As Western North Carolina heads into the winter season, a group of nonprofits and local leaders are scaling back funding to keep the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Blue Ridge Parkway facilities open with basic visitor services and limited staffing amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.
Friends of the Smokies, the nonprofit partner of the national park based in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is among several entities that have funded full staffing of the Great Smokie from Oct. 4 through Nov. 2. For that month, all furloughed park employees were back on the job and being paid through the group’s funding. This included workers who manage wildlife, clear trails and support visitors’ experiences, the Citizen Times reported.
But as the park transitions to a typically slower visitation season, the next round of funding will reduce the funded staff positions to those “directly related to basic visitor services,” the nonprofit said in a news release Oct. 31.
If the federal government shutdown continues beyond Nov. 2, nonprofit spokesperson Jim Matheny estimated that at least half of the staff will no longer be paid to work through the next funding agreement.
“We’re deeply saddened that critical work — treating hemlocks, repairing trails, and preserving historic cabins — will pause due to furloughed staff. Caring for this park is year-round work, and the best news will be a fully funded park with an end to the shutdown,” Dana Soehn, President and CEO of Friends of the Smokies, said in the release.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have started back-channel negotiations to fund the government, as the impasse has now extended for 33 days. It could soon become the longest government closure in history. The longest shutdown in American history ended on Jan. 25, 2019, under President Donald Trump, after a full 34 days.
The latest agreement with the National Park Service extends from Nov. 3 to Jan. 4, keeping open the popular Cades Cove Loop Road, all visitor centers and picnic areas that are normally open this time of year.
The total cost to keep the park open with basic services and reduced staffing is about $80,000 per week, the news release said. The State of Tennessee will contribute $25,000 of that weekly total and seven other partners provide $7,000 weekly. Fees collected by the national park for recreation and parking will also be used to fund essential operations.
Similarly, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has funded the reopening of three popular visitor facilities on the parkway through October: Parkway Visitor Center in Asheville at Milepost 384, near the U.S. 74A entrance; the Museum of North Carolina Minerals in Spruce Pine at Milepost 331; and Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Virginia.
The next round of the foundation’s funding will be limited to keeping the Parkway Visitor Center open through Nov. 9, according to spokesperson Rita Larkin. The other two sites would typically close for the winter season, so Larkin said the foundation will not be funding those.
What’s open?
Great Smoky Mountains restrooms, campgrounds, picnic areas, and visitor centers will remain open and accessible to the public on the park’s normal seasonal schedule, the release said.
Great Smoky visitor centers:
- Cades Cove (Cable Mill) Visitor Center, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, and Sugarlands Visitor Center are open year-round.
- Kuwohi Visitor Center and Kuwohi Road, the area formerly known as Clingmans Dome, are open until Nov. 30, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events.
Roads and motor nature trails:
- Anthony Creek Horse Camp is open until Nov. 8.
- Newfound Gap Road, Cades Cove Loop Road, Upper Tremont Road, Wear Cove Road, Cataloochee Road, and the Foothills Parkway are open year-round, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events.
- Kuwohi Road is open until Nov. 30, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events.
- Forge Creek Road is open until Dec. 31, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events.
- Parson Branch Road and Rich Mountain Road are open until Nov. 9.
- Little Greenbrier Road is open until Nov. 29.
- Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is open until Nov. 29, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events.
Park concessions:
- Smokemont Riding Stable is open until Nov. 22.
- LeConte Lodge is open until Nov. 25.
- Cades Cove Riding Stable and Sugarlands Riding Stable are open until Dec. 6.
- Cades Cove Campground Store and Bike Rental are open until Dec. 13.
Hiking trails:
Most hiking trails remain open year-round; however, some trailheads may be inaccessible to motor vehicles due to seasonal or weather-related road closures. Numerous trails remain closed in the Cataloochee area due to damage from Tropical Storm Helene. Check the park website for the latest status on all trails: nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm
Blue Ridge Parkway closures, weather alerts?
The 469-mile scenic byway is among the most-visited sites in the National Park Service, snaking across the Blue Ridge Mountains from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smokies in Cherokee. There are several high elevation spots and tunnels along the route, which frequently freeze over in the winter, causing sections to close.
“We will continue to provide safety alerts and weather updates, and continue maintenance as needed,” NPS’ Office of Communications said via email in response to Citizen Times’ questions.
All campgrounds along the parkway closed on Oct. 27 for the winter season. Trails and picnic areas that had reopened since Helene are still open along the parkway, according to the nonprofit.
Most visitor centers will close for the season in early-to-mid November. However, the Folk Art Center at Milepost 382 in Asheville will remain open year-round, where visitors can shop artisan crafts from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. A full list of open and closed facilities can be found on the foundation’s website.
Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober
