The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will close today in advance of dangerously high winds and a red flag warning.

Officials will close Elkmont and Cades Cove campgrounds, and most park roads to protect visitors and employees.

Officials say the closures at the two campgrounds affected 150 campsites that were occupied.

Park rangers will start closing roads by early afternoon today (Monday, November 20, 2023) and encourage visitors in the park to leave as soon as possible.

Officials say Newfound Gap Road Highway 441 from Sugarlands Visitor Center to Smokemont Campground will close around 1 p.m. Eastern today.

The following roads are already closed or will close:

• Clingmans Dome Road.
• Cherokee Orchard Road and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.
• Foothills Parkway between Walland and Wears Valley.
• Little River Road between the Townsend Wye to Sugarlands Visitor Center.
• Laurel Creek Road and Cades Cove Loop Road.
• Cataloochee Road.
• Lakeview Drive.

The Gatlinburg Bypass, the Spur, Foothills Parkway West (from Look Rock to Highway 129), and other park roads will remain open as long as safely possible.

The campgrounds, facilities, and roads in the park will remain closed until the high wind and red flag warnings have expired. The National Park Service will issue an afternoon update tomorrow (Tuesday, November 21, 2023) on the status of campgrounds and roads in the park.