Seasonal Closures
Each year certain roads and sites are seasonally closed to help protect wildlife habitat, decrease wildlife disturbance, and reduce road maintenance needs. In specific cases roads and sites are closed to protect public safety during times of longer-term adverse weather.
The Forest Service only provides road updates and closures for Forest Service roads. For information on other government maintained roads please visit: DriveNC.gov | North Carolina Traffic, Road Closures & Travel Information
For information on the Blue Ridge Parkway closures visit: www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm
Certain trails and recreation sites may remain open throughout the year, the road to get there may be closed. Plan your visit accordingly.
Seasonal closure dates are liable to fluctuate depending on weather.
Some closures may already be closed due to Hurricane Helene. For updated list of Hurricane Helene closures, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/northcarolina/about-area/helene
Trail and Road Seasonal Closures
May 16th- October 1st
- Seaborn (FS 174)
- Millis Swamp (FS 177)
- Hickman Hill (FS 601)
January 1st- October 7th
- Flybus South (FS 136)
Nantahala Ranger District
January 2nd- April 1st
- Boardtree (FR 388)
- Upper Nantahala (FR 67)
- Deep Gap (FR 71)
- Shingletree Branch (FR 713)
- Shope Fork (FR 751)
- Ball Creek (FR 83)
- Connelly Creek (FR 86 through Alarka-Laurel)
- Wayah Bald (FR 69)
- Winding Stairs (FR 422)
- Little Yellow Mountain (FR 367)
- Big Road (FR 4652)
- Cold Spring Gap (FR 4663)
- Moses Creek (FR 4651)
- Old Bald Road (FR 4652)
- Sugar Creek (FR 4655)
- Gage Creek (FR 4648)
- Wolf Mountain (FR 4663C)
- Charley Knob (FR 4654)
- Beech Flats (FR 4668)
December 15th- April 1st
- Wayehutta Off Road Vehicle Area
Tusquitee Ranger District
September 30th- April 30th
- Jackrabbit Mountain Beach
October 31st- March 31st
- Cherokee Lake Recreation Are
November 1st- April 30th
- Jackrabbit Mountain Campground
January 1st- April 1st
- Bear Paw (FR 435)
- Beech Creek (FR 307)
- Cherokee Lake (FR 313)
- Chambers Creek (FR 2071)
- Deep Gap (FR 71)
- Derreberry Gap (FR 614B)
- Nelson Ridge (FR 351)
- Panther Gap (FR 85A)
- Perry Gap (FR 350)
- Persimmon Creek (FR 651)
- Powerline Cove (FR 6020)
- Stateline Loop (FR 420-6)
- Tatham Gap/Long Creek (FR 423)
- Tellico River (FR 420-5)
- Tuni Gap (FR 440)
Cheoah Ranger District
November 1st- April 14th
- Cheoah Pt. Campground
- Tsali Campground
- Cheoah Point Beach
- Rattler Ford Campground
December 31st- April 1st
- Dispersed camping off FS 81 (Santeetlah Ck. Rd)
- Dispersed camping off FS 2586 (Long Hungry Rd)
- Swan Cabin
- Santeetlah Creek Road (FS 81)
- Wolf Laurel (FS 81 F)
- Swan Medows Road (FS 81 G)
- Wigg Creek (FS 81 C)
- Tatham Gap (Trail of Tears) (FS 423)
- Joanna Bald (FS 423 B)
- Farley Cove Road (FS 407)
- Deep Creek Road (FS 445)
- Slick Rock (FS 62)
- Long Hungry Road (FS 2586)
- Fontana Road (FS 2624)
November 1st- October 1st
- Nolton Ridge (FS 259)
May 1st- March 31st
- Shellstand (FS 418)
Appalachian Ranger District
- January 1st- first weekend in April
- Big Ivy (FR 74)*
- Stony Fork (FR 63): Closed to all uses.*
- Cataloochee (FR 3549)
- Hickey Fork (FR 465)
- South Toe River (FR 472)*
- Neals Creek (FR 2074)*
- Flat Top (FR 278)
- Hurricane Gap (FR 467)
- Rich Mountain Fire Tower (FR 467A)
- Long Arm (FR 287)
- Mills Ridge (FR 113)
*Big Ivy, Stony Fork, South Toe, and Neals Creek are closed/will not anticipated to reopen before the seasonal closures start due to Hurricane Helene
Grandfather Ranger District
November 1st- first weekend in April
Mortimer Campground
January 1st- first weekend in April
- Curtis Creek Campground*
- Brown Mtn OHV Area
- Curtis Creek (FR 428)*
- Dobson Knob (FR 106)
- Pearcy Creek (FR 4101)
- Steels Creek (FR 228)
- Table Rock (FR 99)*
- New Gingercake (FR 496)*
- Boone Fork (FR 1001)
- Carroll Creek (FR 4096)
- Big Chestnut Mou (FR 198)
- Schoolhouse Ridge (FR 4068)
- Lost Cove (FR 464A)
* Table Rock, Curtis Creek, New Gingercake and Curtis Creek Campground are closed/ will not anticipate reopen before the seasonal closures start due to Hurricane Helene.
