Smokies to remain open with basic services through Jan. 4 amid ongoing shutdown

KODAK, Tenn. (Oct. 31, 2025) – Amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, the nonprofit Friends of the Smokies will continue to provide funding to ensure Great Smoky Mountains National Park remains open with basic visitor services and limited staffing from Nov. 3, 2025, through Jan. 4, 2026. The latest agreement allows the popular Cades Cove Loop Road to remain open to the public along with all visitor centers and picnic areas that are normally open this time of year.

Friends of the Smokies joined a partnership of state and local entities that funded the reopening and full staffing of the national park from Oct. 4 through Nov. 2. During that time, all furloughed park employees returned to work, received paychecks, and continued their efforts to serve visitors and protect the park during the busiest tourism month of the year. Great Smoky Mountains National Park attracts an average of more than 1.6 million visitors each October.

As the national park transitions to a relatively slower visitation season, the latest agreement from Nov. 3, 2025, through Jan. 4, 2026, will reduce the funded staff positions to those directly related to basic visitor services. Many park employees will be furloughed if the shutdown continues beyond Nov. 2.

The official agreement to keep the park open is specifically between Sevier County Government and the National Park Service. Under the arrangement, Sevier County pays the federal government directly and the other partners pay their share to Sevier County. The funding effort has been supported by Sevier County, the cities of Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Blount County, the State of Tennessee’s Department of Tourism, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and Friends of the Smokies.

Under the Nov. 3 through Jan. 4 agreement, the total cost to keep the park open with basic services and reduced staffing is approximately $80,000 per week. The State of Tennessee will contribute $25,000 of that weekly total while the remaining seven partners provide $7,000 weekly. Fees collected by the national park for recreation and parking will also be used to fund essential operations.

“This is a tough time for our partners in the national park,” said Dana Soehn, President and CEO of Friends of the Smokies. “Friends of the Smokies is proud to help fund staffing through the holidays so emergency services, restrooms, and visitor centers can remain open when visitation is high. Still, 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.”

The upcoming nine-week agreement ensures previously planned events will continue even if the shutdown persists. That includes the Cades Cove Loop Lope 10-mile and 5K race scheduled Nov. 9, 2025. The race is one of the major annual fundraisers for Friends of the Smokies and is the only official footrace held inside the national park. The event sold out within 24 hours when registration opened in June and attracted participants from 28 different states.

There are also several school activities scheduled in the national park in November. The agreement provides funding for the park’s education staff to work part-time during those student events to allow them to continue as planned. Special use permits for weddings and other previously scheduled events will also be allowed to proceed.

Restrooms, campgrounds, picnic areas, and visitor centers will remain open and accessible to the public on the park’s normal seasonal schedule. Parking tags will still be available for purchase and are required for anyone parking in the Smokies for more than 15 minutes.

Please note there are many seasonal closings that naturally occur in Great Smoky Mountains National Park regardless of the shutdown. That includes several campgrounds, picnic areas, and roads that close during the colder months. See the park’s seasonal facility schedule for more details. Roads can also close in the park due to weather conditions, as is often the case at higher elevations such as Newfound Gap Road and Kuwohi Road. Check the park’s Current Conditions page for the latest closure information.

Friends of the Smokies is a nonprofit partner of the national park funded by your generous donations and specialty license plates. You help us fund projects, programs, equipment, and staffing the national park cannot afford with its normal annual budget. In special circumstances, such as the government shutdown, your support has put us in a position to step up for our beloved Smokies. As we stated in the video below on our YouTube channel, we couldn’t do it without your help.

See the full Oct. 31, 2025, news release from Sevier County Government below.

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LOCAL AND STATE PARTNERS COMMIT TO KEEPING GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK OPEN THROUGH JAN. 4

Sevier County, Tennessee (October 31, 2025) – Since the federal government shutdown began in early October, state and local partners have provided funding to maintain full operations of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As the shutdown enters November, these partners have agreed to continue supporting the park to ensure that key areas remain open to the public through Sunday, January 4, 2026, if the shutdown continues.

Working closely with Acting Superintendent Sellars and the National Park Service, partners have identified ways to adjust operations in line with normal seasonal changes that occur during late fall and winter months while maintaining visitor access and essential services. Some positions will be furloughed to concentrate on visitor services and operations. This continuation allows the park to remain open beyond the current agreement, which was previously set to end on November 2.

Under the agreement, visitor services will operate as normal, with traditional seasonal closings of certain facilities taking place throughout the months of November and December. All four visitor centers will remain open through January 4, with the exception of Kuwohi Visitor Center, which normally closes on November 30. Additionally, Cades Cove Campground and Smokemont Campground will remain open, with Elkmont Campground closing as normal on November 30. The Cades Cove Picnic Area, Deep Creek Picnic Area, Greenbrier Picnic Area, and Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area will remain open, while Chimneys Picnic Area will close as normal on November 30.

The effort to keep Great Smoky Mountains National Park accessible continues to be supported by Sevier County, the Cities of Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Pittman Center, Blount County, Cocke County, the State of Tennessee, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, Friends of the Smokies, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Additionally, beginning with this new agreement, Smokies Life has joined in the effort to support the national park. This funding from local partners is partially offset by revenues from the Park It Forward parking tag program.

Partners will continue to monitor the status of the federal government and plan to meet again in mid-December to discuss next steps if the shutdown remains in effect.

This collaboration ensures that Great Smoky Mountains National Park, America’s most visited national park, remains open and accessible to residents and visitors while maintaining essential services and prioritizing public safety during this period.

To assist the staff of Great Smoky Mountains National Park with promoting what is open and operational during this agreement, here is the full listing of facilities and trails. Always check the park website before your visit: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

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 are open until November 30, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events

Roads and Motor Nature Trails

Anthony Creek Horse Camp – open until November 8
Newfound Gap Road, Cades Cove Loop Road, Upper Tremont Road, Wear Cove Road, Cataloochee Road, and the Foothills Parkway – open year-round, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events
Kuwohi Road – open until November 30, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events
Forge Creek Road – open until December 31, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events
Parson Branch Road and Rich Mountain Road – open until November 9
Little Greenbrier Road – open until November 29
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail – open until November 29, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events

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 Hurricane Helene. Check the park website for the latest status on all trails : https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm

Park Concessions

Smokemont Riding Stable – open until November 22
LeConte Lodge – open until November 25
Cades Cove Riding Stable and Sugarlands Riding Stable – open until December 6
Cades Cove Campground Store and Bike Rental – open until December 13

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About Friends of the Smokies

Friends of the Smokies is the official nonprofit partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Through private donations, fundraising events, and specialty license plates in North Carolina and Tennessee, Friends of the Smokies raises money to fund needed projects and programs in the national park that would otherwise go unfunded.

Learn more about how to get a Friends of the Smokies license plate at BearPlate.org. You can make a direct tax-deductible donation at our website. We are also grateful for those who pitch in at our donation boxes throughout the park. Every gift makes a significant difference for our beloved Smokies. Thank you, Friends!