GATLINBURG, TN — Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be fully open for the fall color season thanks to support from state and local governments, the Eastern Cherokee nation, and Friends of the Smokies.
The outside groups have pooled their resources to enable the park to be fully operational as of Saturday. Closures have been in effect since the start of the shutdown this past Wednesday for Cades Cove Loop Road, two visitor centers at Sugarlands and Cades Cove, and two picnic areas at Chimneys and Cades Cove. All will reopen Saturday.
“We are deeply grateful for the collaboration that will allow the Smokies to be fully open for visitors to enjoy. Thanks to Gov. Bill Lee, Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters, Sevier County leaders, Senators Hagerty and Blackburn, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park team and our Tennessee tourism team," said Mark Ezell, commissioners of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.
"October is one of the best times of year in the Smokies, and we look forward to welcoming families and visitors from around the world to experience the beauty of America’s most-visited national park. This is Tennessee teamwork at its best," he added.
Funding the daily operations are Sevier (Tennessee) County, surrounding cities, counties, the State of Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, Friends of the Smokies and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
As of 12:01 a.m,. ET on Saturday the park will be fully open and operational, per an agreement with the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior, and Sevier County, Tennessee. Under the agreement, areas that were previously closed, such as Sugarlands Visitor Center, Chimneys Picnic Area, and Cades Cove Loop Road, Visitor Center, and Picnic Area, will be open and operational beginning Saturday morning.
This funding also ensures that staff are on duty to service restrooms, respond to visitors in need, and provide essential services to protect wildlife during this peak visitor season. Per the terms of the agreement, local and state partners will fund $61,703.18 each day to ensure full operations of the national park. Additionally, the national park will fund remaining daily operational costs through recreation fee revenue, which includes revenue from campgrounds and parking tags.
“It is disappointing that the federal government has once again failed to prevent a shutdown that puts our national parks and communities at risk,” said Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters. “Thankfully, our state and local partners have stepped up once again to ensure Great Smoky Mountains National Park remains open. The park is a vital part of our regional economy, and closing it during peak fall season is simply not an option. We are proud to welcome the hundreds of thousands of visitors who will come to enjoy the Smokies in the weeks ahead.”
"Importantly, this funding ensures that staff are on duty for servicing restrooms, responding to visitors in need, and providing essential services to protect wildlife during this peak visitor season," said Dana Soehn, president and CEO of Friends of the Smokies.
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