UPDATE: (10/21/26 11:40 A.M.) (WOKI / NPS) – The Gatlinburg Bypass has reopened in both directions after what the National Park Service is describing as an incident shut down all lanes earlier today.
That roadway connects drivers between Gatlinburg and the Sugarlands area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The specifics of the “incident” have not been released.
ORIGINAL STORY – GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) – The Gatlinburg Bypass, a heavily traveled route that allows motorists to bypass downtown Gatlinburg and travel toward the Sugarlands area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has been closed in both directions.
According to a notice issued by the National Park Service, the closure was implemented because of an unspecified “incident.”
Officials have not released details about the nature of the incident, and no information has been provided regarding possible injuries, the number of vehicles involved, or what may have prompted the closure.
The Gatlinburg Bypass is commonly used by visitors traveling between Gatlinburg and the Sugarlands Visitor Center area without passing through the city’s busy downtown corridor. The road also serves as a popular scenic route offering views of Gatlinburg and the surrounding Smoky Mountains.
At this time, park officials have not announced when the roadway may reopen.
Motorists planning to travel through the area are encouraged to seek alternate routes and monitor National Park Service updates for the latest information.
Additional details are expected to be released as the situation develops.