Pisgah Ranger District
End of November- Mid-March
- Sunburst Campground: Closed seasonally (End of November - Mid-March)
- Lake Powhatan: Camping fully accessible. Day use fully accessible, no fees, no restrooms. (End of November - Mid-March)
- North Mills River Campground: Partially open (Roadside Loop Sites 1-13), no reservations, pay using fee tube. Day use fully accessible, no fees, no restrooms. (End of November - Mid-March)
Mid November- early April
- Cradle of Forestry: Closed for season until first Saturday in April
- Sycamore Flats: Picnic shelter restrooms open, restrooms at the far end of the loop closed seasonally. No shelter reservations.
- Coontree: Restrooms closed seasonally.
- Pink Beds: Restrooms closed seasonally - No shelter reservations.
January 2nd- September 1st
- Lickstone Road (FS 97): Closes seasonally to motor vehicles.
January 1st- August 15th
- Ivestor Gap Gate (FS 816): Closes seasonally to motor vehicles.
Not staffed, but accessible from Labor Day Weekend to Memorial Day Weekend
- Sliding Rock
December 15th- April 1st
OHV Trails
- Lakeview Trail (FS 69)
- Slab Pile (FS 79)
- Wolf Den (FS 89)
- Dutch John (FS 90)
- Dickey Bell (FS 91)
- Dicky Bell Alt (FS 91A)
- Dickey Bell Connector (FS 91B)
- Rocky Mt Loop (FS 92)
- Sawmill (FS 93)
- Falls Dam (FS 96)
- Daniel (FS 390)
Campgrounds
- Art Lilley Campground
Peregrine Falcon Rock Cliff Seasonal Closures
Activities such as climbing cliffs and operating drones in the closed areas are restricted to protect the state-listed endangered birds, which mate for life and return to the same location each year to roost and tend to their nestlings. As in previous years, the order may be partially lifted at some sites before this date, depending on the development of the young falcons.
The following cliff faces and associated climbing routes are closed January 15th- August 15th:
| Site Name | Area Closed | Ranger District |
| Pickens Nose (East Face) | All climbing routes on the East Face are closed. | Nantahala Ranger District |
| Whiteside Mountain | All climbing routes between and including Southwest Arete and Mainline are closed. | Nantahala Ranger District |
| Looking Glass Rock (North Face) | All climbing routes to the right (as seen from the base of the rock) of Glass Menagerie and to the left of and including Twisted Laurel on the North Face of Looking Glass Rock are closed. No camping or foot traffic below the cliff in this section. | Pisgah Ranger District |
| North Cedar Rock (Wall of Northern Aggression) | All climbing routes between and including Groove Thang and Baynes Corner on the Wall of Northern Aggression are closed. No camping or foot traffic below the cliff in this section. | Pisgah Ranger District |
| Buzzard’s Roost | All climbing routes are closed. No camping or foot traffic above the cliff. | Appalachian Ranger District |
| Whiterock Cliff | All climbing routes are closed. | Appalachian Ranger District |
Shortoff Mountain North (Linville Gorge) | All climbing routes, cliff rim, and campsites within the marked area on the map are closed to entry. No camping or foot traffic above or below the cliff in this section. | Grandfather Ranger District |
| NC Wall – Apricot Buttress- The Camel (Linville Gorge) | On NC Wall, all climbing routes between and including Tightrope and Bumblebee Buttress are closed. Apricot Buttress and The Camel are closed. | Grandfather Ranger District |
| Big Lost Cove Cliff | All climbing routes are closed. | Grandfather Ranger District |