Are Great Smokies, Blue Ridge Parkway still open as funding scales back during shutdown?

As Western North Carolina heads into the winter season, a group of nonprofits and local leaders are reducing funding to keep Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Blue Ridge Parkway facilities open with essential visitor services and limited staffing due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Friends of the Smokies, the national park’s nonprofit partner based in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is among several organizations funding the full cast of the Great Smokie from Oct. 4 through Nov. 2. During that month, all furloughed park employees returned to work and were being paid from the group’s fund. These workers included workers who managed wildlife, cleared trails and supported visitors’ experiences, Citizen Times reported.

But as the park transitions to a generally slower visitation season, the nonprofit said in an Oct. 31 news release that the next round of funding will reduce funded staff positions to positions “directly related to essential visitor services.”

Jim Matheny, a spokesman for the nonprofit, estimated that if the federal government shutdown continues beyond Nov. 2, at least half the staff will no longer be paid for the next funding deal.

“We are deeply saddened that critical work such as treating hemlock, repairing trails, and preserving historic cabins will be paused due to furloughed personnel. Maintenance of this park is a year-round effort, and the best news is that once the closure is over, it will be a fully funded park,” Friends of the Smokies President and CEO Dana Soehn said in a statement.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill take office back channel negotiations To fund the government as the stalemate lasted 33 days. It could soon be the longest government shutdown in history. longest shutdown American history ended with the administration of President Donald Trump on January 25, 2019. exactly 34 days.

More: Asheville federal workers ‘minimum’ ahead of government shutdown, possible cuts

The latest agreement with the National Park Service runs from Nov. 3 to Jan. 4 and keeps the popular Cades Cove Loop Road open, as well as all visitor centers and picnic areas normally open this time of year.

The total cost of keeping the park open with basic services and reduced staff is about $80,000 per week, the news release said. The State of Tennessee will contribute $25,000 of that weekly total, and seven other partners will provide $7,000 weekly. The fees the national park collects for recreation and parking will also be used to fund basic operations.

Similarly, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation funded the October reopening of three popular visitor facilities along the parkway: the Parkway Visitor Center in Asheville, at Milepost 384, near the entrance to US 74A; North Carolina Museum of Minerals in Spruce Pine at Milepost 331; and the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Virginia.

The foundation’s next round of funding will be limited to keeping the Parkway Visitor Center open through Nov. 9, according to spokeswoman Rita Larkin. Since the other two facilities typically close during the winter season, Larkin said the foundation will not fund them.

Previous reporting: Blue Ridge Parkway’s Helene recovery continues after closure, facility funding extended

What’s on?

Great Smoky Mountains restrooms, campgrounds, picnic areas and visitor centers will remain open and accessible to the public in the park normal seasonal schedulesaid my flock.

Great Smoky visitor centers:

• Cades Cove (Cable Mill) Visitor Center, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, and Sugarlands Visitor Center are open year-round.

• The Kuwohi Visitor Center and Kuwohi Trail, formerly known as Clingmans Dome, are open through November 30 and may be closed due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events.

Roads and motorized nature trails:

• Anthony Creek Horse Camp is open until November 8th.

• Newfound Gap Road, Cades Cove Loop Road, Upper Tremont Road, Wear Cove Road, Cataloochee Road and Foothills Parkway are open year-round and are subject to closures due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events.

• Kuwohi Road is open until November 30; may be closed due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events.

• Forge Creek Road is open through December 31 and may be closed due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events.

• Parson Branch Road and Rich Mountain Road are open through November 9.

• Little Greenbrier Trail is open until November 29.

• The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is open through November 29, subject to closures due to snow, ice, and other hazardous weather events.

Parking privileges:

• Smokemont Riding Area is open through November 22.

• LeConte Lodge is open until November 25.

• Cades Cove Riding Stable and Sugarlands Riding Stable are open through December 6th.

• Cades Cove Campground Store and Bike Rental is open until December 13th.

Hiking trails:

Most hiking trails remain open year-round; However, some roadheads may not be accessible to motor vehicles due to seasonal or weather-related road closures. Many trails remain closed in the Cataloochee area due to damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene. Check the park website for the latest status on all trails: nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm

More: Roan High Preserve near Pisgah National Forest grows to more than 100 protected acres

Blue Ridge Parkway closures, weather warnings?

The 469-mile scenic road is among the National Park Service’s most visited attractions, serpentine through the Blue Ridge Mountains from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smokies in Cherokee. Along the route, there are high-altitude points and tunnels that frequently freeze in winter, causing some sections to be closed.

“We will continue to provide safety alerts and weather updates and maintenance as needed,” the NPS Office of Communications said via email in response to Citizen Times questions.

All campsites along the park road closed on October 27 for the winter season. Trails and picnic areas that have reopened since Helene are still open along the parkway. According to the nonprofit organization.

Most visitor centers will close for the season from early to mid-November. But the Community Arts Center at Milepost 382 in Asheville will remain open year-round, where visitors can shop for crafts daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can find a full list of indoor and outdoor facilities on the foundation’s website. website.

Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email him at rober@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ryleyober

This article first appeared in the Asheville Citizen Times: Great Smokies, Blue Ridge Parkway services slowed during closure