Spring in the Great Smokies...
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has posted the 2006 Spring Schedule; many facilities are now open to enjoy! The Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg is now open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the Cades Cove Visitor Center near Townsend is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, NC is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. LeConte Lodge, which is accessible only by trail, is now open as well. Lodge reservations can be made by calling 865-429-5704, faxing 865-774-0045, or emailing reservations@lecontelodge.com.
Many roads which have been closed for the winter are now in operation. Little Greenbrier, Rich Mountain and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail are now open to traffic. Clingmans Dome Road will open on April 1st and the Heintooga Ridge Road will open May 12th. A few roads will remain closed, including Balsam Mountain Road and Parson Branch Road. Both are undergoing construction to repair damages.
The national park has opened various family campgrounds as well. Group camping is available at seven different developed campgrounds, Big Creek, Cataloochee, Cosby, Deep Creek, Elkmont, Cades Cove and Smokemont. Cades Cove, Elkmont and Smokemont offer generator free campsites. On April 1st, the horse camps at Anthony Creek, Big Creek, Catalooche and Towstring will open to the public. The Round Bottom camp will remain closed until construction on Straight Fork/Balsam Mountain Road is completed.
Ten first-come, first-served picnic areas are available in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Currently, Big Creek, Cades Cove, Chimney Tops, Cosby, Greenbrier, Deep Creek, Metcalf Bottoms, and Collins Creek are open for your picnic pleasure. Heintooga and Look Rock will open May 12th. Due to construction, Twin Creeks picnic pavilion will open May 1st, only on Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays. Reservations are required at Twin Creeks. The picnic areas of Collins Creek, Cosby, Deep Creek, Metcalf Bottoms and Greenbrier offer spacious pavilions as well.
Four park concessions offer leisurely horseback rides. Smokemont will open April 1st; Smoky Mountain, Sugarlands, and Cades Cove riding stables are now open. Cades Cove also provides buggy rides, hayrides and educational ranger-led hayrides.
Reservations for all park services and facilities may be secured up to five months prior to your trip by calling 1-800-365-226.
On April 1st, the Cades Cove Campground Store will open. Elkmont is already in operation as well as Smokemont Stables, which sells firewood, ice and soft drinks.