GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — Great Smoky Mountains National Park will temporarily close portions of Little River Road on two mornings next week to allow crews to complete essential road maintenance work.
Park officials said the closures will take place on September 15 and September 17, with work scheduled from 7 a.m. until noon each day.
On September 15, the section of Little River Road between Townsend Wye and Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area will be closed. Visitors traveling through the area can use Wears Valley Road (U.S. 321) between Townsend and Line Springs Road as a detour.
A second closure is planned for September 17, affecting the roadway between Metcalf Bottoms and Elkmont Junction. During that closure, motorists can use Wears Valley Road between Line Springs Road and Pigeon Forge to reach their destinations.
Although road access will be restricted during maintenance operations, popular destinations including Elkmont, Metcalf Bottoms, and Cades Cove will remain open to visitors. Park officials advise travelers to allow extra time for detours and increased traffic.
The park also reminds visitors that motor homes, buses, vans longer than 25 feet, and vehicles towing trailers are prohibited on Wear Cove Gap Road from the park boundary to the Metcalf Bottoms bridge.
The temporary closures are part of a maintenance strategy first implemented in 2024 to safely perform work along one of the park’s busiest roadways. During the short closures, which typically total fewer than 10 hours, crews are able to complete projects that would be difficult or hazardous with normal traffic present.
Maintenance activities generally include:
- Mowing and trimming along 24 miles of roadside areas.
- Cleaning approximately 8.5 miles of roadside drainage ditches.
- Repairing 27 damaged road shoulder locations.
Park officials say the work helps improve roadway safety, drainage, and overall driving conditions for the millions of visitors who travel through the Smokies each year.
Visitors planning trips through the Little River Road corridor are encouraged to check traffic conditions and plan alternate routes before arriving.
