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The curving ramp and concrete observation tower on Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) above a spruce-fir forest

Great Smoky Mountains · Winter

Smokies winter roads: what closes, and when.

Some park roads close on a calendar. Newfound Gap Road closes when the weather says so. Check any date against the NPS schedule, then use the live sources before you drive.

Check a dateLive status links

Photo: Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Short answer

Newfound Gap Road (US-441) stays open all year, weather permitting, but NPS closes it for snow and ice as needed. Kuwohi Road (formerly Clingmans Dome Road) is seasonal: the 2026 schedule has it open April 1 to November 29, and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail open April 17 to November 29. For today's status, check the NPS closures page, @SmokiesRoadsNPS or call (865) 436-1200.

NPS seasonal roads page updated Apr 20, 2026
5,046feet at Newfound Gap, the high point of US-441.
34miles of Newfound Gap Road between Gatlinburg and Cherokee.
7seasonal roads with posted 2026 dates.
4park roads NPS lists as open year-round.

Interactive

Which roads are open on your date?

Pick a date to see which seasonal roads are scheduled open. A scheduled-open road can still close for weather, and the year-round roads can close for snow and ice.

Seasonal road checkerNPS 2026 schedule

Scheduled open dates for 2026 are listed below.

  • Kuwohi Road (formerly Clingmans Dome Road)Open Apr 1 to Nov 29, 2026
  • Roaring Fork Motor Nature TrailOpen Apr 17 to Nov 29, 2026
  • Little Greenbrier RoadOpen Apr 3 to Nov 29, 2026
  • Rich Mountain RoadOpen Apr 10 to Nov 9, 2026
  • Parson Branch RoadOpen May 1 to Nov 9, 2026
  • Heintooga Ridge RoadOpen May 15 to Oct 31, 2026
  • Forge Creek RoadOpen Mar 6 to Dec 31, 2026

Live status

Check these before you drive.

We don't track live conditions. These are the official sources.

nps.govNPS current closuresRoad, facility, trail and backcountry closures, updated by the park.nps.govNPS weather and road conditionsThe park's conditions page with weather and road information.x.com@SmokiesRoadsNPS on XThe park's road-status account, announced by NPS for closures and openings.PhonePark information lineCall (865) 436-1200 and follow the prompts for road information.nps.govNPS seasonal road scheduleThe posted open and close dates for every seasonal road.flyknoxville.comTYS flight statusYour airline and the airport for flight delays in winter weather.

NPS announced @SmokiesRoadsNPS in a 2011 release; current NPS planning pages link to the closures page above.

Morning fog lifting off a forested ridge above a wildflower meadow in the Great Smoky Mountains

The pass

5,046 feet changes the forecast.

Newfound Gap Road climbs from Gatlinburg to the gap and down to Cherokee. Open, it is 31.6 miles from Gatlinburg over the gap to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee. Closed, the two sides of the park are a long way around.

Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

NPS dates

The 2026 seasonal road schedule

RoadOpensCloses afterStatus in winter
Kuwohi Road (formerly Clingmans Dome Road)Apr 1Nov 29Closed to cars
Roaring Fork Motor Nature TrailApr 17Nov 29Closed to cars
Little Greenbrier RoadApr 3Nov 29Closed to cars
Rich Mountain RoadApr 10Nov 9Closed to cars
Parson Branch RoadMay 1Nov 9Closed to cars
Heintooga Ridge RoadMay 15Oct 31Closed to cars
Forge Creek RoadMar 6Dec 31Closed to cars
Newfound Gap Road (US-441)Year-roundYear-roundOpen, weather permitting
Cataloochee RoadYear-roundYear-roundOpen, weather permitting
Upper Tremont RoadYear-roundYear-roundOpen, weather permitting
Wear Cove RoadYear-roundYear-roundOpen, weather permitting

From the NPS seasonal roads page (updated April 20, 2026). Heintooga Round Bottom Road and Straight Fork Road were listed as to be determined. The park's Superintendent's Compendium lists the seasonal roads as closed to motor vehicles in winter.

Winter trip

Still worth the drive.

Cades Cove
Low elevationCades CoveThe loop is not on the seasonal-closure list.
Gatlinburg
TownGatlinburgFree trolley 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. from November to April.
Smoky Mountain Christmas
Through Jan 3, 2027Smoky Mountain ChristmasDollywood's holiday festival starts Nov 6.
Knoxville
CityKnoxvilleDowntown is 32 minutes from the airport.

Plan more

Questions

Is Newfound Gap Road open in winter?
Newfound Gap Road (US-441) is open year-round, weather permitting. NPS closes it for snow and ice when needed, so check current closures before you go.
When does Clingmans Dome Road close?
The road is now called Kuwohi Road (formerly Clingmans Dome Road). On the 2026 NPS schedule it is open April 1 to November 29, so it is closed to cars from November 30 through the winter.
When does Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail close?
On the 2026 NPS schedule it is open April 17 to November 29.
How do I check Smoky Mountains road closures today?
Use the NPS current closures page, the @SmokiesRoadsNPS account on X, or call the park at (865) 436-1200 and follow the prompts for roads.
Which Smokies roads stay open all winter?
NPS lists Newfound Gap Road (US-441), Cataloochee Road, Upper Tremont Road, Wear Cove Road as open year-round, weather permitting.
How high is Newfound Gap?
5,046 feet. NPS calls it the lowest drivable gap through the park, which is why weather closures there are common in winter.

Sources

  1. NPS: Seasonal road schedule (updated Apr 20, 2026)
  2. NPS: Current road, facility and trail closures (updated Oct 15, 2026)
  3. NPS: Weather and road conditions
  4. NPS: Road updates on X, @SmokiesRoadsNPS (2011 release)
  5. NPS: Superintendent's Compendium
  6. NPS: Newfound Gap overlook
  7. NPS: Newfound Gap Road scenic byway release
  8. NPS: Frequently asked questions (updated Sep 28, 2026)
  9. OSRM driving routes on OpenStreetMap data (free-flow, fetched Oct 19, 2026)