Where to go. What to See. Things to Do.
Us 441 also called Newfound Gap Road from Gatlinburg, TN to Cherokee is open now but the Park Service advises drivers to watch for patches of snow and ice still on the road in some places. Recent snow and cold temperatures have caused hazardous road conditions in the area. For up to date info see Smokies Road Info on Twitter.
Work to stabilize Newfound Gap Road through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park begins January 5, 2014 and will last about four months. The project is to rebuild part of the road and add a retaining wall. Traffic lanes will be shifted and drivers should pay close attention to the new traffic patterns when driving in the work zone. Travelers should expect temporary lane closures from time to time. Newfound Gap Road is a popular and busy roadway in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Cherokee Man Dies in Crash James E. Bigmeat Jr, 44, of Cherokee., was killed Friday in a single vehicle wreck in front of park headquarters near Gatlinburg. His wife, 34-year-old Angie Murphy, also of Cherokee, was transported by Gatlinburg EMS to the University of Tennessee Medical Center. She was listed in fair condition as of Tuesday. The SUV was traveling northbound on Newfound Gap Road when Bigmeat ran off the roadway in front of Park Headquarters near Gatlinburg and hit a tree.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Attendance Attendance in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is getting back to normal this June after a slow start to the first 5 months in 2013 thanks to the reopening of Newfound Gap Road. Attendance up till June of this year were some of the lowest in years a park official states, but the month of June for 2013 is up more than 5% from last year. GSMNP attendance also affect tourism in nearby Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. The GSMNP is the most-visited park in the United States.
