Courtesy: WATE Planning on visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park anytime soon? You may notice some big changes in congestion and parking
Courtesy: WATE
Planning on visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park anytime soon? You may notice some big changes in congestion and parking. The first steps are underway to limit what the park calls “unsafe” parking at trailheads throughout the park. The move comes ahead of a plan to require visitors to purchase parking passes when visiting, beginning March 1 of 2023.
Visitors will still be able to park in the designated parking lots at trailheads, but you will need to plan ahead and have other arrangements in mind in case the parking lot is full.
Lanes on several roads near busy destinations in the Park will be temporarily closed this week for the installation of roadside barriers aimed at eliminating parking on the side of the road.
The temporary, single-lane road closures began this week and will continue on weekdays through March at the following locations:
* Newfound Gap Road near the Gatlinburg
* Alum Cave and Chimney Tops trailheads
* Little River Road near Laurel Falls trailhead
* Cherokee Orchard Road
* Big Creek and Deep Creek picnic areas.
