Great Smoky Mountains National Park closes main road for snow and opens others after Helene

A major road through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is closing due the threat of ice and snow while other areas of the park are beginning to open after being impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Newfound Gap Road/U.S. 441 will be closed overnight beginning at 6 p.m. Oct. 15 due to forecasted wintry weather in areas above 4,000 feet, the National Park Service stated in a post on X . Staff will assess conditions the morning of Oct. 16.

Meanwhile, Lakeview Drive has reopened after sustaining Hurricane Helene damage, the park service announced , and the Smokemont and Deep Creek campgrounds are slated to reopen Oct. 16.

Parts of Great Smoky Mountains National Park have experienced “substantial damage,” particularly on the North Carolina side of the park.

Many facilities, roads, trails and campgrounds are now open on the Tennessee side, but the North Carolina side has washed out roads and bridges and damaged trails and historic sites, the park service said in an update last week.

What’s closed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park as of Oct. 15?

While park staff continues to assess damage caused by Helene, Balsam Mountain, Cataloochee and Big Creek areas, campgrounds and roads remain closed. Foothills Parkway East near Cosby is closed, too.

Several trails in the park are temporarily closed. Details and updates can be found in the "Trail and Backcountry Closures, Warnings & Cautions" section on nps.gov/grsm.

Parson Branch Road in Tennessee remains closed due to Flint Gap Fire impacts.

The park suggests all visitors in the Smokies to check the park website at nps.gov/grsm and talk to staff at visitor centers about conditions in the park.

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com . On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208 .

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Great Smoky Mountains National Park closes main road for snow and opens others after Helene