Little River Road closures scheduled Sept. 15 and 17

Road maintenance will close sections between Townsend Wye and Elkmont

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (Smokies.LIVE Travel Center) — Great Smoky Mountains National Park will close sections of Little River Road on Sept. 15 and 17 for essential road maintenance.

On Sept. 15, the park will close Little River Road between the Townsend Wye and Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area from 7 a.m. to noon. Visitors can use Wears Valley Road, U.S. 321, between Townsend and Line Springs Road as a detour.

On Sept. 17, the section between Metcalf Bottoms and Elkmont Junction will close from 7 a.m. to noon. Visitors can use Wears Valley Road between Line Springs Road and Pigeon Forge as a detour.

Elkmont, Metcalf Bottoms and Cades Cove will remain accessible during the closures, although visitors may need to use alternate routes.

Park officials are advising visitors to plan for increased travel times and allow extra time to reach their destinations.

Motor homes, buses and vans longer than 25 feet, along with passenger vehicles towing trailers, are prohibited on Wear Cove Gap Road from the park boundary to and including the Metcalf Bottoms bridge.

Visitors should follow posted detour signs and check road conditions before traveling through the area.