Little River Road may reopen today
From Staff ReportsOriginally published: October 29. 2009 3:01AM
Last modified: October 29. 2009 1:05AM
Little River Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which was closed between Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area and Elkmont Junction because of a rock slide, may reopen today.
Park officials said they hope to reopen the road at 10 or 11 a.m.
The slide is about two miles west of Elkmont Junction, according to a Park spokesman.
A contractor with earth-moving equipment was called in to scrape the face of the rock to see how much unstable material is left that needs to come down to make the area safe.
Until the road reopens, visitors traveling between Gatlinburg and Cades Cove will need to leave the Park and take U.S. 321 from Gatlinburg to Pigeon Forge and then either stay on 321 all the way into Townsend and then re-enter the Park via the Townsend entrance or get off U.S. 321 in Wears Valley onto Lyon Springs Road and into the Park at the Wear Cove entrance. Recreational vehicles cannot use the Wear Cove option due to bridge limits and tight corners.
For more information, call the automated Park information Line at 865-436-1200 and select "Current Road Information" -- that information is updated immediately as roads open or close.
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