Plan your visit
Checked Oct 27, 2026 · Official links only — we don’t print hours, fees or closure dates because they change. Open these before you leave.
- NPS current conditions & alerts ↗ — trail/facility closures
- Temporary road closures ↗
- Seasonal roads ↗
- Fees & parking tags ↗ — any stop over 15 minutes
- Park webcams ↗
- Pets in the park ↗ — rules vary by trail
- NPS Cades Cove (hours, vehicle-free days) ↗
- NPS fall suggestions ↗ — seasonal
The first-timer checklist
- Parking tag bought (online or at a visitor center) — see NPS fees.
- Gas and snacks: there’s no food on the Cades Cove loop or the Foothills Parkway.
- Layers: the high peaks can be much colder than town.
- Early start: arrive at popular spots at opening.
- Wildlife: pull fully off the road; never feed animals.
- Pack it out: many parkway parking areas have no trash cans.