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11:10 a.m. March 6, 2014
Great Smoky Mountains National Park awakens from winter’s blast on Friday, March 7
Sunset at Clingmans Dome can be seen again beginning April 1 when the National Park reopens Clingmans Dome Road. Image by Jeaneane Payne. |
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GATLINBURG, TN — Great Smoky Mountains National Park will welcome Spring for the 2014 season as campgrounds and secondary roads begin opening Friday, March 7. America’s most visited national park won’t have flowers blossoming yet, but visitors will be thrilled to leave the worst of this winter’s blasts behind.
Areas of the park that are typically closed for during the winter months will start opening March 7 through April 11 with a couple of roads opening on May 23.
The schedule follows:
Roads – Secondary Roads are scheduled to open as follows: Forge Creek Road will open on March 7; Clingmans Dome Road will open on April 1; Round Bottom/Straight Fork Road will open April 4; Parson Branch, Rich Mountain Road, Roaring Fork Nature Trail, and Little Greenbrier will open on April 11; Heintooga Ridge and Balsam Mountain roads will open on May 23.
Cades Cove Loop Road will be closed for bicycle use only on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10:00 a.m. from May 7 through September 24.
Operating Hours for Visitor Centers – The three visitor centers are open daily and the operating hours through March are as follows: Sugarlands Visitor Center, near Gatlinburg, TN, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Cades Cove Visitor Center, near Townsend, TN, 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m., and the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, NC, hours will be 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Hours are extended for each location as the season progresses. Clingmans Dome Visitor Contact Station will open April 1.
Campgrounds will open on a staggered schedule starting March 14.
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Campground Schedule 2014
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| Campground |
Fee |
Open |
Group Sites |
| North Carolina: |
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| Smokemont* |
$17, $20 |
Year 'round |
May 15 |
| Balsam Mountain |
$14 |
May 23 |
NA |
| Deep Creek |
$17 |
April 11 |
April 11 |
| Big Creek |
$14 |
April 11 |
April 11 |
| Cataloochee |
$20 |
March 14 |
March 14 |
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| Tennessee: |
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| Cades Cove* |
$17, $20 |
Year-round |
March 14 |
| Elkmont* |
$17, $20 |
March 14 |
April 25 |
| Cosby |
$14 |
April 11 |
April 11 |
| Look Rock |
$14 |
May 11 |
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| Abrams Creek |
$14 |
May 23 |
NA |
| *$20 per site during the reservation period May 15 - October 31. At Elkmont, riverside sites are $23 during reservation period only. |
Campers have an opportunity to camp in “generator free” campsites at Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont campgrounds. The generator-free loop sections of these campgrounds are reservable through Recreation.gov.
Group Camping will be available at seven campgrounds (see schedule for opening dates) and reservations must be made through Recreation.gov. Group camping is available at Big Creek, Cataloochee, Cosby, Deep Creek, Elkmont, Cades Cove, and Smokemont. The cost for group camping ranges from $26 to $65 per site per night.
Horse Camps at Cataloochee, Round Bottom, and Tow String will open April 4. Anthony Creek will open on April 1 and Big Creek on April 11. Reservations are only available through Recreation.gov. The horse site fees are $20 at all horse camps except for Big Creek where it is $25.
Picnic Areas at Cades Cove, Deep Creek, Greenbrier, and Metcalf Bottoms picnic areas are open year round. Chimneys picnic area will open on March 15 and Collins Creek picnic area will open on April 4. Big Creek and Cosby picnic areas will open shortly after on April 11. Heintooga picnic area will open on May 23. The opening of Look Rock picnic area is yet to be determined.
The park’s largest picnic pavilion at Twin Creeks opens on April 1 and reservations are required through Recreation.gov. Twin Creeks’ fees range from $35-$75 depending on the number of people. In addition, picnickers can reserve five other picnic pavilions on Recreation.gov. They are located at Collins Creek, Cosby, Deep Creek, Metcalf Bottoms, and Greenbrier picnic areas. The cost is $20, except at Greenbrier where it is $10.
Horseback Riding - The opening dates for the three horseback concessions located on the Tennessee side of the Park are: Smoky Mountain Riding Stable on March 7; Sugarlands Riding Stable on March 7; and Cades Cove on March 8. In addition to horseback rides, Cades Cove Riding Stable will offer their customary carriage rides and hay rides which are wheelchair accessible. The Smokemont Riding Stable in North Carolina will open March 22 providing guided horseback rides along with horse-drawn wagon rides along the route of the historic Oconaluftee Turnpike.
LeConte Lodge, accessible only by trail, will open on March 24. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 865/429-5704, fax 865/774-0045 or email: reservations@lecontelodge.com. One night at the lodge costs $132 per adult and $85 for children 10 and under (tax not included). The price includes two meals--dinner and breakfast. Day hikers and backpackers can purchase a prepared bag lunch and snacks/beverages at the lodge.
Campground Concessions – The Cades Cove Campground Store has been open since March 2. The store provides groceries, camping supplies, firewood, ice, vending, limited food service, souvenirs, and bike rentals. The Cades Cove Store has multi-speed comfort bikes, single speed cruisers, and electric assist bikes for rent. The Elkmont Campground concession opened on March 14. The concession provides firewood, ice, limited camper convenience items, and vending of soft drinks, newspapers, and snacks.
Published March 6, 2014
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