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Access To Cataloochee At Great Smoky Mountains National Park To Be Difficult At Best

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Published Date

January 28, 2020
It will be hard, if not impossible, to visit Palmer Chapel in the Cataloochee Valley this spring/Kurt Repanshek file

It will be hard, if not impossible, to visit Palmer Chapel in the Cataloochee Valley this spring/Kurt Repanshek file

Sometimes you just can't get there from here, and that figures to be the case if you want to visit the Cataloochee area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park this spring.

The main road to Cataloochee, the Cove Creek Road, will be closed to the public beginning February 10 and running through May 20 while North Carolina highway crews work to stabilize a hillside just outside the park boundary. The secondary access road into the area, Highway 284, will also be closed in the park throughout the duration of the construction project. Both roadways will be closed to all vehicles, cyclists, and horseback riders.

Highway 284 is a narrow, winding gravel road leading from the Big Creek area of the park into Cataloochee Valley. This gravel route is often seasonally closed during the winter months due to hazardous conditions and is not recommended for low clearance vehicles or trailers. This road will be closed throughout the closure period at the park boundary, approximately 2 miles north of Mt. Sterling Gap. During the closure, there will not be any potable water, restrooms, trash removal, or camping provided in the Cataloochee area.

Backcountry trails and campgrounds will remain open throughout the closure, but there will be no access to trailhead parking beyond the Big Creek area. Hikers and horseback riders should plan to start their itineraries from the Big Creek area or other areas across the park. The Cataloochee Campground, Group Camp, Horse Camp, and all services are expected to be operational by Memorial Day weekend. 

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