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Cosby Area At Great Smoky Mountains National Park Now Open

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Compiled from NPS releases

Published Date

May 12, 2025

 

Work to install a new, larger, culvert on the road into the Cosby Entrance of Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been completed/NPS

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has reopened the Cosby Area following the construction of a new culvert under the Cosby Entrance Road. 

The road opened May 9 as the park had completed a stage of the Cosby Entrance Road rehabilitation. Single-lane closures will be in place on the Cosby Entrance Road through June, and so you should plan for potential delays. 

The recently completed work involved replacing two 14-foot culverts at Rock Creek that were in poor condition with a new 25-foot culvert. Park staff say the larger culvert will allow for better water flow and decrease any build up of debris in an area that has seen significant floods. The culvert has an open bottom that allows for aquatic species passage along the natural creek bottom.  

The full road rehabilitation will include the following:   

  • Milling and paving of the road and the picnic area and trailhead parking lots. 

  • Addition of two new handicap accessible parking spaces. 

  • Ditch and shoulder improvements. 

  • New road signs.

  • Replacement of the Rock Creek culvert. 

The rehabilitation is expected to be completed in June. The project was funded by recreation fee revenue as well as funding from the Federal Lands Transportation Program.  

The Cosby Campground and Picnic Area are currently closed and will open when operational capacity allows.  

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Road Work On Tap For Great Smoky Mountains This Summer
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