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The 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be closed to all vehicular traffic on Dec. 1. There will be a partial closure on Dec. 2.

During the closure, Park forestry technicians will treat hemlock woolly adelgid-infested hemlock trees with a horticultural oil sprayed from large truck-mounted units. In the event of heavy rain or freezing weather, the operation will be rescheduled. To check the status of the road closure, visitors can call the Park's general information number at 865-436-1200.

During the full closure on Dec. 1, only hikers will be allowed to travel the Loop Road. Bicyclists will not be allowed to enter the Loop Road for safety reasons since there will be equipment on the road making it unsafe for bicycling. Park personnel will be working at the entrance and exit areas of the road near Sparks Lane.

The spraying operation on Dec. 2, will only impact the western end of the Loop Road. Motorists and cyclists will be able to enter the Loop as they normally would, but will have to detour across the Loop via Hyatt Lane (the second gravel crossroad) to exit Cades Cove. Hikers can continue through the closed portion. The detour will shorten the length of the trip to an 8-mile tour of Cades Cove. The Hyatt Lane bypass will eliminate access to the Cades Cove Visitor Center and Cable Mill area as well as the several trailheads located on the western end of Cades Cove:

Abrams Falls, Cooper Road, Rabbit Creek, and Wet Bottom Trails, and Gregory Ridge trailhead.