Traffic on Laurel Creek Road/NPS
It's not just cars that are clogging the loop road to Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Bicyclists and pedestrians flood the 11-mile, one-way route during vehicle-free periods, currently Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10 a.m. from May through September. Due to growing use and congestion, the park is proposing to implement a pilot study for 2020 to evaluate changing this vehicle-free period to a weekly, full-day closure on Wednesdays from May through September.
The park began collecting data on visitor use during vehicle-free time periods in 1995. Over the past 25 years, use has continued to increase with up to 1,100 people a day cycling or walking along the roadway during the three-hour closure. This increased use presents several challenges including congestion, lack of parking, and disruption in campground and picnic area operations. During the current morning closures, access to the campground, picnic area, horse concession operation, campground store, and hiking/equestrian trails is blocked to accommodate parking for the biking/pedestrian opportunity on the Loop Road. As a result, traffic leading to the Cades Cove area is often gridlocked by a line of motorists waiting for the Loop Road to open at 10 a.m.
For 2020, the park is proposing to implement a full-day closure of the Loop Road to motor vehicles on Wednesdays to improve safety and provide better access to the area for multiple user groups. By closing the roadway for the entire day, bicyclists and pedestrians would have over 12 hours of daylight to use the Loop Road without vehicles. By spreading use throughout the day, parking should be more available with less impacts to campground, picnic area, and concession operations.
By eliminating the Saturday morning closures, more motorists would have access to the Cades Cove area for these services along with scenic driving on what is traditionally the busiest day of the week for travel in the area. In addition, park staff and volunteers would be able to better support visitor operations on Wednesdays and Saturdays instead of devoting all personnel to traffic management and parking. As a pilot project, the park is proposing this action as a temporary change. The park will assess the effectiveness of the change at the end of the 2020 season.
The public can comment on the proposed change through March 27 using the National Park Service’s Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website and following the link titled “Cades Cove Vehicle-Free Days” or by mail to Superintendent, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. If approved, implementation will begin in May.
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Comments
Great idea. We've ridden with the cars and many do not respect the bikers. We camp at Townsend and ride early Wednesday unless we get rained out. Much safer and enjoyable.
I love the idea of having the loop closed one day per week to all motor traffic. In addition to that, I wouldn't be opposed to closing the loop one Saturday per month to all motor traffic. This gives cyclists and hikers a chance to enjoy the scenery without having to deal with the heavy traffic. Please make this happen! Let's enjoy one day a week without having to deal with heavy traffic!
Hi, it is very wrong to assume bikers and hikers do not donate as much. Those are the people who truly appreciate the peacefulness of nature. Also, I rode the loop Wednesday and noticed many people up in age walking and riding the loop. One man was even pushing a wheel chair for a woman. Others shouldn't be punished for your lack of ability to hike and bike. I would suggest thinking about others, especially children who need the time to get out of their car. Closing the loop for ONE day of the week was the highlight of many families' weeks. All the parking lots and street parking spots were packed. Those people pay federal tax and WANT the loop without cars. How is it fair not to give them what they pay for?
Great Idea--went on a Wednesday. Loved it. Hope they keep this.
Sounds pretty selfish to me. The Cades Cove loop is in effect closed to bikers & hikers every day of the week except Wednesdays, not only one day. And, the Park doesn't pay tourists to think about others donations.
The closure to cars last year on Wednesdays was GREAT. Most of the folks in cars should not even be there. They rush through, don't stop to get out of their cars even to stretch their legs and get some fresh air. One day a week is more than fair to others who claim it is not fair because they can't do the activities of biking and walking. We had a great time with the closure being all day because we stay in Gatlinburg and to make the drive to the Cove when they had the closure up to ten a.m. was very difficult especially with kids. We hope that the full day closure will reamin in 2021.
If you want to drive the loop you have SIX other days to do it....learn how to relax in the other areas of the park.
Would there be an option for a bike and walking lane? Seems that would accommodate all users together..
Discriminated against? No. You can go any of the other days of the week anytime. The point of allowing one day a week for walking, biking without car traffic is just that- to allow that without the vehicle congestion- not to close it altogether. Get over it. Get a mobility scooter and scoot your way around it just as others will walk or bike.