These nighttime closures are part of the Great American Outdoors Act-funded project, which focuses on rehabilitating the first two miles of Newfound Gap Road near Gatlinburg.

Sarah Joseph
With a bright sense of adventure and a heart for the mountains, Sarah is always thrilled to share nature with others through…
From salt flats to sand dunes: The hidden wonders of Death Valley National Park
Adventure across California’s most diverse landscapes
Salt flats in badwater basin in Death Valley

Death Valley National Park is infamously known as big, barren, and foreboding. So why is it named one of the best national parks to visit in winter, attracting over 1 million annual visitors? The answer is in this park's sheer variety of natural landmarks. One moment, you're standing on a mile-long salt flat. Next, you're admiring the rainbow-colored badlands, and by sunset, you're trekking the dunes -- all within the same park.
Have I piqued your interest? I hope so. Death Valley rivals Yosemite as one of California's most ecologically diverse natural landmarks, and it deserves a visit. But what formations are most worth your time, especially if you only have one day to explore? Let me suggest a few must-see sights based on my most recent visit and a primer on the park's history and geography.

Death Valley National Park’s history, climate, and key facts

Read more
These are the national parks undergoing controlled burns to cut wildfire risks
Going to one of these national parks soon? You might just see some smoke.
Shenandoah National Park in the fall

Prescribed burns are one of the park rangers' most important tools to protect their national parks and ecosystems. By intentionally burning off the excess vegetation like dry grass, shrubs, and dead wood, prescribed burns ultimately reduce the chance of wildfires because there won't be any old vegetation to catch fire later. It's far better for the National Forest Service and local fire teams to do the burns in a controlled setting than to watch it get out of hand later in the year. Here are the national parks across America that are currently in their burning phase:

Shenandoah National Park: Fire managers plan to burn approximately 40 acres of Big Meadows and 20 acres in the park's headquarters. Weather permitting, the burn will start on March 11 and end around April 30th.
Voyageurs National Park: This month, burns will take place in selected wetlands near Black Bay and Cranberry Bay on Rainy Lake to eliminate invasive hybrid cattails and reduce woody plant encroachment.
Cape Cod National Seashore: Prescribed burns will occur at Fort Hill in Eastham during the second week of March. The affected area will be 14 acres along the hillside adjacent to the upper parking lot at Fort Hill.
George Washington Carver National Monument: From March 10th to the 14th, this national monument plans a prescribed burn of about 100 acres to reduce woody species. While the area will be open to visitors, the Carver trail will be closed.

Read more
New study reveals the best road trips across the United States
Ready for a road trip?
Road trip

If you’re craving the freedom of the open road, you’re not alone. A new study by Journeyscape has identified the best road trips across the United States, ranking them based on key factors like the number of must-see stops, states covered, available hotels and restaurants, and overall experience. Each route was given a score out of 10, highlighting the best journeys for travelers. Here are a few of the top picks.
Roller Coaster Tour

Topping the list is the Roller Coaster Tour, a nearly 3,000-mile adventure from Wisconsin Dells, WI, to Jackson, NJ. This journey stops at major theme parks, guaranteeing adrenaline-pumping excitement along the way. But it’s not just about the coasters, the route also offers amazing scenery, taking travelers past the Great Lakes of Michigan and Erie, through the heart of the Midwest, and finally up to the East Coast for a grand finale at some of the country’s top amusement parks.
Pacific Coast Paradise

Read more