Your Winter Guide To Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Continued

Posted by Phil Rodgers in Smoky Mountains

Our previous blog post was dedicated to those of you who enjoy exploring (or who are eager to explore) Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the off season. Since then, our area has received nearly a foot of snow in the lower elevations and even more on the mountains. Administrators even closed the national park to all activity on January 16 due to hazardous weather conditions.

So currently, there's probably not a lot of park activity taking place. But once local travel is re-established, the tips we shared a couple of weeks ago are certainly applicable. (You can always find out the park's operational status by calling 865-436-1200.) And we're back this week with even more advice for visiting the national park in winter.

If you decide to do some hiking, you'll need to plan ahead and check the park website (nps.gov/grsm) to find out the latest info regarding trail closures and warnings. Right now, for example, Scott Mountain Trail is closed from backcountry campsite #6 to Schoolhouse Gap, although the campsite itself is open. Also, Rabbit Creek Trail has a bridge out of service over Abrams Creek, and there are parts of the Boogerman and Caldwell Fork trails where the path has been overrun by high stream waters.

If you find a hiking trail that's open and accessible, you'll want to take a few more precautions before hitting the path. In winter, dress in layers and make sure you have sturdy hiking boots to keep your feet and toes dry and warm. And if you're going to be out for a while, you'll still want to stay hydrated even though temperatures are cold. It's always a good idea to let people know when and where you'll be hiking and to hike with at least one other person if possible.

One good thing about hiking in winter is that in general, the black bears are hibernating, so you probably won't run into one while you're on the trail. Bears usually den for the winter in hollow tree stumps and cavities or wherever there is a shelter. Smoky Mountains bears often den high above the ground, but keep in mind that they do not hibernate in the truest sense of the word. They simply enter longer periods of sleep and may leave the den for short periods if disturbed or if there's a warm spell.

However, on the off chance that you do have a bear encounter in winter, the best thing to do is give it a wide berth and try not to disrupt its life. Don't get close to bears to get a good photo or selfie and never feed bears human food. It makes them more dependent on humans for survival and reinforces their behavior in terms of approaching campsites and other developed areas in search of food.

Finally, and we touched on this in our previous post, you can still camp in the national park in winter. The front-country campgrounds at Smokemont, Elkmont and Cades Cove are typically open year 'round, but currently, Elkmont is closed for winter. The other two accommodate both tent and RV camping and have onsite amenities like bathroom facilities and firewood for sale.

Note that if you're staying overnight in a campground, a parking permit is not required, although if you plan to park anywhere else in the national park during you're stay, you'll need one. See our previous post for more information on parking passes. Also keep in mind that no campgrounds in Great Smoky Mountains National Park offer city water or electric service, although the two that are currently open do have community dump stations.

It's important to note that reservations are required to stay in front-country campgrounds, and permits are needed for backcountry camping. Also, backcountry campsite #87 is closed until further notice due to wildfire damage.

As always, we hope that your Smoky Mountains vacation includes time to visit Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville. The national park is a must-see, but it doesn't have all the restaurants, shops, special events and attractions - like Goats on the Roof!

This content posted by Goats on the Roof of the Smoky Mountains. Visit our home page, goatsontheroofofthesmokies.com for more information on the goats and their coaster.

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