Great Smoky Mountains will be among first national parks to reopen during pandemic

The Great Smoky Mountains — one of the nation’s “most visited” national parks — intends to start a phased reopening at 8 a.m. May 9 after shutting its gates for weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, many of the park’s most popular facilities will stay closed until the final week of the month, National Park Service officials said in a Facebook post.

Among the sites opening on May 9: Newfound Gap Road, Cades Cove Loop, the Sugarlands Visitor Center, most picnic areas and the restrooms.

Campgrounds and secondary road sites will open near the end of May, including Clingman’s Dome, Laurel Falls, Alum Cave Trail and Chimney Tops Trail, the park says.

The Great Smoky Mountains and large segments of the Blue Ridge Parkway were among the more than two dozen National Park Service properties affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout national seashores in North Carolina remained open, but welcome centers, restrooms and campsites were closed.

The National Parks Conservation Association reports at least 14 national parks were completely closed for the pandemic and 17 others were partially closed.

Plans to slowly reopen the nation’s parks were announced April 25, in keeping with “Opening Up America Again” guidelines from the White House.

The Great Smoky Mountains had 12.5 million visitors in 2019, officials said, and the busiest period is May through October.

National parks began closing in March, after federal officials expressed concern visitors were not practicing proper social distancing and were at risk of sharing possibly contaminated restroom and picnic facilities.

“The health and safety of employees, partners, volunteers, visitors and local residents remains the highest priority in park reopening decisions,” the Great Smoky Mountains posted on Facebook.

“Park managers will examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance, and will be regularly monitored. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and work spaces are safe and clean for all users” the park said.

This story was originally published May 1, 2020 at 9:22 AM with the headline "Great Smoky Mountains will be among first national parks to reopen during pandemic."