The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will reopen some popular roads and trails on Saturday, May 9th. Campgrounds, picnic pavilions, visitor centers and many secondary roads will remain closed during the first reopening phase. That phase is expected to last for at least two weeks. The timing aligns with the earliest possible date Gov. Roy Cooper has projected for the state’s first reopening phase. Starting that day, Newfound Gap Road, Little River Road, Laurel Creek Road and Cades Cove Loop are planned to open, according to the Park Service. The Smokies is the most visited park in the country, last year breaking a visitation record by drawing 12.5 million people who come to hike, sightsee, camp, backpack, watch wildlife and waterfalls and go fishing.
